Pete Liske
No. 14 | |
Date of birth | May 24, 1942 |
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Place of birth | New York Titans |
NFL draft | 1963 / Round: 10 / Pick: 130 |
Drafted by | Philadelphia Eagles |
Career history | |
As player | |
1964 | New York Jets (AFL) |
1965 | Toronto Argonauts |
1966–1968 | Calgary Stampeders |
1969 | Denver Broncos (AFL) |
1970 | Denver Broncos (NFL) |
1971–1972 | Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) |
1973–1974 | Calgary Stampeders |
1974–1975 | BC Lions |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
CFL All-Star | 1967 |
CFL West All-Star | 1967 |
Career stats | |
|
Peter Adrian Liske (/ˈlɪsk/ LISK;[1] May 24, 1942 – February 12, 2022) was an American football quarterback, star quarterback with Calgary Stampeders in the late-60s and later a university athletics administrator.
High school and college football careers
Liske played his high school football in Plainfield, New Jersey, and graduated from Plainfield High School in 1959.[2] He was good enough to go on to the powerhouse Penn State Nittany Lions, and was later (on October 6, 2000) elected to the Plainfield High School Hall of Fame (as was Vic Washington, another football player, who coincidentally played against Liske in the CFL's 56th Grey Cup.)
He played for Penn State from 1961 to 1963, quarterbacking winning teams each year. In 1961, he saw limited action (17 for 32 and 216 yards) but was a starter in the other years. In 1962, he completed 91 of 162 passes for 1,037 yards and 12 touchdowns (with four interceptions.) In 1963, he completed 87 of 161 passes for 1,117 yards and ten touchdowns (with five picks.)
Professional career
Prior to his fifth-year senior season at Penn State, Liske was drafted in 1963 by both American professional football leagues, the
Liske saw limited playing time in 1964 with New York, playing in only four games (only 18 passes). His career took a turn up north, with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. Canadian teams of this time were still a very viable career option, as they paid comparable money and offered more playing time. Liske played 11 games with Toronto in 1965.
From 1966 to 1968, he moved to the Calgary Stampeders, where he enjoyed his greatest success as a professional. In 1967, he threw for 4,479 yards, a whopping figure for that era, and 40 touchdowns, the latter breaking Tobin Rote's league record of 38 in 1960 for Toronto. His touchdown record would stay in place until Doug Flutie surpassed him in 1993. He was named an all-star and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award. In 1968, after a season comprising 4,333 yards passing and 31 touchdowns (though with 28 interceptions), he led his team to the 56th Grey Cup, losing a close and exciting game to the Ottawa Rough Riders. Liske's passing records would eventually be eclipsed by Doug Flutie's in a more wide-open era.
Liske chose to return to the AFL in
Canada beckoned once again, and in 1973 he rejoined the Stampeders. He remained in Calgary until part way through the 1974 season, when he joined the
Later life and honors
In 2002 Liske's number 14 was added to the
Liske left the private sector in 1985 for the University of Washington in Seattle, where he started as an associate athletic director, with a focus on fundraising and promotions.[3] He became the athletic director at the University of Idaho in Moscow in 1992, and moved to the University of Toledo in 1996.[4][5] In late 2001, Liske returned to his alma mater, Penn State, where he was appointed director of major gifts for intercollegiate athletics, with special emphasis on developing funding for the improvement of athletic facilities.[6]
Peter A. Liske died on February 12, 2022, in Wenatchee, Washington, due to Alzheimer's disease.[7]
See also
References
- ^ Denver Broncos 1970 Press-Radio-Television Guide (pronunciations on page 43). Retrieved December 20, 2018
- ^ Pete Liske profile Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, database Football. Accessed September 8, 2007.
- ^ Meehan, Jim (August 21, 1992). "Idaho trims A.D. search down to five". Spokesman-Review. p. C1.
- ^ Sullivan, Tim (June 21, 1996). "Liske leaving Idaho for A.D. post at Toledo". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. p. 1B.
- ^ "Liske leaves Idaho with lucrative dates". Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. July 7, 1996. p. C3.
- ^ "Pete Liske joins athletic development staff". Penn State Athletics. December 13, 2001. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
- ^ "Pete Liske - View Obituary & Service Information". Pete Liske Obituary. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
External links
- Sports Reference: Pete Liske college statistics
- Career statistics and player information from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference ·