American baseball playerBaseball playerAmerican football playerPlayer stats at NFL.com:·:PFR

Norman Delaney B*, Jr. (born January 21, 1939) is a former American college and professional football player and baseball player. He was a pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics from 1961 to 1963. A safety in football, he played college football at the University of the Pacific, and professionally in the American Football League for the Denver Broncos in 1964. B* became an international table tennis player. His 2–sport athlete status came about because arthritis forced him to retire from baseball. His is the brother of NFL player Dick B*.

Contents

• 1 Baseball career
• 2 Football career
• 3 2–Sport athlete
• 4 Table Tennis
• 5 Personal
• 6 See also
• 7 References
• 8 External links

Baseball career

B* pitched in 65 games (34 starts) for the Kansas City Athletics, finishing with a 13–17 record and a 5.32 career ERA in his Major League career. In his rookie year with the Athletics he had 11 wins and 11 losses. B* signed with the Athletics before the 1958 season and made his debut with the Pocatello A's. He worked his way to the major leagues, making his debut at age 22. As a hitter, he hit his lone major league home run in 1961. B* pitched in one minor league game in 1965, a complete game victory, but his baseball career ended after that performance.

Football career

B* played safety for the Denver Broncos in 1964 after arthritis cut short his 1964 baseball season. The Broncos were an American Football League team that went 2–11–1 that season, with B* playing Defensive Back and wearing uniform number 46. From 1960 to 1969, his brother, Dick B*, was a running back for the Los Angeles Rams.

2–Sport athlete

B* played both football and baseball in college and joined the Denver Broncos after he was unable pitch effectively in 1964, due to arthritis. The arthritis forced him to retire from football as well. B* is one of the few players (there are less than 70) to play both baseball and football professionally.

Table Tennis

B* took up table tennis in the 1970s and became a ranked player in his age groups. He played for the United States Paralympic table tennis team in 1998. He won a Bronze Medal at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia. B*' table tennis career accomplishments led to him being elected to the Table Tennis Hall of Fame.

Personal

B* was stricken with meningitis at age 10 and had to be quarantined for a time after the illness almost took his life. The illness left him blind and deaf for three months.

B* followed his older brother Dick B* in starring at Vallejo High School and attending the University of Pacific, where he was a multi–sport athlete.

In signing with the Kansas City Athletics, B* received a $4,000 signing bonus, which he used to support his young family.

Norm B* had a career working for McDonnell Douglas, retiring after 30 years with the company.

In 2005, B*' son, Norman Delaney B*, III, wrote a biography of his father. The book is *led "Color Him Father: An American Journey of Hope and Redemption." ISBN:978-1-419-65007-9.

B* was elected to the Table Tennis Hall of Fame in 2018.

See also

• List of American Football League players
  List of athletes who played in Major League Baseball and the National Football League

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or:Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Norm B* NFL & AFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com