Chris Castor
{{Short description|American football player (born 1960)}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Chris Castor
| image = Chris Castor 2014.jpg
| caption = Castor in 2014
| number = 83
| position = Wide receiver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|4|13}}
| birth_place = Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 170
| high_school = Cary (Cary, North Carolina)
| college = Duke
| draftyear = 1983
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 123
| pastteams =
- Seattle Seahawks ({{NFL Year|1983|1984}})
| highlights =
- Second-team All-American (1982)
- ACC All Time Football Legends (2014)
- ACC Player of the Year (1982)
- First-team All-ACC (1982)
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 8
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 89
| pfr = CastCh20
}}
Christopher David Castor (born April 13, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL).[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/ .Chris Castor NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com]{{Cite web|title=Chris Castor Stats|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CastCh20.htm|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|language=en}} Castor also played college football for the Duke Blue Devils and was named to the 2014 ACC Football Legends Class. He is known as one of the fastest players of his time.[https://goduke.com/news/2014/9/18/209662092.aspx Castor Named to 2014 ACC Legends Class]. goduke.com. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
Early life
Castor was born in Burlington, North Carolina, but grew up in Cary, North Carolina and graduated from Cary High School in 1978. He played football at both West Cary Junior High School and Cary High School, as well as track at Cary High School where he excelled at high hurdles, long jump, and sprinting.{{Cite news|date=March 25, 1977|title=Chris Castor Stars in Cary Victory|page=21|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93634746/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|date=September 25, 1974|title=East Garner, Millbrook Win|page=28|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93634507/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
Duke University
Castor received a football scholarship for Duke University where he established the single-season record for average yards per reception (20.70) in 1982,{{Cite news|date=December 23, 1977|title=Castor Signs with Duke|page=26|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93634968/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}} He also caught 46 passes for 952 yards and 13 touchdowns during his senior year at Duke, becoming the ACC Player of the Year and a second-team All-America selection by the Associated Press.
Castor also competed on the Duke Blue Devils track and field team. He earned All-American status by running the 400 m leg of their 4th-place distance medley relay team at the 1981 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.{{cite web |url=https://www.ustfccca.org/records-lists/meet-history-by-event?gender=1&series=3368&event=20 |title=Distance medley relay at the NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships |website=USTFCCCA |access-date=28 December 2024}}
Professional career
In the 1983 USFL Draft, Castor was a fifth round selection of Tampa Bay Bandits.{{Cite news|date=January 5, 1983|title=U.S. Football League 1983 Draft|page=12A|work=The Charlotte Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635091/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspaper.com}} Although Tampa Bay offered him $35,000 a year with a $10,000 signing bonus, Castor decided to wait for the NFL draft and did not sign.{{Cite news|date=January 21, 1983|title=Chris Castor|page=D1|work=The Durham Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635198/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|last=Dascenzo|first=Frank|date=April 29, 1983|title=Castor's Choice|page=3D|work=The Durham Sun|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635424/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}} During the NFL Draft, Castor was selected in the fifth round by the Seattle Seahawks.{{Cite news|last=Rollins|first=Glenn|date=April 27, 1983|title=Draft Leaves Carolina Players in the Cold|page=D1|work=The Charlotte Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635586/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|last=Swaim|first=Ron|date=April 27, 1983|title=Seattle Opportunity Excites Castor|page=2B|work=Durham Morning Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635691/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
Castor played for the Seahawks for the 1983 and 1984 seasons. In 1985, he was placed on reserve because of a broken clavicle.{{Cite news|date=August 21, 1985|title=Quick Placed on Reserve List|page=3B|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635804/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}} He retired from professional football in 1986, expressing desire to coach.{{Cite news|last=Carr|first=A.J.|date=August 13, 1986|title=Getting Pumped for the Big (Football Season)|page=4B|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93635912/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
Honors
In 1994, Castor was inducted into the Cary High School Imps' Hall of Fame for football and track.{{Cite news|date=September 21, 1994|title=Conference Notes: Tri-Six 4-A|page=9C|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93634397/|access-date=January 29, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}} His high school football number, 86, was retired by the school in 1997 as part of their 75th football anniversary.{{Cite news|last=Stevens|first=Tim|date=November 5, 1997|title=Cary Honors Castor|page=7C|work=The News and Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93636018/|access-date=January 28, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
In 2014, the Atlantic Coast Conference named Castor to the All-Time ACC Football Legends.{{Cite web|title=All-Time ACC Football Legends Classes|url=http://theacc.com/sports/2019/10/24/FB_1024193004.aspx|access-date=2022-01-28|website=theACC.com|language=en}}
Personal life
Castor currently lives in Cary, N.C. and is the Director of Facility Services with SAS Institute.{{Cite web|date=January 28, 2022|title=Chris Castor|url=https://www.facebook.com/chris.castor.94|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Facebook|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=January 28, 2022|title=Chris Castor|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-castor-bb597010/|access-date=January 28, 2022|website=LinkedIn}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Atlantic Coast Conference football Player of the Year navbox}}
{{Seahawks1983DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castor, Chris}}
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Duke Blue Devils football players
Category:Seattle Seahawks players
Category:Players of American football from Burlington, North Carolina
Category:Players of American football from Cary, North Carolina
Category:Duke Blue Devils men's track and field athletes