Simpson, O. J. (Orethal J.)
Football
b. July 9, 1947, San Francisco, CA
The best in a long line of University of Southern California tailbacks who gained big chunks of yardage running out of the I formation, Simpson was a consensus All-American in 1967 and 1968, and he won the 1968 Heisman Trophy as the nation's outstanding college player.
Although he played in only 19 games at USC, Simpson gained 3,124 yards and scored 33 touchdowns on 621 rushing attempts. His average of 164.4 yards per game is the second best ever at an NCAA Division I school.
A first-round draft choice of the Buffalo Bills and the first player chosen overall, Simpson wasn't an immediate success because he was used sparingly and even had to play on special teams for his first three seasons.
When Lou Saban took over as Buffalo coach in 1972, he installed an offense built around Simpson's running ability and the 6-foot-1, 212-pounder responded by leading the NFL with 1,251 yards. In 1973, he became the first player ever to rush for more 2,000 yards in a season, again leading the NFL, averaging 6.0 yards a carry and scoring 12 rushing touchdowns. He was named Associated Press Athlete of the Year and the winner of the Hickok Belt as the year's outstanding professional athlete.
Simpson rushed for than 1,000 yards each of the next three seasons. A knee injury limited him to just 557 yards in 1977, his last season in Buffalo. He played with the San Francisco 49ers in 1978 and 1979, totalling just over 1,000 yards for those two seasons, before retiring.
An All-Pro running back from 1972 through 1976, Simpson was named American Football Conference player of the year by United Press International in 1972, 1973, and 1975. In 11 professional seasons, he gained 11,236 yards on 2,404 attempts, a 4.7 average, and scored 61 touchdowns. He also caught 203 passes for 2,142 yards, a 10.6 average, and 14 touchdowns; and returned 33 kickoffs 990 yards, a 30.0 average, and 1 touchdown.
After retiring from football, Simpson had fair success as a movie and television actor and also did some pro football commentary for ABC and NBC.
While still in college, Simpson had married Marguerite Whitley. They were divorced in 1979 and he subsequently married Nicole Brown. After Simpson pled no-contest to a charge of domestic abuse, they divorced in 1992.
While still in college, Simpson had married Marguerite Whitley. They were divorced in 1979 and he subsequently married Nicole Brown. After Simpson pled no-contest to a charge of domestic abuse, they divorced in 1992.
Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman were found dead on June 12, 1994, and Simpson was charged with their murders. After what was probably the most publicized trial in history, he was acquitted of all charges. However, in a subsequent civil trial brought by Goldman's father, Simpson was found liable for Goldman's death and ordered to pay $33,500,000 in damages.
Soon afterward, he moved from California to Florida, where a person's residence generally can't be seized to satisfy a debt. He continues to maintain his innocence and has claimed that he is looking for the real murderer.