Who was Mel Farr?

  Dead Famous

Melvin Farr was an American footballer of the Detroit Lions played for National football League (NFL).

He was born on 3rd November 1944 in Beaumont, Texas, in the family of a car dealer and domestic worker.

During his early life Mel graduated from Hebert High School in 1963 and attended the University of California, Los Angeles.

From his beginning years he mastered in football, basketball, baseball, and track and finally played college football for UCLA.

His proficiency in the respective field was noticed when he was named All-State in football & track, All-District in basketball. Farr died at the age of 70 in August 3, 2015.

 

Career
Melvin Farr emerged as a talented high school football players. During his graduation years, his standout performance made him won the football scholarship that him lead him to the University of California.

His football career began with the UCLA where he played as a half back and twice named for the All-American team.

For two years he was in the varsity teams, which was a part of the UCLA’s Sports Illustrated.

His 50-yard touchdown in 1965 made him to secure his position in 1966 Rose Bowl. In 1966 Heisman Trophy Farr finished at the number seven in the balloting.

In the course of two years 1965 and 1966, he was called to the AAWU conference team and All-Coast.

People saw in notable performances in the consecutive three years of his graduation, where he had 27 carries for 86 yards & 3 catches for 21 yards, 122 carries for 821 yards and 7 TD, 8 catches for 180 yards and 1 TD, 138 carries for 809 yards and 10 TD, 12 catches for 225 yards and 1 TD in 1964, 1965, & 1966 respectively. In the next year Mel left UCLA and joined Detroit Lions while he got selected in the first round.

His football career continued with the Detroit till 1973. He won NFL rookie of the year and went for trips to the Pro Bowl.

 

Automobile Business
After retiring from his football career, Mel put his foot into the world of business with his mentor John Crook where he opened Mel Farr Ford Automobile dealership in Michigan in 1975.

But gradually the partnership between the two failed due to difference of opinions and finally Farr took over the business by himself.

His dealership automatically flourished fetching him the revenue of $596.6 million, making it as one of the dominant business and third-largest auto dealership in the market of US.

 

Family
Melvin Farr comes from a middle class family where his father was a car dealer and mother worked as a domestic help.

He married in 1960 to a girl named Mae, and with her had four children Mel Jr, Monet, Milan, and Michael. Two of his sons attended UCLA and even played for NFL.

His elder brother Miller Farr was the former AFL and NFL player. Later in his years, he married Linda Johnson Rice, the daughter of the publisher of the Ebony Magazine, John H Johnson.

The nuptial did not last long and the couple got divorced within 5 years in 2009. Farr again found love in life when he got married again in 2013 with his long-time girlfriend, Jasmine Rozier.