Heisman trophy winner, NFL Hall of Famer, TV sports broadcaster and pitchman -- OJ Simpson was one of the most famous people in the world long before the infamous "white Bronco" chase on Southern California freeways.
Simpson was born in San Francisco in 1947, and as a teen he attended what was then known as Galileo High School. He showed promise as a prep athlete before bursting onto the national scene at USC, where he was a two-time All-American halfback and 1968 Heisman trophy winner -- the award given to college football's best player. One of his most memorable performances was the 1967 USC-UCLA game in which he sprinted 64 yards for a game-tying touchdown.
He was the number one draft pick in the 1969 NFL draft. Starting his career with the Buffalo Bills, he was selected as an All-Pro five times and earned four league rushing titles over 11 seasons. He ended his career with the 49ers. Simpson was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985.
Simpson's on-field success led to work as a sports broadcaster and TV pitchman, most notably for Hertz rental cars. His film acting career, which began during his NFL days, also continued.
Below, a look at Simspon's life before and after he faced trial in 1995 for the deaths of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ron Goldman.
