Bert Rechichar
A versatile NFL ironman who stunned the football world by kicking a record 56-yard field goal in his very first professional game.
1930–2019 (age 89)·American football player·Birthday: July 16·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bert Rechichar entered the NFL not with a whisper, but with a historic bang. In 1953, as a rookie for the Baltimore Colts, the Tennessee alum—already known as a fierce defensive back and runner—lined up for a field goal attempt against the Chicago Bears. He booted the ball 56 yards through the uprights, setting a new NFL record that stood for 17 years. That moment defined his career: unexpected, powerful, and multifaceted. Rechichar was the epitome of a football player from an era before extreme specialization. He was a defensive stalwart who intercepted passes, a halfback who carried the ball, and, when needed, a kicker with a legendary leg. Coaches like the great General Bob Neyland at Tennessee considered him one of the most complete players they'd ever seen. His professional journey took him to multiple teams, but his legacy is that of a pure, tough athlete who could, and did, do it all.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bert was born in 1930, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1930
#1 Movie
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Bert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1930Born
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1935Started school
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1943Became a teenager
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Could drive
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1948Could vote
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Turned 21
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Turned 30
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 40
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 50
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 60
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 70
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 80
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Died at 89
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- Set an NFL record with a 56-yard field goal in his first professional game in 1953, a record that stood until 1970.
- Was a key member and captain of the University of Tennessee's 1951 national championship team.
- Played in the NFL for nine seasons as a defensive back, halfback, and kicker for the Baltimore Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and New York Titans/Jets.
- Intercepted 15 passes in his NFL career and returned one for a touchdown.
Did You Know?
His record-breaking 56-yard field goal was also the first field goal attempt of his professional career.
He was drafted in the third round of the 1952 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns but did not sign with them.
Tennessee coach Bob Neyland called him "probably the best all-around player in Tennessee football history."
He also punted and returned kicks during his college career.
“I just kicked it, and it went through.”
