This week in City of Fresno history.
Died June 12, 2010; Fresno native, NFL player, NASCAR executive
Leslie Alan Richter, born in Fresno, California, died June 12, 2010. He was a professional football player known for his nine seasons as a linebacker with the Los Angeles Rams, making eight Pro Bowls and scoring points as a kicker. Richter played college football at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was twice a consensus All-American and valedictorian of his class. After serving in the Korean War, he joined the NFL as the second overall draft pick. Following his football career, Richter worked in auto racing as manager of Riverside International Raceway and later as a senior executive for NASCAR. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and posthumously into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Richter was also honored in the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. His connection to Fresno remains as part of the city’s sports and civic history.
