Lt. Les Richter

Linebacker / Guard

Fort Lewis 44th Division "4x4s"

Called to active duty during the Korean War, Les Richter, former University of California All-American (1950-1951) found himself an officer in the US Army stationed at Fort Lewis.  He immediately began assembling a team that would challenge the Seattle Ramblers for Northwest gridiron supremacy upon his arrival late in 1952.

The imposing 6'3", 240lb guard opened massive holes for runners like Leo Plourde to rip off large chunks of yardage, and as a linebacker, Richter was as tough as they come.  During a 45-0 loss to Fort Ord, California, Richter was kicked in the face, but as was his character, he never missed a game at Fort Lewis nor later in the NFL. 

The 4x4s ran up and down the Ramblers defense in two games, but a slipping back was tackled for a safety in a 15-14 loss, and a 6-6 tie to end the season placed the 4x4s as co-champions of the region after Seattle lost 7-6 to the Vancouver Cubs, a team Fort Lewis dominated 14-1 in Canada.


Originally drafted by the NFL New York Yanks as the 2nd overall pick of the 1952 Draft, when the Yanks folded the Dallas Texans assumed his rights and promptly traded them to the Los Angeles Rams for eleven players.

Following his release from the US Army, Richter went to Los Angeles where he started a 9-year Hall of Fame career amassing 8-Pro Bowl selections from 1954-1961.  Les intercepted 16 passes, and kicked 106 extra points and 29 field goals as a pro.  His final season, he returned to the offensive line playing center for the injured Art Hunter.  He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and posthumously into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.