Vern Burke
{{Short description|American football player (born 1941)}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Vern Burke
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| currentteam =
| number = 83, 84
| position = Split end, tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1941|4|30|mf=y}}
| birth_place = San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 215
| high_school = Bakersfield (CA) North
| college = Oregon State
| draftyear = 1963
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 64
| pastteams =
- San Francisco 49ers (1963–1965)
- Atlanta Falcons (1966)
- New Orleans Saints (1967)
| highlights =
- Consensus All-American (1963)
- Second-team All-American (1962)
- Pop Warner Trophy (1963)
- First-team All-PCC (1963)
- Second-team All-PCC (1962)
- Oregon Sports Hall of Fame ({{abbr|ind.|inducted}} 1982)
- OSU Hall of Fame ({{abbr|ind.|inducted}} 1991)
| pfr = BurkVe00
}}
Vernon Eugene Burke (born April 30, 1941) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, and the New Orleans Saints.
Early life
Burke attended North High School in Bakersfield, California and starred in football.
College career
Burke attended Bakersfield College before he enrolled at Oregon State to play football. He lettered in football in 1961 and 1962, earning a spot as a first-team Consensus All-American at split end in 1962. Burke caught 69 passes for 1,007 yards, both NCAA records at the time. The Beavers finished 9–2 after a 6–0 victory over Villanova in the Liberty Bowl. The Beavers' lone touchdown in that game came on a 99-yard rushing touchdown by Beaver quarterback and 1962 Heisman Trophy winner, Terry Baker.
For his achievements in his senior season, Burke was chosen to play in the 1963 East-West Shrine Game and 1963 Hula Bowl.{{cite web |url=http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4700&KEY=&ATCLID=188614 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120004509/http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4700&KEY=&ATCLID=188614 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |title=Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame |publisher=osubeavers.com |access-date=January 4, 2008}} Burke was also awarded the 1963 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast.
Professional career
Burke was selected in the 5th round of the 1963 NFL draft, the 64th pick overall, by the San Francisco 49ers. Burke did not debut in the NFL however until 1965. He later spent a year each with the Atlanta Falcons and the New Orleans Saints.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BurkVe00.htm |title=Vern Burke |publisher=pro-football-reference.com |access-date=January 4, 2008}}{{cite web |url=http://www.osubeavers.com/pdf2/39520.pdf?ATCLID=153842&SPSID=27968&SPID=1952&DB_OEM_ID=4700 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208063642/http://www.osubeavers.com/pdf2/39520.pdf?ATCLID=153842&SPSID=27968&SPID=1952&DB_OEM_ID=4700 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 8, 2015 |title=Beavers in the Pros |access-date=January 4, 2008}}
Legacy
Burke was inducted into the State of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20151120004509/http://www.osubeavers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4700&KEY=&ATCLID=188614 Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame]
{{49ers1963DraftPicks}}
{{Raiders1963DraftPicks}}
{{1966 Atlanta Falcons}}
{{1967 New Orleans Saints}}
{{1963 College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{Pop Warner Trophy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burke, Vern}}
Category:Sportspeople from San Luis Obispo, California
Category:All-American college football players
Category:Oregon State Beavers football players
Category:San Francisco 49ers players