NFL Career
In 1952, the 24-year-old Lane showed up at the Los Angeles Rams training camp looking for a job because he disliked his current occupation at an aircraft factory. He was originally trying out for wide receiver, but the Rams switched him to defensive back. While with the Rams, he acquired the nickname "Night Stick" from a hit record by Jimmy Forrest (A #1 R&B hit for 7 weeks in 1952), frequently played by teammate Tom Fears is actually a complete misconception because Lane had gotten the nickname after taking the night trains to away games because of his fear of flying. He initially disliked the nickname, but it grew on him after it gained national attention, first appearing in print describing a tackle in a Rams exhibition game: Dick "Night Train" Lane derails Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice. He wore number 81, unusual for a defensive back, because he was initially projected as a tight end. The receivers playing in front of him on the Rams, Fears and Elroy Hirsch, were stars and future Hall of Famers, so coach Joe Stydahar tried Lane at defensive back. In his rookie season he set an NFL single season record for interceptions with 14, which stands to this day even though the length of the season at the time was only 12 games. (It was expanded to 14 games in 1961 and 16 in 1978). He was traded to the Chicago Cardinals in 1954 and to the Detroit Lions in 1960. He played six seasons in Detroit (1960–65) and recorded 21 interceptions for 272 yards and one touchdown. He was All-NFL four times (1960–63) and was named to the Pro Bowl three times (1961–63).
All told, from 1954 to 1963, Lane made the All-Pro team six times and was also selected to seven Pro Bowls. He recorded three interceptions in all but four of his 14 NFL seasons.
He was particularly noted as a hard hitter, who liked to tackle opponents about the head and neck, which was then a legal technique. This tackle was sometimes called a Night Train Necktie.
Read more about this topic: Dick Lane (American Football)
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