ROTE, Kyle 1928-2002

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born October 27, 1928, in San Antonio, TX; died of cardiopulmonary complications from pneumonia August 15, 2002, in Baltimore, MD. Professional athlete, sportscaster, and author. Rote was a star football player for the New York Giants during the 1950s and early 1960s. He attended Vanderbilt University and then transferred to Southern Methodist University, where his obvious talents led to his nomination for the Heisman Trophy in 1950. In 1951 he joined the Giants, where he played running back and split end positions for eleven seasons, captaining the team for ten. While playing for the Giants, his team appeared in four national championships and won the title against the Chicago Bears in 1958. After he retired, Rote was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 1964. His post-football career consisted of work as a broadcaster for NBC television and, during the 1960s, as director of sports and community relations for WNEW-Radio in New York City. He also served as national sports director for the National Foundation for Neuromuscular Disease and the Society for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency. Rote was the author of three books about football, including The Language of Pro Football (1966), and two books on soccer, including Wilson Guide to Soccer (1994), written with Donn Risolo.

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

books

Hickok, Ralph, A Who's Who of Sports Champions, Houghton (Boston, MA), 1995.

periodicals

Los Angeles Times, August 16, 2002, p. B13.

New York Times, August 16, 2002, p. A17.