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Matthew Emory Hazeltine, Jr. (August 2, 1933 – January 13, 1987) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants.
| No. 55, 64 | |
 Hazeltine in 1961 | |
| Date of birth | August 2, 1933 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Ross, California, U.S. |
| Date of death | January 13, 1987 (aged 53) |
| Place of death | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| US college | California |
| NFL draft | 1955 / round: 4 / pick: 45 |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1955–1968 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1970 | New York Giants |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Pro Bowls | 2 (1962, 1964) |
| Career stats | |
| Games played | 190 |
| Starts | 185 |
| Interceptions | 13 |
| Fumble recoveries | 18 |
| |
Hazeltine was twice an All-American as a collegian playing for the University of California and was twice chosen for the Pro-Bowl during his professional career. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
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Early years
Matt Hazeltine was born August 2, 1933 in Ross, California, located in Marin County, just north of San Francisco.
He was a 1951 graduate of Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, California, and was a star player there and at the University of California, Berkeley.
Professional career
While with the 49ers, Hazeltine was selected for the Pro Bowl twice, in 1963 and 1965. He was captain of the team for five years.[1]
Hazeltine missed the 1969 season with injuries, but returned in 1970 for one season with the New York Giants.
Life after football
Following his retirement from the gridiron, Hazeltine operated a successful insurance agency in San Francisco.[2]
Death and legacy
Hazeltine died in San Francisco on January 13, 1987 of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was one of three 1964 San Francisco 49ers teammates who died of ALS, a rare ailment with an incidence estimated at 1 per 50,000 individuals in the general population.[3] Others 49ers felled by the terminal disease included contemporaries Bob Waters and Gary Lewis and — a generation later — wide receiver Dwight Clark.[3]
Studies have been done examining the use of DMSO, painkillers, and the fertilizer used on the 49ers practice field in Redwood City, California in an effort to isolate a potential chemical connection.[3] A possible connection between the disease and mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) is a matter of ongoing study.[4]
Hazeltine was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989.[5]
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