UCLA has a great tradition of producing fine college quarterbacks. One of the earliest was local boy, Bob Waterfield who went to Van Nuys high school out in the San Fernando Valley, just over the hill from Westwood.
Waterfield played for UCLA in 1941, 1942, and 1944. He was in the Army in 1944, and while playing for Fort Benning's 176th Infantry football team, Waterfield injured his knee. He was given his honorable discharge and returned to UCLA for the 1944 season.
On the gridiron, Waterfield was called a triple-threat because he could pass, run, and kick. In 1941, Waterfield led the Bruins to a 5-5-1 record, 3-4-1 in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC).
It was in 1942 when he put his name on the map. He led the Bruins to a 7-4 record, 6-1 in the PCC, and UCLA's first appearance in the Rose Bowl, albeit a losing effort 9-0 to the Georgia Bulldogs.
Waterfield led the PCC in passing, completing 53 of 125 passes for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns. During his 1942 season, he set UCLA's record for playing in 557 minutes out of the 600 minutes played during the ten-game season. He also averaged 40.0 yards per punt.
In 1943 before joining the Army, Waterfield either continued or started the trend of the quarterback getting the hot chick. He married his high school sweetheart. She was one of the war era's most desired pinup girls and ended up a star actress, Jane Russell.
Returning to UCLA 1944, Waterfield led the Bruins to a 4-5-1 record. There would be better days ahead for the Bruin quarterback.
In 1945, Waterfield was drafted in the fifth round with the 42nd pick by the Cleveland Rams. Yes, things have changed, that would land him in the second round today.
Waterfield had an outstanding rookie season. Not only did he win the starting quarterback job, but he also led the Rams to the NFL championship. He led the NFL with 1627 total yards, 14 touchdown passes, and averaging 9.4 yards per completion. He also led the NFL in throwing 17 interceptions, but he was able to get a little of that back with his six picks as a defensive back.
In 1946, Waterfield moved back home when the Rams moved the franchise to Los Angeles. Waterfield starred in front of his hometown in his second season in the NFL.
Waterfield led the NFL in pass attempts with 251, completions 127, (51.9 completion percentage), 17 touchdown passes, and was second in passing yards with 1,747 yards. He was 37-37 kicking extra points and hit on 66.7 of his field-goal attempts and averaged 44.7 yards per punt.
The former Bruin went onto play eight seasons for the Rams before retiring after the 1952 season. He finished his career with 814 completed passes for 11,849 yards and 97 touchdowns. He finished his career with a 42.4 punting average and had four NFL kicking records when he hung it up with 315 extra points and 60 career field goals. His other two records were for single-season highs of 54 extra points and kicking five field goals in a single game.
Waterfield was also involved in what may have been the first quarterback controversy with Norm Van Brocklin, who was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.
In 1965, Waterfield was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the third class elected.
Waterfield and his wife started a production company making movies called Russ-Field Productions. Under that banner, they produced Run for your Life and The King and Four Queens.
Once you're in sports, it is hard to stay away, and Waterfield became the kicking coach for the Rams, then later he became the quarterback coach and developed Billy Wade into solid NFL signal-caller.
Waterfield would eventually get the Ram's head coaching job, but that would only last two and half seasons. His coaching record was 9-24-1.
Waterfield's number was retired by the Rams in 1952. He passed on in 1983 on March 23 at the age of 62. Not too far from his boyhood Van Nuys home, where his athletic career began at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif.
