Wikipedia

Chris Limahelu

Chris Limahelu(October 16, 1950 – April 7, 2010) wasplacekickerfor theUSC Trojansfootballteam during the 1973 and 1974 seasons whenJohn McKaywas the head coach.[1]

Chris Limahelu
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born(1950-10-16)October 16, 1950
Ternate,Indonesia
DiedApril 7, 2010(2010-04-07)(aged 59)
Los Angeles, California,U.S.
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) (1972–1975)
Weight135 lb (61 kg) (1972–1975)
Sport
SportAmerican football
EventPlace kicker
College teamUSC Trojans
Citrus CollegeFighting Owls
Coached byJohn McKay
Retired1975

Only 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) and 135 pounds (61 kg) during his playing career, he is remembered for setting new team records. His 47-yardfield goalat the1974 Rose Bowlgame was the longest ever by a Trojan, breaking a 64-year-old Trojan record,[2][3]and it became the second longest field goal in Rose Bowl history.[4][5][6][7]

By the end of his career in 1975, Limahelu had kicked three of the five longest field goals in USC football history,[3]a record which stood untilSteve Jordan's 52-yard kicks, one in 1982 and another in 1983, and Don Shafer's 60-yard kick in 1985.[3]

Early years

edit

Limahelu was born inTernate,Indonesia. His family moved to the Netherlands when he was an infant, and by the time he was ten years old, he had learned to play soccer and had begun developing his kicking technique. His family then moved to theUnited States,where he attendedSouth Hills High SchoolinWest Covina, California,joining theirfootball,tennisandwrestlingteams.[2]Afterhigh schoolhe attendedCitrus CollegeinGlendora, Californiabefore transferring to theUniversity of Southern California(USC)[8]where he majored insociology.[9]

Football career

edit

Sophomore

edit

After transferring from Citrus College, Limahelu joined the USC football program and served on USC'sjunior varsityteam in 1972 as a sophomore.[8]It was then that hissoccer-style place kicking first caught the eye of the media.[10]

Junior

edit

As a junior in the 1973 season, Limahelu set two Trojan records: he was successful in 14 of his 18field goalattempts, six more than any previous Trojan kicker in a season,[1]and in the1974 Rose BowlagainstOhio State,he kicked both a 42-yard and a 47-yard field goal. Both of these were his longest kicks to date,[11][12]and the 47-yard field goal became, at that time, the longest field goal ever by a Trojan place kicker, breaking a 64-year-old record.[2][3][7]

He was also successful in completing 31 of 34point-after-touchdownconversions overall.[7]During the 1974 season, in a game against theStanford UniversityCardinals,where USC was trailing 23–10 after 3 periods,[13]Limahelu kicked a 34-yard field goal during the game's last 3 seconds, allowing USC to achieve a 27–26 victory, and keeping alive the USC bid for a place in the1975 Rose Bowlberth.[8][14]

Senior

edit

As a senior, with his successful completion of 10 out of 17 field goal attempts and his successful 39 out of 43 point-after-touchdown conversions, Limahelu earnedAll-Pac-8first team honors when the Trojans won the national title.[7]In a game against theUCLA Bruinsin late November, 1974, Limahelu's 30-yard field goal capped USC's second drive of the game.[15]Later in the same game, he kicked a 50-yard field goal, which then became his personal best by breaking his own distance record from the previous year.[3][7]

In the1975 Rose Bowlgame against theOhio StateBuckeyes,Limahelu kicked a 30-yard field goal, allowing USC to be the first to score in that game,[16]however Ohio was leading 7–3 at halftime.[17]At the end of the first half, Limahelu had kicked a 39-yard field goal, but anoffsidespenalty against Ohio gave USC an opportunity they accepted for afirst downat the Buckeye's 16-yard-line.[17]Ohio failed to score, and a 24-yard field goal attempt by Limahelu went wide.[17]However, in the second half, he succeeded with aconversion kickthat assured USC's 18–17 win over.[8]

Up to that time, Limahelu had kicked three of the five longest field goals in USC football history.[3]That record stood untilSteve Jordan's two 52-yarders, one against Stanford in 1982 and a repeat 52-yarder againstWashington State UniversityCougarsin 1983, and the Don Shafer 60-yard field goal against theUniversity of Notre DameFighting Irishin 1985.[3]

Later years

edit

Limahelu became an accountant after his playing years, and had been a member of thePasadena Tournament of Rosessince 1995.[7][8]Sean Limahelu, Chris Limahelu's nephew and godson, was a walk-onpunteron USC's 2005 football team.[8]

Death

edit

Limahelu died April 7, 2010, inLos Angelesafter a long battle withprostate cancer.He was 59 years old.[7][8]He is survived by his mother, Juliana; his brothers, Al, Robert, Frank, Henry, Rocky and Patrick; and his sister, Juliette.[8]

References

edit
  1. ^abstaff (April 7, 2010)."Afterward: Former USC kicker Chris Limahelu dies at 59".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedJune 21,2010.
  2. ^abctimes staff (April 7, 2010)."PASSINGS: Chris Limahelu, Jim Pagliaroni".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedJune 20,2010.
  3. ^abcdefgWolf, Scott (April 8, 1010)."Inside USC: Kicking history".Daily News.insidesocal.RetrievedJune 21,2010.
  4. ^Kaelin, Eric (2004).Buckeye Glory Days: The Most Memorable Games of Ohio State Football(illustrated ed.). Sports Publishing LLC. p. 81.ISBN1-58261-681-7.
  5. ^Bob Boyles, Paul Guido (2009).USA Today College Football Encyclopedia.Skyhorse Publishing Inc. pp. 301, 313, 315, 1245.ISBN978-1-60239-677-7.
  6. ^Bob Boyles, Paul Guido (2007).50 Years of College Football: A Modern History of America's Most Colorful Sport.Skyhorse Publishing Inc. pp. 299, 310, 312, 1169.ISBN978-1-60239-090-4.
  7. ^abcdefgDulberg, Dave (April 8, 2010)."Former Trojan Limahelu dies at 59".Daily Trojan.dailytrojan.RetrievedJune 21,2010.
  8. ^abcdefghTrojan Football (April 7, 2010)."USC Record-setting Kicker Chris Limahelu Dies".USC Trojans.usctrojans.RetrievedJune 21,2010.
  9. ^Newhan, Ross (November 11, 1973)."Haden: It Was Some Kind of Tough".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon November 2, 2012.RetrievedJune 21,2010.
  10. ^Shirley, Billf (September 10, 1972)."Trojans Upset Razorbacks by 31–10 Margin".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon November 2, 2012.RetrievedJune 21,2010.
  11. ^"Ohio State Rips Trojans".Herald Journal.Associated Press. January 2, 1974.RetrievedJune 22,2010.
  12. ^"Pasadena Tournament of Roses History, 1970–1979, 1974 – Ohio State 42 USC 21".Pasadena Tournament of Roses.tournamentofroses. Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2008.RetrievedJune 22,2010.
  13. ^Times Wire Services (November 12, 1973)."Ohio State's Best, Says Beaten Coach".St. Petersburg Times.RetrievedJune 22,2010.
  14. ^Migdol, Gary (1997).Stanford: Home of Champions(illustrated ed.). Sports Publishing LLC. p. 160.ISBN1-57167-116-1.
  15. ^"Southern Cal Is Smelling Roses Too".Lakeland Ledger.Associated Press. November 24, 1974.RetrievedJune 22,2010.
  16. ^Mervin D. Hyman, Gordon S. White (1977).Big ten football, its life and times, great coaches, players, and games.Macmillan.ISBN0-02-558070-1.Chris Limahelu -inpublisher:icon.
  17. ^abc"Trojans surprise Buckeyes 18–17".Anchorage Daily News.January 2, 1975. p. 4.RetrievedJune 22,2010.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Limahelu&oldid=1240359232"