Former Bangkok Post columnist Dick Thornton has passed away, his family has confirmed.
Dick Thornton.
Thornton, whose full name was Richard Quincy Thornton, died of lung cancer in Manila last month at the age of 75.
Born in Chicago, Thornton, who wrote an NFL column for the Bangkok Post, was a former player in the Canadian Football League.
He played defensive back and wide receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts from 1961 to 1972.
Thornton, known by the Bangkok Post readers as ‘The Coach’, was selected originally by NFL franchise Cleveland Browns in the 1961 draft out of Northwestern University, where he starred at quarterback.
The Browns immediately traded his rights to the St Louis Cardinals, but Thornton went to play in Canada, where he starred mostly as a defensive back.
He went on to coach Southwestern University and retired to the Philippines with his family in 1994.