Dick Bass was the second overall pick in the 1959 draft out of the University of the Pacific and spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Rams. At about 5-10 and 200 pounds he was small for a fullback, but he earned the nickname “The Scooter” for his low, shifty running style and ability to slip tackles. He broke into the lineup quickly and became the team’s main ball carrier for most of the 1960s. Bass could run between the tackles or bounce outside, and he was a reliable receiver out of the backfield as well.

The strongest stretches came in 1962 and 1966. In 1962 he rushed for 1,033 yards and earned a Pro Bowl selection while finishing third in the league in rushing. He followed that with another Pro Bowl in 1963. After a couple of quieter seasons, he bounced back in 1966 with 1,090 rushing yards, eight touchdowns, and a third Pro Bowl nod. That year he was also named Comeback Player of the Year. He finished third in rushing yards twice overall and led the Rams in rushing several times. The combination of volume on the ground and production as a receiver made him a dual-threat back in an era that still valued the fullback as a featured runner.

The 1962 and 1966 seasons were the clear high points. There were down years in between, including a stretch of lower totals and injuries that limited him in 1964. He remained productive into the later 1960s, though the big individual seasons became less frequent. By 1969, he was mostly a reserve and appeared in only one game before retiring.

Bass finished his Rams career with 5,417 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns on the ground, plus 204 catches for 1,841 yards and seven scores. The three Pro Bowl seasons and the pair of 1,000-yard campaigns stand as the strongest stretches. The rest was the steady work of a small but elusive fullback who stayed productive for a full decade. He left as one of the franchise’s leading rushers of his era and a player who made the most of his size and quickness.