Ron Mix
A Hall of Fame offensive lineman who anchored the Chargers' high-flying AFL dynasty with a rare combination of brains and brawn.
Born 1938 (age 88)·American football player·Birthday: March 10·The Silent Generation
Biography
Ron Mix emerged from the University of Southern California not just as an All-American, but as a cerebral force on the gridiron. Drafted by the fledgling American Football League's Los Angeles Chargers, he became the immovable cornerstone of a team that defined the AFL's explosive style. His technical mastery at right tackle, often playing without a penalty, protected quarterback John Hadl and paved running lanes for backs like Keith Lincoln, fueling the Chargers' 1963 championship run. Mix's intelligence was as formidable as his blocking; he earned a law degree while playing, later becoming a successful attorney. His career, which concluded with a stint on the Oakland Raiders' famed offensive line, was capped by a 1979 Hall of Fame induction, solidifying his status as a foundational pillar of modern football.
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.
Ron was born in 1938, 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 Ron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1938
#1 Movie
You Can't Take It with You
Best Picture
You Can't Take It with You
Ron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1938Born
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1943Started school
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
1951Became a teenager
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
1954Could drive
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1956Could vote
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Turned 21
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1968Turned 30
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 40
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 50
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 60
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 70
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 80
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 88 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979 for his contributions as an offensive tackle.
- Named to the AFL All-Time Team, recognizing his dominance in the American Football League.
- Played a key role in the San Diego Chargers' 1963 AFL Championship victory.
- Earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego while actively playing professional football.
Did You Know?
He was nicknamed 'The Intellectual Assassin' for his combination of a law degree and ferocious play.
Mix played in an era before holding penalties were strictly enforced, yet was called for holding only twice in his entire career.
He was the first draft pick in the history of the American Football League, selected by the Boston Patriots in 1960 before being traded to the Chargers.
“I studied law because I knew my football career would end, and I wanted to be prepared for what came next.”
