Joe Roth (May 29, 1955 - February 19, 1977) was a college football player, an All-American quarterback at the University of California, Berkeley. Roth played the 1976 season with melanoma and died 3 months after his last regular season game (and just weeks after an all-star game in Japan), in February 1977. Later that year, Roth's number 12 jersey was retired, the only number currently retired by the Cal Football program.
A 1973 graduate of Grani...
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Joe Roth (May 29, 1955 - February 19, 1977) was a college football player, an All-American quarterback at the University of California, Berkeley. Roth played the 1976 season with melanoma and died 3 months after his last regular season game (and just weeks after an all-star game in Japan), in February 1977. Later that year, Roth's number 12 jersey was retired, the only number currently retired by the Cal Football program.
A 1973 graduate of Granite Hills High School in San Diego, Roth led Grossmont College of El Cajon to an undefeated season and state title in 1974, and transferred to University of California, Berkeley in 1975.
Originally a back-up, he won the starting role in the fourth game of the 1975 season, and led the California Golden Bears to the Pac-8 title as co-champions. The 1975 team had such stars as running back Chuck Muncie and wide receiver Wesley Walker. Cal led the nation in total offense, remarkably gaining the same yardage both passing and rushing with 2,522 yards...
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