STANFORD, Calif. – John Ralston, who revitalized the Stanford football program and guided the team to consecutive Rose Bowl victories in 1971 and 1972, died peacefully Saturday in Sunnyvale, Calif. He was 92.
Known for his outgoing personality, relentless work ethic, innovative play calling, organization and positive attitude, Ralston coached at Stanford for nine years from 1963-1971 and compiled a 55-36-3 record. His nine-year tenure is tied for the longest in Stanford history with Glenn "Pop" Warner and David Shaw. Before his arrival, the team had recorded five straight losing seasons.
In the late 1960's, Ralston changed Stanford's offensive philosophy from a power running game to a pro-style passing attack. Recruiting local quarterbacks Jim Plunkett from James Lick High in San Jose and Don Bunce from Woodside High, Ralston won consecutive Pac-8 titles in 1970 and 1971.
Plunkett engineered the upset of Ohio State (27-17) in 1971 and was named Stanford's first and only Heisman Trophy winner. The following year, Bunce took the reins and helped Stanford surprise Michigan (13-12).
Prior to Stanford's Rose Bowl triumph in Pasadena in 1971, the program's last visit was 1952, when it fell to Illinois (40-7). Stanford's most recent Rose Bowl win was 1941, when it defeated Nebraska (21-13).
"Growing up on the West Coast in a football family, John Ralston was one of those iconic coaches to me," said David Shaw, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football. "His name was synonymous with teaching, positive energy and class."
Ralston was unfailingly polite and a true gentleman.
He often called his players, "Men, …" and developed many sayings. They included, "Sweat freely" and "Can't make the club in the tub."
Ralston taught Dale Carnegie Courses and applied his knowledge to coaching.
"He would bring in a speaker before the start of the season who gave us a lecture about being positive," Plunkett said. "He was always spurring guys on. 'Let's do this, we can do it better.' He was very positive, no matter what the odds were."
Ralston's mantra was: "What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve."
Many members of Ralston's coaching staffs went on to achieve success in the NFL, including Bill Walsh, Dick Vermeil, Jim Mora Jr., Mike White, Rod Rust and Jack Christiansen in the NFL. Additionally, Roger Theder, Tony Knapp, Ed Peasley and Rubin Carter became college head coaches.
"He was as perfect for Stanford as perfect can be," said Vermeil, who assisted Ralston on The Farm from 1965-68.
A great recruiter, Ralston was the first football coach at Stanford to recruit African Americans.
A member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame, Ralston was a linebacker at Cal from 1947-50 and played in the 1949 and 1950 Rose Bowls for legendary head coach Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf. Ralston graduated from Cal in 1951.
A native of Oakland, Calif., and a World War II veteran who served in the Marine Corps, where he reached the ranking of corporal, Ralston coached high school football in the Bay Area before earning his first head coaching position at Utah State in 1959. Ralston developed defensive lineman Merlin Olson, a future NFL Hall of Famer.
Ralston would later coach at Stanford, San Jose State, the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Invaders of the USFL. He spent five seasons coaching in Denver (34-33-3), leading the franchise to its first winning record, and left just prior to the franchise reaching the Super Bowl.
Among his accomplishments, Ralston was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1996, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1997, the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2001, and the athletics hall of fames at Stanford, San Jose State and Utah State.
In 1991, Ralston was selected Stanford's "Coach of the Century" when the university celebrated its centennial. In 1973, he was named UPI American Football Conference "Coach of the Year."
Ralston is survived by his daughter, Terry (Ralston) Zaffonato, four grandsons, two granddaughters, and one great granddaughter. He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Patty (Ward) Ralston; a son, Larry, a daughter, Sherry (Ralston) Brown, and Virginia Fanelli, his life partner following the death of his wife.
A celebration of Ralston's life has been scheduled for Monday, Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m. at Memorial Church (please note the change from initial start time of 4 p.m.).