Palmer “Pete†Retzlaff, a member of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Hall of Fame and a 1953 graduate of South Dakota State College, died April 10, 2020, of natural causes in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.
The Ellendale, North Dakota, native was selected as an SDSU Distinguished Alumnus in 1974 and tabbed for the Jackrabbit Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.
Retzlaff performed on the SDSU football and track teams for two years, setting 16 SDSU records during the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons. He was on the All-North Central Conference football team both seasons, setting an SDSU single-season rushing record in 1951 with 1,016 yards.
Following his graduation from SDSU in 1953, Retzlaff tried out with the Detroit Lions as a 22nd-round draft pick. He returned to SDSU to work on the athletic staff before entering the military March 24, 1954. Following his release from the service in 1956, Retzlaff was rehired at SDSU, but that fall returned to Detroit and his contract was sold to the Philadelphia Eagles.
From there, it was a great success story. “Pistol Pete†or “The Baron†went on to set Eagles receiving records for most passes caught in a season, 66; most passes caught in a career, 452; and most yards receiving in a career, 7,412. The 1,190 receiving yards he had in 1965 is still the single-season record for an Eagles tight end.
He played for the Eagles for 11 seasons and when he retired, his jersey number 44 was also retired. He is one of nine Eagles with retired jerseys.
Ironically, the guy who did almost everything on the football field at SDSU—rushing, scoring, total offense, punting, kickoff returns, punt returns—never caught a pass in his Jackrabbit career. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Retzlaff excelled as a fullback for the Jackrabbits.
While playing for the Eagles, he also served as president of the NFL Players Association from Jan. 4, 1962, to Jan. 5, 1964.
After his retirement as a player, he was hired as vice president and general manager of the Eagles.
His gridiron accomplishments at State were only eclipsed by his efforts in track and field. He set school, North Central Conference and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics records in both the shot put and discus, leading SDSU to a national team title in track in 1953.
He was a two-time NAIA national champion in the shot put and discus, setting national marks of 50 feet, 8 inches in the shot and 164 feet, 11 inches in the discus in 1953.
Retzlaff is survived by his wife of 66 years, Patty, four children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
