David Allen Lee obit

David Lee Has Died

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Former Baltimore Colts punter David Lee passed. He was an American former professional football player who was a punter for the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (NFL) from 1966–1978. Lee was a member of the Colts' 1968 NFL Championship and Super Bowl V winning teams. He played college football for the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

Lee was born in Shreveport, Louisiana to Roy and Hazel Lee. He was raised in Minden, Louisiana, along with three other siblings. Lee was a star athlete at Minden High School, where he was a Louisiana All-State selection in basketball, baseball, and as a punter on the football team. He also participated in track in field. Both of Lee's parents played high school basketball and he was raised in an athletic family. His younger brother, Danny, also later played football at then Northeast Louisiana.

Lee joined Louisiana Tech as a punter in an era of football where specialized kickers were uncommon. Louisiana Tech's head coach, Joe Aillet, helped hone Lee's kicking style. Utilizing his long legs, Lee became a formidable punter. In his 1961 freshman season, Lee had 49 punts for 1,963 yards and a 40.6 yards per punt average. As a sophomore, Lee was used as an end on offense, but he maintained his specialized role as a punter.

As a junior, Lee punted 44 times for 1,815 yards and a 41.3 yard per punt average. In his 1964 senior season, Louisiana Tech went 9–1 on the year and won the Gulf States Conference. That season, Lee had 46 punts for 1,772 yards, an average of 38.5 yards.

On October 1, 2011, Lee was inducted into the Louisiana Tech University Athletic Hall of Fame. Lee also lettered in baseball while at Louisiana Tech.

Lee was drafted in the 1965 AFL draft by the Boston Patriots in the 18th round, 137th overall selection. Instead of joining the Patriots, Lee was recruited by coach Dub Jones to play for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. Lee spent the 1965 season on the Browns' taxi squad.

Prior to the 1966 season, Lee was traded by the Browns to the Baltimore Colts in exchange for a draft selection. In his debut 1966 season, Lee became the Colts' full-time punter and led the NFL in punting average, with 45.6 yards per punt on 49 punts for a total of 2,233 yards. In 1968, Lee was a member of the Colts' 1968 NFL Championship team, where the Colts defeated the Browns 34–0. Lee and the Colts were upset by the New York Jets in Super Bowl III. Lee again led the league in punt average in 1969 with 45.3 yards per punt and was named to the 1969 All-Pro First team. In 1970, Lee and the Colts won Super Bowl V over the Dallas Cowboys. Lee had 63 punts on the season for 2,819 yards, a 44.7 yards per punt average. He was named to the 1970 All-Pro Second team. In 1971, Lee recorded his longest career punt of 76 yards in a 31–7 victory over the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium.

Lee married his high school sweetheart, Sandra, and the couple had two children. After retiring from football, Lee moved to Bossier City, Louisiana, and worked at a General Motors facility as an executive.