Dick Wallen

Dick Wallen (born c. 1936) is a former American football player who was a consensus All-American at the end position in 1957 while playing for UCLA. He was awarded the 1957 W.J. Voit Memorial Trophy as the outstanding football player on the Pacific Coast. He was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

A native of Alhambra, California, Wallen won 11 letters at Alhambra High School, including letters in football, tennis, track and basketball. He was also voted the prep Player of the Year in the Pacific League. Wallen enrolled at UCLA in 1955. He was converted by UCLA coach Red Sanders from a wingback to an end. Wallen was a three-year starter at the end position for UCLA in 1956, 1957, and 1958. As a sophomore, he caught 23 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns.

Wallen's greatest success as a football player came in his junior year in 1957. That year, Wallen caught 20 passes for 303 yards. He was also a star on defense, intercepting four passes and recovering six opposition fumbles. Wallen led the UCLA team in minutes played, playing 399 minutes out of a possible 600. UCLA coach Sanders praised Wallen's skills:

"'Wallen's got the best hands I ever saw in college ball,' says Sanders, 'and that includes fellows like Don Hutson when he was at Alabama. He's a natural born receiver; you don't learn those finger-tip haul downs Dick makes. His hand aren't big either. But he just has an instinct for catching a football, plus intelligence, quick judgment and perfect balance. It's a joy to coach a kid like that because he's eager to learn and never makes the same mistake twice."

Opposing coaches also praised Wallen. Stanford's Coach Joe Ruetz said, "Dick Wallen is as fine a receiver as I've ever seen." After an October 1957 game against Washington, Los Angeles Times sports writer Dick Hyland called Wallen a "Giant on Defense," writing as follows:

"Wallen was much more than a pass receiver. True, he again jumped in the air and duplicated his Illinois game stunt of making an unbelievable one-handed catch of a ball thrown over his head. ... His big contributions, however, were on defense. Twice, acting with the quickness of a cat, the 175-pound Bruin junior backed away while rushing Washington Quarterback Al Ferguson and intercepted the latter's short lob passes aimed to go well over Wallen's head."

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