document_title: Purple Heart

question_text: who is pictured on the purple heart medal

root

text: Purple Heart

text: History[edit]

text: The original Purple Heart, designated as the Badge of Military Merit, was established by George Washington – then the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army – by order from his Newburgh, New York headquarters on August 7, 1782. The Badge of Military Merit was only awarded to three Revolutionary War soldiers by Gen. George Washington himself. General Washington authorized his subordinate officers to issue Badges of Merit as appropriate. From then on, as its legend grew, so did its appearance. Although never abolished, the award of the badge was not proposed again officially until after World War I.[3][4]

tag: p

text: On October 10, 1927, Army Chief of Staff General Charles Pelot Summerall directed that a draft bill be sent to Congress "to revive the Badge of Military Merit". The bill was withdrawn and action on the case ceased January 3, 1928, but the office of the Adjutant General was instructed to file all materials collected for possible future use. A number of private interests sought to have the medal re-instituted in the Army; this included the board of directors of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum in Ticonderoga, New York.

text: On January 7, 1931, Summerall’s successor, General Douglas MacArthur, confidentially reopened work on a new design, involving the Washington Commission of Fine Arts. Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General, was named to redesign the newly revived medal, which became known as the Purple Heart. Using general specifications provided to her, Will created the design sketch for the present medal of the Purple Heart. The new design, which exhibits a bust and profile of George Washington, was issued on the bicentennial of Washington's birth. Will's obituary, in the edition of February 8, 1975 of The Washington Post newspaper, reflects her many contributions to military heraldry.

text: The Commission of Fine Arts solicited plaster models from three leading sculptors for the medal, selecting that of John R. Sinnock of the Philadelphia Mint in May 1931. By Executive Order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart was revived on the 200th Anniversary of George Washington's birth, out of respect to his memory and military achievements, by War Department General Order No. 3, dated February 22, 1932.

text: The criteria were announced in a War Department circular dated February 22, 1932, and authorized award to soldiers, upon their request, who had been awarded the Meritorious Service Citation Certificate, Army Wound Ribbon, or were authorized to wear Wound Chevrons subsequent to April 5, 1917, the day before the United States entered World War I. The first Purple Heart was awarded to MacArthur. During the early period of American involvement in World War II (December 7, 1941 – September 22, 1943), the Purple Heart was awarded both for wounds received in action against the enemy and for meritorious performance of duty. With the establishment of the Legion of Merit, by an Act of Congress, the practice of awarding the Purple Heart for meritorious service was discontinued. By Executive Order 9277, dated December 3, 1942, the decoration was applied to all services; the order required reasonable uniform application of the regulations for each of the Services. This executive order also authorized the award only for wounds received. For both military and civilian personnel during the World War II era, to meet eligibility for the Purple Heart, AR 600-45, dated September 22, 1943, and May 3, 1944, required identification of circumstances.

text: After the award was re-authorized in 1932 some U.S. Army wounded from conflicts prior to the first World War applied for, and were awarded, the Purple Heart: "...veterans of the Civil War and Indian Wars, as well as the Spanish-American War, China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion), and Philippine Insurrection also were awarded the Purple Heart. This is because the original regulations governing the award of the Purple Heart, published by the Army in 1932, provided that any soldier who had been wounded in any conflict involving U.S. Army personnel might apply for the new medal. There were but two requirements: the applicant had to be alive at the time of application (no posthumous awards were permitted) and he had to prove that he had received a wound that necessitated treatment by a medical officer."[5]

text: Subject to approval of the Secretary of Defense, Executive Order 10409, dated February 12, 1952, revised authorizations to include the Service Secretaries. Dated April 25, 1962, Executive Order 11016, included provisions for posthumous award of the Purple Heart. Dated February 23, 1984, Executive Order 12464, authorized award of the Purple Heart as a result of terrorist attacks, or while serving as part of a peacekeeping force, subsequent to March 28, 1973.

text: On June 13, 1985, the Senate approved an amendment to the 1985 Defense Authorization Bill, which changed the precedence of the Purple Heart award, from immediately above the Good Conduct Medal to immediately above the Meritorious Service Medals. Public Law 99-145 authorized the award for wounds received as a result of friendly fire. Public Law 104-106 expanded the eligibility date, authorizing award of the Purple Heart to a former prisoner of war who was wounded after April 25, 1962. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85) changed the criteria to delete authorization for award of the Purple Heart to any civilian national of the United States, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with the Armed Forces. This change was effective May 18, 1998.[6]

text: During World War II, nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the estimated casualties resulting from the planned Allied invasion of Japan. To the present date, total combined American military casualties of the seventy years following the end of World War II—including the Korean and Vietnam Wars—have not exceeded that number. In 2003, there remained 120,000 Purple Heart medals in stock. The existing surplus allowed combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan to keep Purple Hearts on-hand for immediate award to soldiers wounded in the field.[7]

text: The "History" section of the November 2009 edition of National Geographic estimated the number of Purple Hearts given. Above the estimates, the text reads, "Any tally of Purple Hearts is an estimate. Awards are often given during conflict; records aren't always exact" (page 33).[1] The estimates are as follows:

text:
World War I: 320,518
World War II: 1,076,245
Korean War: 118,650
Vietnam War: 351,794
Persian Gulf War: 607
Afghanistan War: 7,027 (as of June 5, 2010)
Iraq War: 35,321 (as of June 5, 2010)

tag: ul

text: Criteria[edit]

text: The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services after April 5, 1917, has been wounded or killed. Specific examples of services which warrant the Purple Heart include any action against an enemy of the United States; any action with an opposing armed force of a foreign country in which the Armed Forces of the United States are or have been engaged; while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party; as a result of an act of any such enemy of opposing armed forces; or as the result of an act of any hostile foreign force. After March 28, 1973, it may be awarded as a result of an international terrorist attack against the United States or a foreign nation friendly to the United States, recognized as such an attack by the Secretary of the Army, or jointly by the Secretaries of the separate armed services concerned if persons from more than one service are wounded in the attack. After March 28, 1973, it may be awarded as a result of military operations while serving outside the territory of the United States as part of a peacekeeping force.[8]

text: The Purple Heart differs from most other decorations in that an individual is not "recommended" for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria. A Purple Heart is awarded for the first wound suffered under conditions indicated above, but for each subsequent award an oak leaf cluster or 5/16 inch star is worn in lieu of another medal. Not more than one award will be made for more than one wound or injury received at the same instant.

text: A "wound" is defined as an injury to any part of the body from an outside force or agent sustained under one or more of the conditions listed above. A physical lesion is not required; however, the wound for which the award is made must have required treatment by a medical officer and records of medical treatment for wounds or injuries received in action must have been made a matter of official record. When contemplating an award of this decoration, the key issue that commanders must take into consideration is the degree to which the enemy caused the injury. The fact that the proposed recipient was participating in direct or indirect combat operations is a necessary prerequisite, but is not sole justification for award. The Purple Heart is not awarded for non-combat injuries.[8]

text: Enemy-related injuries which justify the award of the Purple Heart include: injury caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel, or other projectile created by enemy action; injury caused by enemy placed land mine, naval mine, or trap; injury caused by enemy released chemical, biological, or nuclear agent; injury caused by vehicle or aircraft accident resulting from enemy fire; and, concussion injuries caused as a result of enemy generated explosions.

text: Injuries or wounds which do not qualify for award of the Purple Heart include frostbite or trench foot injuries; heat stroke; food poisoning not caused by enemy agents; chemical, biological, or nuclear agents not released by the enemy; battle fatigue; disease not directly caused by enemy agents; accidents, to include explosive, aircraft, vehicular, and other accidental wounding not related to or caused by enemy action; self-inflicted wounds (e.g., a soldier accidentally or intentionally fires their own gun and the bullet strikes his or her leg), except when in the heat of battle, and not involving gross negligence; post-traumatic stress disorders;[9] and jump injuries not caused by enemy action.

text: It is not intended that such a strict interpretation of the requirement for the wound or injury to be caused by direct result of hostile action be taken that it would preclude the award being made to deserving personnel. Commanders must also take into consideration the circumstances surrounding an injury, even if it appears to meet the criteria. In the case of an individual injured while making a parachute landing from an aircraft that had been brought down by enemy fire; or, an individual injured as a result of a vehicle accident caused by enemy fire, the decision will be made in favor of the individual and the award will be made. As well, individuals wounded or killed as a result of "friendly fire" in the "heat of battle" will be awarded the Purple Heart as long as the "friendly" projectile or agent was released with the full intent of inflicting damage or destroying enemy troops or equipment. Individuals injured as a result of their own negligence, such as by driving or walking through an unauthorized area known to have been mined or placed off limits or searching for or picking up unexploded munitions as war souvenirs, will not be awarded the Purple Heart as they clearly were not injured as a result of enemy action, but rather by their own negligence.

text: From 1942 to 1997, civilians serving or closely affiliated with the armed forces—as government employees, Red Cross workers, war correspondents, and the like—were eligible to receive the Purple Heart. Among the earliest civilians to receive the award were nine firefighters of the Honolulu Fire Department killed or wounded while fighting fires at Hickam Field during the attack on Pearl Harbor.[10] About 100 men and women received the award, the most famous being newspaperman Ernie Pyle who was awarded a Purple Heart posthumously by the Army after being killed by Japanese machine gun fire in the Pacific Theater, near the end of World War II. Before his death, Pyle had seen and experienced combat in the European Theater, while accompanying and writing about infantrymen for the folks back home.[11]

text: The most recent Purple Hearts presented to civilians occurred after the terrorist attacks at Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, in 1996—for their injuries, about 40 U.S. civil service employees received the award.

text: However, in 1997, at the urging of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Congress passed legislation prohibiting future awards of the Purple Heart to civilians. Today, the Purple Heart is reserved for men and women in uniform. Civilian employees of the U.S. Department of Defense who are killed or wounded as a result of hostile action may receive the new Defense of Freedom Medal. This award was created shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

text: Animals are generally not eligible for the Purple Heart; however, there have been rare instances when animals holding military rank were honored with the award. An example includes the horse Sergeant Reckless during the Korean War.

text: Appearance[edit]

text: The Purple Heart award is a heart-shaped medal within a gold border, 1  3⁄8 inches (35 mm) wide, containing a profile of General George Washington. Above the heart appears a shield of the coat of arms of George Washington (a white shield with two red bars and three red stars in chief) between sprays of green leaves. The reverse consists of a raised bronze heart with the words FOR MILITARY MERIT below the coat of arms and leaves.

text: The ribbon is 1 and  3⁄8 inches (35 mm) wide and consists of the following stripes:  1⁄8 inch (3 mm) white 67101; 1  1⁄8 inches (29 mm) purple 67115; and  1⁄8 inch (3 mm) white 67101.[3]

text: Devices[edit]

text: Additional awards of the Purple Heart are denoted by oak leaf clusters in the Army and Air Force, and additional awards of the Purple Heart Medal are denoted by 5/16 inch stars in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.[2]

text: Presentation[edit]

text: Current active duty personnel are awarded the Purple Heart upon recommendation from their chain of command, stating the injury that was received and the action in which the service member was wounded. The award authority for the Purple Heart is normally at the level of an Army Brigade, Marine Corps Division, Air Force Wing, or Navy Task Force. While the award of the Purple Heart is considered automatic for all wounds received in combat, each award presentation must still be reviewed to ensure that the wounds received were as a result of enemy action. Modern day Purple Heart presentations are recorded in both hardcopy and electronic service records. The annotation of the Purple Heart is denoted both with the service member's parent command and at the headquarters of the military service department. An original citation and award certificate are presented to the service member and filed in the field service record.

text: During the Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II, the Purple Heart was often awarded on the spot, with occasional entries made into service records. In addition, during mass demobilizations following each of America's major wars of the 20th century, it was common occurrence to omit mention from service records of a Purple Heart award. This occurred due to clerical errors, and became problematic once a service record was closed upon discharge. In terms of keeping accurate records, it was commonplace for some field commanders to engage in bedside presentations of the Purple Heart. This typically entailed a general entering a hospital with a box of Purple Hearts, pinning them on the pillows of wounded service members, then departing with no official records kept of the visit, or the award of the Purple Heart. Service members, themselves, complicated matters by unofficially leaving hospitals, hastily returning to their units to rejoin battle so as to not appear a malingerer. In such cases, even if a service member had received actual wounds in combat, both the award of the Purple Heart, as well as the entire visit to the hospital, was unrecorded in official records.

text: Service members requesting retroactive awards of the Purple Heart must normally apply through the National Personnel Records Center. Following a review of service records, qualified Army members are awarded the Purple Heart by the U.S. Army Human Resources Command in Alexandria, Virginia. Air Force veterans are awarded the Purple Heart by the Awards Office of Randolph Air Force Base, while Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, present Purple Hearts to veterans through the Navy Liaison Officer at the National Personnel Records Center. Simple clerical errors, where a Purple Heart is denoted in military records, but was simply omitted from a (WD AGO Form 53-55 (predecessor to the) DD Form 214 (Report of Separation), are corrected on site at the National Personnel Records Center through issuance of a DD-215 document.

text: Requests[edit]

text: Retroactive requests[edit]

text: Because the Purple Heart did not exist prior to 1932, decoration records are not annotated in the service histories of veterans wounded, or killed, by enemy action, prior to establishment of the medal. The Purple Heart is, however, retroactive to 1917 meaning it may be presented to veterans as far back as First World War. Prior to 2006, service departments would review all available records, including older service records, and service histories, to determine if a veteran warranted a retroactive Purple Heart. As of 2008, such records are listed as "Archival", by the National Archives and Records Administration, meaning they have been transferred from the custody of the military, and can no longer be loaned and transferred for retroactive medals determination. In such cases, requestors asking for a Purple Heart (especially from records of the First World War) are provided with a complete copy of all available records (or reconstructed records in the case of the 1973 fire) and advised the Purple Heart may be privately purchased if the requestor feels it is warranted.[citation needed]

text: A clause to the archival procedures was revised in mid-2008, where if a veteran, or, if deceased, an immediate member of the family, requested the Purple Heart, on an Army or Air Force record, the medal could still be granted by the National Archives. In such cases, where a determination was required made by the military service department, photocopies of the archival record, (but not the record itself), would be forwarded to the headquarters of the military branch in question. This stipulation was granted only for the Air Force and Army; Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard archival medals requests are still typically only offered a copy of the file and told to purchase the medal privately. For requests directly received from veterans, these are routed through a Navy Liaison Office, on site at 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63132-5100 (the location of the Military Personnel Records Center).[citation needed]

text: Destroyed record requests[edit]

text: Due to the 1973 National Archives Fire, a large number of retroactive Purple Heart requests are difficult to verify because all records to substantiate the award may have been destroyed. As a solution to deal with Purple Heart requests, where service records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, the National Personnel Records Center maintains a separate office. In such cases, NPRC searches through unit records, military pay records, and records of the Department of Veterans Affairs. If a Purple Heart is warranted, all available alternate records sources are forwarded to the military service department for final determination of issuance.[citation needed]

text: The loaning of fire related records to the military has declined since 2006 because a large number of such records now fall into the "archival records" category of military service records. This means the records were transferred from the military to the National Archives, and in such cases, the Purple Heart may be privately purchased by the requestor (see above section of retroactive requests for further details) but is no longer provided by the military service department.[citation needed]

text: Notable recipients[edit]

text:
Bryan Anderson, Iraq War veteran and triple amputee
James Arness, actor
Manny Babbitt, U.S. soldier executed for murder
Peter Badcoe, Victoria Cross, Australian Army
Bryan B. Battaglia, Marine Corps, 2nd Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman
Kristin Beck, a former United States Navy SEAL who gained public attention in 2013 when she came out as a trans woman
Rocky Bleier, NFL
Dan Blocker, actor
Pappy Boyington, Marine Corps pilot
Charles Bronson, actor
J. Herbert Burke, U.S. Representative from Florida
Mel Casas, artist
Llewellyn Chilson, Army, 3 awards
David Christian, Army, 7 awards
Wesley Clark, former SACEUR
Cordelia E Cook, first woman recipient of the BSM and the Purple Heart
Steponas Darius, aviator
Ray Davis, Marine Corps general
Sammy L. Davis, Army, 2 awards
Bob Dole, Army, 2 awards, former U.S. senator and Republican presidential candidate
Desmond Doss, WWII
Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator from Illinois
Charles Durning, actor
Dale Dye, actor
Samuel Fuller, director
James Garner, actor, 2 awards
James M. Gavin, Army Lt. general
Salvatore Giunta, Medal of Honor, Afghanistan War.
Calvin L. Graham, USN, WWII, youngest Purple Heart recipient, 12 years old
Eric Greitens, Navy SEAL, Author, Governor of Missouri.
Oren W. Haglund, production manager of eleven ABC/Warner Brothers television series between 1955 and 1961
Joe Haldeman, writer
Carlos Hathcock, Marine Corps
Charles Franklin Hildebrand, journalist and publisher
Daniel Inouye, U.S. Senator from Hawaii, Medal of Honor, WWII
Raymond Jacobs, Marine Corps, flag raiser
Russell Johnson, Actor
James Jones, writer
John F. Kennedy, Navy, WWII, and 35th President of the United States
John Kerry, Navy, United States Secretary of State, 3 awards
Ron Kovic, writer
Melvin Laird, Navy, WWII, U.S. Secretary of Defense
Robert Leckie, Marine Corps
Aleda E. Lutz, WWII Army Flight Nurse, second most decorated woman in U.S. history.
Victor Maghakian, also known as Captain Victor "Transport" Maghakian
Lee Marvin, actor
John McCain, U.S. Senator from Arizona
Audie Murphy, Medal of Honor recipient, actor, 3 awards
Joseph Charles Plumb Jr. Motivational speaker, P.O.W., Author.
Robert M. Polich, Sr., Army Air Forces pilot, featured in Minnesota's Greatest Generation (2008) short Film Festival[12]
Colin Powell, Army general, former United States Secretary of State.
Ernie Pyle, WWI US Naval Reserve, WWII War Correspondent
Charles P. Roland, American historian[13]
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., Navy, President's son
Al Schmid, Marine Corps
Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., Commanding General of allied forces during Desert Storm
Ben Schwartzwalder, Hall of Fame Football Coach at Syracuse University
Sergeant Reckless, Marine war horse of official rank, 2 awards
Don W. Sears, Dean and Professor Emeritus of Law at the University of Colorado Law School
Rod Serling, American screenwriter
Robert B. Sherman, American songwriter
Eric Shinseki, former Army Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Veterans Administration
W. E. "Pete" Snelson, American politician[14]
Warren Spahn, MLB player
Oliver Stone, director
Sergeant Stubby, Army war dog WWI, 2 awards
Bruce Sundlun, former Governor of Rhode Island.
Pat Tillman, football player
Gilbert R. Tredway, American historian
Lauri Törni, Finnish soldier of three armies

text:
Matt Urban, Army, 7 awards
Jay R. Vargas, Marine Corps, 5 awards
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., author
Lewis William Walt, Marine Corps general, 2 awards
Jim Webb, Marine Corps, former Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Senator from Virginia, author and Emmy Award winning journalist, 2 awards
Richard Winters, Army major
Gordon Yntema, Medal Of Honor recipient
Chuck Yeager, Army Air Forces and Air Force brigadier general

text: Most Purple Heart awards[edit]

text: Ten Purple Hearts:

text: Curry T. Haynes, U.S. Army: Vietnam War[15]

text: Nine Purple Hearts:

text: Albert L. Ireland, U.S. Marine Corps: World War II (5), Korean War (4).[16][17]

text: Eight Purple Hearts:

text:
Robert T. Frederick, U.S. Army: World War II (8)[18]
David H. Hackworth, U.S. Army: Korean War (3), Vietnam War (5)[18]
Joe Hooper, U.S. Army, Medal of Honor: Vietnam War (8)
Robert L. Howard, U.S. Army, Medal of Honor: Vietnam War (8)[18]
William Waugh, U.S. Army: Vietnam War (8)


document_title: History of BMW

question_text: who was bmw nearly sold to in 1959

question_tokens: who was bmw nearly sold to in 1959

text: History of BMW

text: History of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFw)[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

tag: table

text: Gustav Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik[edit]

text: Origin and history of BMW to the end of World War I[edit]

text: Rapp Motorenwerke[edit]

text: In 1913, Karl Rapp established Rapp Motorenwerke near the Oberwiesenfeld.[2] Rapp had chosen the site because it was close to Gustav Otto Flugmaschinenfabrik, with whom he had contracts to supply his four-cylinder aircraft engines.[2]

text: Rapp was sub-contracted by Austro-Daimler to manufacture their V12 aircraft engines. Austro-Daimler at the time was unable to meet its own demands to build V12 Aero engines. The officer supervising aero-engine building at Austro-Daimler on behalf of the Austrian government was Franz Josef Popp. When it was decided to produce Austro-Daimler engines at Rapp Motorenwerke, Popp was delegated to Munich from Vienna to supervise engine quality.[2]

text: Popp did not restrict himself to the role of observer, becoming actively involved in the overall management of the company. On 7 March 1916, Rapp Motorenwerke became Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH.[3]

text: Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH 1917[edit]

text: For the small BMW business, the large orders received from the Reichswehr for the BMW IIIa engine were overwhelming. Under Karl Rapp, only a small number of engines had been produced and the manufacturing facilities were not in any way adequate to handle the mass production now required. Not only did BMW lack suitable machine tools but, to a very large degree, skilled manpower as well. However, the most serious drawback was in the small and aging workshops. Nevertheless, under the state-controlled war economy, officials in the relevant ministries were able to give BMW extensive practical support.[4] So in a short time BMW got the skilled workers and machinery it needed. In addition, the Munich company received a high level of financial assistance, which enabled it to build a completely new factory from the ground up, in the immediate vicinity of the old workshops. Due to the share capital being too small, both the building of the new plant and the working capital needed for materials and wages had to be financed with external funds, i.e. bank loans or state assistance. The war ministries of Bavaria and Prussia (then both separate kingdoms within the Kaiser’s Empire) did not, however, wish to go on supporting BMW with loans and guarantees, and therefore urged the flotation of a public limited company.[5]

text: BMW logo[edit]

text: The name-change to Bayerische Motoren Werke compelled management to devise a new logo for the company, therefore the famous BMW trademark is designed and patented at this time. However, they remained true to the imagery of the previous Rapp Motorenwerke emblem (which was designed by Karl's brother, Ottmar Rapp). Thus, both the old and the new logo were built up in the same way: the company name was placed in a black circle, which was once again given a pictorial form by placing a symbol within it. By analogy with this, the blue and white panels of the Bavarian national flag were placed at the center of the BMW logo. Not until the late 1920s was the logo lent a new interpretation as representing a rotating propeller.[6]

text: BMW AG[edit]

text: In 1917, Karl Rapp's son-in-law, Max Wiedmann, held about 80 percent of the shares in Rapp Motorenwerke. He had obtained most of these shares from his father-in- law in 1914 and had thus become a figure of great influence in the business. Even after the name-change to Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, Wiedmann remained the principal shareholder in the company. Wiedmann’s capitulation in July 1918 opened the way for the founding of a public limited company. On 13 August 1918, BMW AG was entered as a new company in the Commercial Register and took over from BMW GmbH all its manufacturing assets, order book and workforce.[7] The old BMW GmbH was renamed "Maschinenwerke Schleißheimerstrasse" and was wound up on 12 November 1918. The share capital of BMW AG amounting to 12 million reichsmarks was subscribed by three groups of investors. One third of the shares was taken up in equal parts by the Bayerische Bank and the Norddeutsche Bank. A further third of the shares (worth 4 million reichsmarks) was acquired by the Nuremberg industrialist, Fritz Neumeyer. This ensured that 50 percent of the capital (6 million reichsmarks) was in the hands of Bavarian businesses or banks. The Bavarian government placed the highest value on this strong local shareholding. The final one-third of the BMW shares were taken up by a Viennese financier, Camillo Castiglioni.[4]

text: First crisis for BMW AG – WWI aftermath[edit]

text: Winter 1918 factory closure[edit]

text: In order to enable companies to resume civil production as rapidly as possible, a central demobilization office was set up as soon as the war was over, and branches opened right across Germany. The Commissioner for Demobilization with responsibility for Bavaria ordered the closure of BMW’s Munich plant with effect from 6 December 1918.[4]

text: Return of Castiglioni and merger with BFw[edit]

text: On 20 May 1922, Castiglioni bought the BMW name and engine-building business from Knorr-Bremse for 75 million reichsmarks. The remainder of the company became a subsidiary of Knorr-Bremse and was renamed Süddeutsche Bremse AG.[8]

text: Castiglioni did not purchase BMW's premises in his transaction with Knorr-Bremse. Instead, he merged his Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFw) into BMW and established BMW's factory and headquarters at BFw's premises. BMW was moved into the same buildings of Gustav Otto's former Otto-Flugzeugwerke on Lerchenauer Straße 76. BMW's headquarters have been at that address ever since.[2][8][9][10]

text: Automobiles[edit]

text: Austin-licensed BMW Dixi[edit]

text: In 1928, BMW bought the Eisenach-based Dixi Automobil Werke AG from Gothaer Waggonfabrik. Dixi's sole product at the time of the purchase was the 3/15 PS, a licensed copy of the Austin 7, production of which had begun in 1927. The Dixi 3/15 became the BMW 3/15, BMW's first production car, upon the absorption of Dixi Werke into BMW.[11]

text: BMW designs its own cars[edit]

text: Towards the end of 1930, BMW attempted to introduce a new front axle with independent wheel suspension for both their models, the BMW 'Dixi' 3/15 DA4 and BMW 'Wartburg' DA3, but this resulted in accidents with the prototypes because of construction faults.[12]

text: Six-cylinder cars[edit]

text: In 1933, BMW introduced the 303.[13][14] Larger and more conventional than the AM-series 3/20, the 303 used BMW's new M78 engine, making it the first BMW automobile to use a straight-six engine.[14][15] The 303 was also the first BMW to use the "kidney grille" that would become a characteristic of BMW styling.[16] The 303 formed the basis for the four-cylinder 309 and the larger-engined 315 and 319,[17][18] while the 303 chassis supported the 315/1 and 319/1 roadsters[17][19] and the restyled 329.[20]

text: The 303 platform was supplemented and later supplanted by the 326, a larger car with a more rigid frame. Introduced in 1936, the 326 was BMW's first four-door sedan.[21][22] A shortened version of the 326 frame was used in the 320, which replaced the 303-framed 329, in the 321, which replaced the 320, and in the 327 coupé.[23][24]

text: The 328 replaced the 315/1 and 319/1 roadsters in 1936. Unlike the 303-based 315/1 and 319/1, the 328 had a purpose-built frame.[20] While the 315/1 and 319/1 had M78 engines in a higher state of tune than in the respective 315 and 319 sedans,[25] the 328's M328 engine had a specially-designed hemispheric cylinder head and other modifications that brought its power to 80 PS (59 kW).[26] From its introduction at the Eifelrennen race at the Nürburgring in 1936, where Ernst Henne drove it to win the 2.0 litre class,[20][27] to the overall victory of Fritz Huschke von Hanstein at the 1940 Brescia Grand Prix during World War II,[28][29] the 328 was a legendary performer, with more than 100 class wins in 1937 alone.[30]

text: An extended version of the 326's frame was used in the 335, a luxury car with the 3.5 litre M335 engine.[31] The 335 was built from 1939 to 1941.[32]

text: World War II[edit]

text: The German invasion of Poland and commencement of hostilities meant that manufacturing facilities in Germany were directed by the Nazi regime to re-focus on the manufacture of products required to support the war effort. In 1939, BMW bought Spandau-based Brandenburgische Motorenwerke, also known as Bramo, from the Siemens group of companies and merged it with its aircraft engine division under the name BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH. A new factory at Allach, outside Munich, began production of aircraft engines later that year.[33]

text: A wide range of aero engines was ultimately produced for the Luftwaffe, including one of the most powerful engines of the time – the BMW 801. Over 30,000 aero engines were manufactured through 1945, as well as over 500 jet engines such as the BMW 003. To enable this massive production effort, forced labor was utilized, consisting primarily of prisoners from concentration camps such as Dachau.[34] By the end of the war, almost 50% of the 50,000-person workforce at BMW AG consisted of prisoners from concentration camps.[35] BMW also developed some military aircraft projects for the Luftwaffe towards the last phase of the Third Reich, the BMW Strahlbomber, the BMW Schnellbomber and the BMW Strahljäger, but none of them were built.[36]

text: Second crisis for BMW AG – WWII aftermath[edit]

text: BMW AG was heavily bombed towards the end of the war, reducing most of the company's production facilities to rubble. In fact, by the end of the war, the Munich plant was completely destroyed.[37] BMW sites in eastern Germany (Eisenach-Dürrerhof, Wandlitz-Basdorf and Zühlsdorf) were seized by the Soviets.

text: After the war the Munich factory took some time to restart production in any volume. BMW was banned from manufacturing motor vehicles by the Allies. During this ban, BMW used basic secondhand and salvaged equipment to make pots and pans, later expanding to other kitchen supplies and bicycles. Permission to manufacture motorcycles was granted to BMW by United States authorities in 1947, and production of the R24 began in 1948.[38]

text: In the east, the company's factory at Eisenach was taken over by the Soviet Awtowelo group.[38][39] Production of the R35 motorcycle was restarted in 1945,[39] with the 321 automobile following late that year.[40][39] A mildly revised 327 entered production in 1948, followed by the 326-based 340 in 1949. These were sold under the BMW name with the BMW logo affixed to them.[41] To protect its trademarks, BMW AG legally severed its Eisenach branch from the company. Awtowelo continued production of the 327 and 340 under the Eisenacher Motorenwerk (EMW) brand with a red and white version of the logo until 1955.[38]

text: In the west, the Bristol Aeroplane Company (BAC) inspected the factory, and returned to Britain with plans for the 327 model and the six-cylinder engine as official war reparations. Bristol then employed BMW engineer Fritz Fiedler to lead their engine development team. In 1947, the newly formed Bristol Cars released their 400 coupé, a lengthened version of the BMW 327. that featured BMW's double-kidney grille.[42]

text: While Alfred Böning had returned to BMW and developed the R24[38] and Fritz Fiedler had gone to work for Bristol,[42] Alex von Falkenhausen and Ernst Loof had each started companies that built sports cars and racing cars. Von Falkenhausen started Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau (AFM), while Loof, in partnership with Georg Meier and Lorenz Dietrich, started Veritas. AFM and Veritas both competed in Formula 2, but both companies had shut down operations by 1954, when both von Falkenhausen and Loof went back to BMW.[43][44]

text: Three approaches to car manufacture[edit]

text: By the end of the 1940s BMW had returned to motorcycle manufacture but still had not restarted automobile manufacture.[45] Kurt Donath, technical director of BMW and general manager of the Milbertshofen factory,[40] solicited manufacturers, including Ford and Simca, to produce their vehicles under licence. In particular, Donath was looking to produce old models under licence, so that he could buy tooling along with the licence.[46]

text: While Donath was trying to find a car to build under licence, chief engineer Alfred Böning developed a prototype for a small economy car powered by a motorcycle engine. Called the BMW 331, the prototype used a 600 cc motorcycle engine, a four-speed gearbox, and a live rear axle. The body was designed by Peter Schimanowski and resembled a BMW 327 in miniature.[46]

text: The BMW 331 was proposed for production to the management, where it was vetoed by sales director Hanns Grewenig. Grewenig, a banker and former Opel plant manager, believed that BMW's small production capacity was best suited to luxury cars with high profit margins, similar to the cars BMW made just before the war. To this end, he had Böning and his team design the 501.[47]

text: When the 501 was introduced in 1951, its cost of approximately DM15,000 was about four times the average German's earnings.[48] It was also much heavier than expected and underpowered with a development of BMW's pre-war two litre six.[48][49] Delays in receiving and setting up equipment caused production of the 501 to be delayed until late 1952,[48][50] with body construction, originally expected to be done in-house, being done by Karosserie Baur in Stuttgart for more than a year.[50]

text: In 1954, the 501 was given an improved, more powerful version of its six-cylinder engine and split into two models, the 501A at basically the same trim level and a price reduction of DM1,000, and a decontented 501B at a further price reduction of DM1,000 below the 501A's price.[51][52] In addition, the 502, basically a 501 with an even higher trim level[51][52] and a 2.6 L aluminium V8 engine[51][53] designed by Bőning and Fiedler,[54] was introduced to lead BMW's luxury sedan range.[51][52] The expanded line for 1954 doubled the sales of BMW's luxury cars.[52]

text: Influenced by the public response to the introduction of Mercedes-Benz's 300SL and 190SL show cars at the International Motor Sports Auto Show in New York in February 1954, the management of BMW approved Grewenig's proposal to build a sports car based on the 502.[55] Preliminary design sketches were seen by U.S. importer Max Hoffman, who suggested to industrial designer Albrecht von Goertz that he should submit design proposals to BMW's management as an alternative. Based on these proposals, BMW contracted the design of the sports car and a four-seat grand tourer to von Goertz in November 1954.[56] The 507 roadster was introduced at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York in the summer of 1955,[57][58] while the 503 four-seater was introduced in September of that year at the Frankfurt Motor Show.[56]

text: Hoffman told BMW that he would order 2000 507s if he could sell them for US$5,000 each. When the selling price was given as about twice that, and higher than the 300SL, he withdrew his offer.[59][60] 412 units of the 503 and 253 of the 507 were built during their production runs from 1956 (May for the 503, November for the 507) to March 1959.[60][61][62]

text: Motorcycles were BMW's largest money earner at the time, and their sales had peaked in 1954. Germans were turning away from mopeds and motorcycles toward light automobiles such as the Messerschmitt and the Goggomobil. Eberhard Wolff, BMW's head of automotive development, saw the Iso Rivolta Isetta bubble car at the 1954 Geneva Motor Show and suggested to his managers the possibility of building the Isetta under licence.[63][64] BMW entered talks with Iso Rivolta and bought both a licence to manufacture the Isetta and all the tooling needed to manufacture its body.[64][65] Production of BMW's version of the Isetta began in 1955; more than ten thousand Isettas were sold that year.[65] BMW made more than a hundred thousand Isettas by the end of 1958,[66] and a total of 161,728 by the end of production in 1962.[67]

text: BMW knew that it needed a four-seat family car to keep up with the rising wealth and expectations of the German people, but it could not access funding to develop a new car for this market. They therefore developed the 600, a four-seat car based on the Isetta. The 600 used the front suspension, the front seats, and the front-mounted door from the Isetta, but used a new, longer ladder frame with a longer, four-seat body, a rear-mounted 0.6 L flat-twin motorcycle engine, and a full-width rear track. The 600's rear suspension was BMW's first use of the semi-trailing arm system that would be used on their sedans and coupes until the 1990s. Released in 1957, the 600 could not compete against the larger, more powerful Volkswagen Beetle. Production ended in 1959 after fewer than 35,000 were built.[68][69][70]

text: Third crisis for BMW AG – a company for sale[edit]

text: By 1959, BMW was in debt and losing money.[71] The Isetta was selling well but with small profit margins.[72] Their 501-based luxury sedans were not selling well enough to be profitable and were becoming increasingly outdated.[73] Their 503 coupé and 507 roadster were too expensive to be profitable.[73] Their 600, a four-seater based on the Isetta, was selling poorly.[68] The motorcycle market imploded in the mid-1950s with increased affluence turning Germans away from motorcycles and toward cars.[74] BMW had sold their Allach plant to MAN in 1954.[75] American Motors and the Rootes Group had both tried to acquire BMW.[76]

text: At BMW's annual general meeting on 9 December 1959, Dr. Hans Feith, chairman of BMW's supervisory board, proposed a merger with Daimler-Benz. The dealers and small shareholders opposed this suggestion and rallied around a counter-proposal by Dr. Friedrich Mathern, which gained enough support to stop the merger.[72][76] At that time, the Quandt Group, led by half-brothers Herbert and Harald Quandt, had recently increased their holdings in BMW and had become their largest shareholder.[76] By the end of November 1960, the Quandts owned two-thirds of BMW's stock between them.[71]

text: By this time BMW had launched the 700, a small car with an air-cooled, rear-mounted 697 cc boxer engine derived from the engine powering the R67 motorcycle. It was available as a 2-door sedan and as a coupe, both versions having been designed by Giovanni Michelotti.[77] There was also a more powerful RS model for racing.[78]

text: At the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961, BMW launched the 1500, a compact sedan with front disc brakes and four-wheel independent suspension.[79] This modern specification further cemented BMW's reputation for sporting cars. It was the first BMW to officially feature the "Hofmeister kink", the rear window line that has been the hallmark of all BMWs since then.[citation needed]

text: The "New Class" 1500 was developed into 1600 and 1800 models.[80] In 1966, the two-door version of the 1600 was launched, along with a convertible in 1967. These models began the '02' series, of which the 2002 was the best known, and which was continued until 1976 when it was replaced by the BMW 3 Series.[81]

text: By 1963, with the company back on its feet, BMW offered dividends to its shareholders for the first time since World War II.[82]

text: Rover[edit]

text: Between 1994 and 2001, under the leadership of Bernd Pischetsrieder, BMW owned the British Rover Group, having bought it from British Aerospace. This brought the active Rover, Mini and Land Rover brands as well as rights to many dormant marques such as Austin, Morris, Riley, Triumph and Wolseley under BMW ownership.

text: The venture was not successful. Already struggling after years of industrial disputes, Rover had a poor reputation but in trying to improve its image it would become a rival to the BMW market segment. BMW found it difficult to reposition the English automaker alongside its own products and the Rover division was faced with endless changes in its marketing strategy. In the six years under BMW, Rover was positioned as a premium automaker, a mass-market automaker, a division of BMW and an independent unit. A five-part BBC documentary, When Rover Met BMW (1996), gave some insight into the difficulties faced by the two firms.[83]

text: It is possible that some development work on the Rover R30 model may have eventually benefitted the BMW 1 Series.[84]

text: Production outside Germany[edit]

text: BMW signed an agreement in 1999 with Avtotor to produce cars in Kaliningrad, Russia. The Factory has been assembling 3 and 5 -series cars.[86]

text: Starting from October 2004, BMWs intended for the Chinese market are produced in Shenyang, China.[87] BMW has established a joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Brilliance to build BMW 3 Series and 5 Series that have been modified for the needs of local markets.

text: The BMW X3 was manufactured in Graz, Austria between 2004 and 2007 by Magna Steyr with mainly German components. The X3 production will be moved to the Spartanburg plant due in part to high production and transportation costs of what was meant to be the "more affordable" SUV. North American pricing, after said costs, were nearly on par with the larger, American-built X5.[88]

text: In 2005, BMW Group built a new manufacturing facility in Egypt. This plant builds 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, and X3 vehicles for the African and Middle East markets.

text: BMW opened its first assembly plant in Chennai, India in March 2007 to assemble 3-series and 5-series vehicles. The 20 Million Euro plant aims to produce 1,700 cars per year in, unveiled on January 2, 2003, and officially launched at the Detroit Auto Show on January 5, 2003. The model, priced around US$330,000, has experienced record sales worldwide of 796 Phantoms sold in 2005. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, BMW's subsidiary manufacturing Rolls-Royces, has since launched the Rolls-Royce Ghost.


document_title: Deion Sanders

question_text: how many years did deion sanders play baseball

question_tokens: how many years did deion sanders play baseball

text: Deion Sanders

text: Early life[edit]

text: High school[edit]

text: Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, and was a letterman and All-State honoree in football, basketball and baseball. In 1985, Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the top 33 players in the 100-year history of high school football in the state.

text: The Kansas City Royals selected Sanders out of North Fort Myers High School in the sixth round of the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. He did not sign with the Royals.[4]

text: College career[edit]

text: Sanders enrolled at Florida State University and played three sports for the Florida State Seminoles: football, baseball, and track. Beginning his freshman year, he started in the Seminoles' secondary, played outfield for the baseball team that finished fifth in the nation, and helped lead the track and field team to a conference championship.

text: Under head coach Bobby Bowden, Sanders was a two-time consensus All-American cornerback in 1987 and 1988, and a third team All-American in 1986, intercepting 14 passes in his career, including three in bowl games, and managed to return one interception 100 yards for a touchdown breaking Fred Biletnikoff's interception return record by one yard. He won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1988. He was also a standout punt returner for Florida State, leading the nation in 1988 with his punt return average, and breaking the school's record for career punt return yards. Sanders made an interception with 5 seconds left to seal Florida State's 13-7 win over Auburn in the 1989 Sugar Bowl, during the 1988 postseason. Based on those accolades, his jersey at Florida State, #2, was retired in 1995. He finished his career with 126 punt returns for 1,429 yards.[5] Bowden would later state that Sanders was his "measuring stick for athletic ability".[6]

text: While playing baseball under head coach Mike Martin at Florida State, Sanders hit .331 in 1986; he was known more for base stealing, compiling 27 stolen bases in 1987.[citation needed]

text: Sanders once played the first game of a baseball doubleheader, ran a leg of a 4 × 100 relay, then returned to play another baseball game.[7]

text: Professional baseball career[edit]

text:
Deion Sanders

Left fielder / Center fielder

Born: (1967-08-09) August 9, 1967 (age 50)
Fort Myers, Florida

Batted: Left
Threw: Left

MLB debut

May 31, 1989, for the New York Yankees

Last MLB appearance

June 14, 2001, for the Cincinnati Reds

MLB statistics

Batting average
.263

Hits
558

Home runs
39

Stolen bases
186

Teams

New York Yankees (1989–1990)
Atlanta Braves (1991–1994)
Cincinnati Reds (1994–1995)
San Francisco Giants (1995)
Cincinnati Reds (1997, 2001)

Career highlights and awards

NL Triples champion (1992)

text: Sanders played a nine-year, part-time baseball career, playing left and center field in 641 games with 4 teams. He was originally drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1985 draft, but did not sign with them. The New York Yankees selected Sanders in the 30th round of the 1988 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed with the team on June 22.[citation needed] He opened the 1989 season with the Albany-Colonie Yankees of the Class AA Eastern League.[8] Though he planned to leave the Yankees in July to attend NFL training camp,[9] he became embroiled in a contract dispute with the Falcons, and used the Yankees as leverage. He received a promotion to the major leagues, and spent the summer with the Columbus Clippers of the Class AAA International League.[10] He made his major league baseball debut on May 31, 1989.[11]

text: Sanders made the Yankees' Opening Day roster for the 1990 season.[12] On May 22, 1990, Sanders became involved in a dispute with Chicago White Sox' catcher Carlton Fisk. Sanders started by stepping up to the plate with one out and a runner on third, drawing a dollar sign in the dirt before the pitch and then failed to run to first base after hitting a routine pop fly to shortstop, trotting back to the dugout instead. The Yankee fans booed, and Fisk told Sanders to "run the fucking ball out" and called Sanders a "piece of shit." Later in the game, Sanders told Fisk that "the days of slavery are over." Fisk was furious. "He comes up and wants to make it a racial issue, there's no racial issue involved. There is a right way and a wrong way to play this game."[13][14][15]

text: By mid-July, Sanders expressed that he was unsure if he would remain with the Yankees or report to NFL training camp for the upcoming NFL season.[16] He requested a $1 million salary for the 1991 season, and the Yankees ended negotiations on a contract extension with Sanders. He left the team, finishing the 1990 season with a .158 batting average and three home runs in 57 games.[17] In September 1990, the Yankees placed Sanders on waivers with the intention of giving him his release, as Yankees' general manager Gene Michael said that Sanders' football career was stunting his baseball development.[18]

text: Sanders later signed with the Atlanta Braves for the 1991 MLB season. On July 31, Sanders hit a key three-run homer to spark a comeback win against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the Braves' run to the National League West Division title. However, he had to leave the Braves the very next day to report to the Atlanta Falcons because of a clause in his NFL contract and missed the postseason. Before the 1992 season, Sanders reworked his NFL deal whereby he still reported to the Falcons for training camp in August, but was allowed to rejoin the Braves for the postseason.

text: During his most productive year in the majors, the 1992 season, he hit .304 for the team, stole 26 bases, and led the NL with 14 triples in 97 games. During the 1989 season, he hit a major league home run and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, the only player ever to do so. Sanders is also the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.[19]

text: In four games of the 1992 World Series, Sanders batted .533 with 4 runs, 8 hits, 2 doubles, and 1 RBI while playing with a broken bone in his foot. Despite Sanders's performance, the Braves ultimately lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games. In Game 3, he narrowly avoided being a victim of what would have been only the second triple play in World Series history (following Bill Wambsganss's unassisted triple play in 1920). With Sanders on second base and Terry Pendleton on first, David Justice hit a deep fly ball to center field that Blue Jays center fielder Devon White unexpectedly caught with a leaping effort. Pendleton passed Sanders on the bases for the second out, but umpire Bob Davidson called Sanders safe after he scampered back to second base. Replays showed that Toronto third baseman Kelly Gruber tagged him on the heel before he returned to second.[20]

text: In 1997, Sanders finished 2nd in the NL with 56 stolen bases in 115 games while with the Cincinnati Reds before leaving baseball for three years.

text: Sanders returned to the Reds in 2001, but was released after playing in only 29 games and batting just .173. Following his release from the Reds he signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays triple-A affiliate, Syracuse Chiefs. Sanders was hitting .252 for Syracuse before the Washington Redskins found a loophole in his contract which compelled him to return to the Redskins. His football contract had been negotiated to allow for Sanders to play both baseball and football, but the terms of the contract stated that Sanders could miss NFL training camp and the first few games of the season only if he were playing Major League Baseball. Since he was not then on an MLB roster, Sanders had to leave Syracuse and return to the Redskins so he would not violate his NFL contract. But before arriving at training camp, Sanders informed Redskins personnel he was retiring from professional baseball. In his final professional baseball game, Sanders hit a solo home run and an RBI single in Syracuse's 12-6 win over the Toledo Mud Hens.[21] As those in MLB and the NFL urged Sanders to concentrate on only one sport, he would often explain, "football is my wife and baseball is my mistress."[22]

text: Professional football career[edit]

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text: Draft and Atlanta Falcons[edit]

text: At the 1989 NFL Scouting Combine, Sanders ran a 4.27[23] second 40-yard dash. [24] He was the fifth pick overall in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons,[25] where he played until 1993. Despite fumbling (and recovering) his first NFL punt (which was re-kicked on a penalty), Sanders ran for a touchdown on his second attempt of his first game. During his time in Atlanta, he intercepted 24 passes (including a career-high 7 in 1993), three of which he returned for touchdowns. In 1992, he also led the league in kickoff return yards (1,067), yards per return (26.7) and return touchdowns (2). On October 11, 1992, Sanders played in a Falcons game in Miami and then flew to Pittsburgh, hoping to play in the Braves' League Championship Series game against the Pirates that evening and become the first athlete to play in two professional leagues in the same day.[19] Sanders ultimately did not, however, appear in the baseball game that night.[19][26] Over his five years with the Falcons, Sanders scored ten touchdowns (three defensive, three kick returns, two punt returns, and two receptions).

text: San Francisco 49ers[edit]

text: After five seasons Sanders signed on to play the 1994 season with the San Francisco 49ers, where he had arguably his best season as a professional football player, recording six interceptions and returning them for an NFL best and a then-NFL record 303 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his interceptions were returned for a gain of at least 90 yards, making him the first player to do this in NFL history. On October 16, 1994, Sanders made his dramatic return to the Georgia Dome in a 49er uniform. After getting into a scuffle with his former Falcon teammate Andre Rison, Sanders intercepted a pass from quarterback Jeff George and returned it 93 yards while mockingly staring down the entire Falcons sideline before high-stepping into the end zone. Sanders was later voted the 1994 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and recorded an interception in the 49ers 49–26 victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX, earning him his first championship ring.

text: Dallas Cowboys[edit]

text: Following his successful season with the 49ers, Sanders, along with his agent Eugene Parker, courted numerous teams in need of a cornerback. The several teams in the "Deion Sweepstakes", as it was called by the media, were the Philadelphia Eagles, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, who had lost their starting cornerback Kevin Smith to injury for the rest of the season.

text: On September 9, 1995 (which fell in Week 2 of that NFL season), Sanders signed a lucrative contract with the Dallas Cowboys (seven years, $35 million with a $12.999 million signing bonus, because owner Jerry Jones was superstitious of the number 13),[27] essentially making him, at the time, the highest-paid defensive player in the NFL. Sanders later stated in his book Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life that the Oakland Raiders offered him more money than any other team, but he chose to play in Dallas for more time on the offensive side of the ball, a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls, and because of his friendship with Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin. Arthroscopic surgery kept him sidelined until his debut in Week 9, which was once again in Atlanta against the Falcons; the Cowboys won, 28-13. He went on to help the Cowboys win their third title in four years in Super Bowl XXX against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he returned a punt for 11 yards and caught a 47-yard reception on offense, setting up Dallas' first touchdown of the game and a 27–17 victory. Sanders played four more seasons with Dallas, earning Pro Bowl selection in all of them. On June 2, 2000, he was released in a salary cap move.[28]

text: Washington Redskins[edit]

text: Soon after being released by the Cowboys, the Washington Redskins and Daniel Snyder signed Sanders to a hefty $56 million, 7-year contract.[29] At the end of the 2000 season and an above-average statistical year, Sanders abruptly retired after only playing one year with the Redskins.

text: Baltimore Ravens[edit]

text: In 2004, Sanders announced that he was going to end his retirement, after being lured back to football by Ravens cornerback Corey Fuller, linebacker Ray Lewis and best friend Joe Zorovich. A major reason for doing so was to play with Ray Lewis. He signed a 1-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens to be a nickelback. Sanders chose to wear the number 37, which matched his age at the time, to preemptively let people know that he was well aware of his relative senior status as an NFL player (additionally, the number 21, used by Sanders throughout his career, was already being worn by Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister). Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 of 2004, Sanders scored his ninth career interception return touchdown, moving him into a tie for second place with Ken Houston and Aeneas Williams, and behind Rod Woodson (with 12) for all-time in the statistical category.

text: In January 2006, after playing two seasons as a corner and safety for Baltimore in which the Ravens did not qualify for the postseason, Sanders once again retired from the NFL and became an analyst for the NFL Network.

text: Legacy[edit]

text: During his 14-year NFL career, Sanders was a perennial All-Pro and one of the strongest pass defenders ever. He was known for being a relatively poor tackler and he was not much of a factor in run support.

text: Sanders also occasionally lined up with his team's offense. During the 1996 season, Sanders skipped the baseball season, concentrating on football, and attended the first NFL training camp of his career to better familiarize himself with the nuances of the wide receiver position. He became only the second two-way starter (after the Cardinals' Roy Green) in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik for the first half of the season due.

text: Sanders is the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series,[19] to hit an MLB home run and score an NFL touchdown in the same week, and to have both a reception and an interception in the Super Bowl. He is one of two players to score an NFL touchdown six different ways.[30]

text: During his career, Sanders intercepted 53 passes for 1,331 yards (a 25.1 yards per return average), recovered four fumbles for 15 yards, returned 155 kickoffs for 3,523 yards, gained 2,199 yards on 212 punt returns, and caught 60 passes for 784 yards. Sanders amassed 7,838 all-purpose yards and scored 22 touchdowns: nine interception returns, six punt returns, three kickoff returns, three receiving, and one fumble recovery. His 19 defensive and return touchdowns was an NFL record (now held by Devin Hester with 20 return touchdowns). In the postseason, Sanders added 5 more interceptions, as well as 3 receptions for 95 yards, 4 carries for 39 yards, and two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving). He was selected to eight Pro Bowls and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994.

text:
College Football News named Sanders #8 in its list of 100 Greatest College Football Players of All-Time.
The Sporting News named Sanders #37 in their Top 100 Football Players of the Century released in 1999.
ESPN named Sanders #74 in its list of the 100 Great Athletes of the Century released in 1999.
NFL.com named Sanders #34 on NFL's Top 100 list released in late 2010
On November 11, 2010, Sanders was inducted into the Atlanta Falcons' Ring of Honor.
On February 5, 2011, Sanders was announced as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in his first year of eligibility.
On May 17, 2011, Sanders was announced as a College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
On August 6, 2011, Sanders was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[31]

text: Sanders also had a rushing TD in the playoffs (against the Philadelphia Eagles in January 1996). This makes him (including post season) one of only two players in NFL history (Bill Dudley being the other) to score a touchdown six different ways (interception return, punt return, kickoff return, receiving, rushing, and a fumble recovery).

text: On February 6, 2011, at Super Bowl XLV in Arlington, Texas, Sanders performed the pre-game coin toss.

text: Sanders did not attend classes or take final exams during the fall semester of his senior year at Florida State, yet played in the Sugar Bowl against Auburn. This caused the Florida State Legislature to create the 'Deion Sanders rule', whereby a football athlete at any state university could not play in a bowl game if he failed to successfully complete the previous semester.[32]

text: In 1995, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys for a minimum yearly base salary and a nearly $13 million signing bonus in an attempt to circumvent the NFL's salary cap. This caused the NFL to institute its own 'Deion Sanders rule' whereby a prorated portion of a player's signing bonus counted against the salary cap.

text: Media appearances and pop culture fame[edit]

text: Sanders became known for sporting a "do-rag" or bandana and for his high-stepping into the end zone followed by his touchdown dance celebrations. At the end of his Hall of Fame speech, he put a bandana on his bust.[33]

text: His "Prime Time" nickname was given to him by a friend and high-school teammate, Florida Gators defensive back Richard Fain. The two played pickup basketball games together during the prime time television hour, and Sanders' athletic display during those games earned him the nickname. His other nickname is "Neon Deion".[34]

text: Following his first Super Bowl victory with the San Francisco 49ers, Sanders hosted Saturday Night Live, broadcast on February 18, 1995.

text: In January 1995, Sanders became the official spokesman of the Sega Sports line of video games.[35] Sanders has also appeared in television commercials for such companies as Nike, Pepsi, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and American Express. These included a Road Runner Pepsi ad, with Sanders as Wile E. Coyote, and a Pizza Hut commercial in which he appeared with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He also makes a cameo as himself in the film Celtic Pride.

text: Sanders, known for his custom-made showy suits and flashy jewelry, frequently capitalized on his image. On December 26, 1994, Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on Bust It Records (MC Hammer's label, of whom Sanders is a friend) that featured the singles "Must Be the Money" and "Prime Time Keeps on Tickin'". The album was universally panned by critics, and despite Sanders' fame, neither the album nor its singles charted in the Top 40.

text: Sanders also appeared in Hammer's "Too Legit to Quit" music video, and his alter-ego "Prime Time" showed up in Hammer's "Pumps and a Bump" video. Hammer, a big sports fan, had launched a new enterprise during his career called Roll Wit It Entertainment & Sports Management and boasted such clients as Evander Holyfield, Deion Sanders and Reggie Brooks.[36] In 1995, Hammer released "Straight to My Feet" (with Deion Sanders) from the Street Fighter soundtrack (released in December 1994). The song charted #57 in the UK.

text: After retiring from the NFL, Sanders worked as a pre-game commentator for CBS' The NFL Today until 2004, when contract negotiations failed. Sanders turned down a 30% salary increase demanding to be paid $2.5 million, the highest of any NFL TV analyst. He was replaced by Shannon Sharpe. During Sanders' run, he participated in several sketches. The first was "Primetime and 21st", a mock street corner where Sanders (not yet a regular panelist) would give his opinions. Another was his "Sanders Claus" persona, one of numerous sketches that involved young kids in football jerseys, representing NFL players, receiving a sarcastic gift from Sanders. Deion actually debuted as "Sanders Claus" in a set of Nike commercials. Sanders still takes presents at Christmas time to local children's hospitals in his area dressed as "Sanders Claus".[citation needed]

text: Sanders frequently made guest appearances on ESPN, especially on the ESPN Radio Dallas affiliate, and briefly hosted a show called The New American Sportsman. He also hosted the 2002 Miss USA pageant.

text: Sanders also was co-host of the 2004 GMA Music Awards broadcast, taped in late April 2004, and slated for air on UPN in May 2004. When negotiations with fellow Viacom property CBS failed (see above) two weeks before the broadcast, and he signed a deal with ESPN, UPN promptly canceled the broadcast, and the show aired on the i Network in December 2004 (both UPN and CBS are now owned by CBS Corporation).

text: Sanders works at NFL Network as an analyst on a number of the network's shows. Prior to the Sunday night game, Sanders, alongside host Rich Eisen and Steve Mariucci, breaks down all the action from the afternoon games on NFL GameDay. At the conclusion of all the action on Sunday, Sanders, Mariucci, Michael Irvin and host Fran Charles recap the day's action with highlights, analysis and postgame interviews. For the 2010 season, Sanders joined Eisen, Mariucci and Marshall Faulk on the road for Thursday Night Kickoff presented by Lexus, NFL Network's two-hour pregame show leading into Thursday Night Football. The group broadcasts live from the stadium two hours prior to all eight live Thursday Night Football games and returns for the Sprint halftime show and Kay Jewelers postgame show. Sanders also has a segment called "Let's Go Primetime" on NFL Network.

text: In 2008, Sanders and his wife starred in the reality show Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love, centering on them and their five children living in the small town of Prosper, Texas.

text: Sanders appeared as himself in the fourth season of The League, playing a prospective buyer of Andre's apartment.[37]

text: In 2014, Sanders was featured in an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, where he and Grylls hiked in the desert of southern Utah for two days, rappelling down canyon walls and later climbing up a mesa.[38]

text: Sanders served as an alumni captain for Team Sanders in the 2014 Pro Bowl.[39]

text: In 2014, he rejoined CBS Sports as a studio analyst for Thursday games only. He still works for the NFL Network on Sundays.

text: Sanders and his girlfriend Tracey Edmonds were featured together on an episode of Tiny House Nation that first aired on January 21, 2017.[40]

text: Other business and entertainment ventures[edit]

text: In addition to his sports career, Sanders also had a career in music as a rapper. He released his debut album, Prime Time, through Hammer's Bust It Records label via Capitol Records, in 1994.

text: Sanders moved on to other ventures after his retirement. In 2003, Sanders took interest in Devin Hester, a return specialist from Miami. Sanders mentored Hester, counseling and advising him during various points of his collegiate career. The Chicago Bears drafted Hester in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Since then, Hester has broken the record for the most total returns for touchdowns in NFL history with 15 punt returns and 5 kick off returns. Hester has cited Sanders as one of his major inspirations and idols, and thanked him for his training and advice. Hester, also known as "Anytime", occasionally performs Sanders' signature touchdown dance and high-steps in homage to his mentor.[41][42][43]

text: Sanders also tried to adopt a high school running back, Noel Devine, who was one of the top recruits in 2007. Sanders was advised against this, but responded, "He doesn't have parents; they died. God put this young man in my heart. This is not about sports. This is about a kid's life." He now mentors Devine, and was a factor in Devine's extended wait to sign a letter-of-intent to West Virginia University. Devine eventually signed to play football for the Mountaineers. Sanders has also been a mentor to Oakland Raiders wide receiver Michael Crabtree, as well as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, Dez Bryant.

text: In January 2004, Sanders was hired as an assistant coach to the Dallas Fury, a women's professional basketball team in the National Women's Basketball League, even though Sanders had never played organized basketball either in college or the professional level.[44]

text: On September 2, 2005, in response to the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina, Sanders challenged all professional athletes in the four major sports to donate $1,000 each to relief efforts, hoping to raise between $1.5 and $3 million total. Sanders said "Through unity, we can touch thousands....I have friends and relatives that feel this pain. Help in any way you can."[citation needed] In April 2006, Sanders became an owner of the Austin Wranglers, an Arena Football League team.[45]

text: Sanders has occasionally served as a celebrity spokesperson, such as representing Monitronics, a security system firm, at an industry conference in the spring of 2010.[46]

text: In 2012, he co-founded Prime Prep Academy, a grouping of charter schools in Texas. The school was plagued by ethical, legal, and financial issues, and closed on January 30, 2015, due to financial insolvency.

text: Discography[edit]

text:
Year
Album
Chart Positions

US Hip-Hop
US Heatseekers

1994
Prime Time
70
14

2005
The Encore Remix
—
—

"—" denotes the album failed to chart or not released

text: Personal life[edit]

text: Sanders has been married twice — to Carolyn Chambers (1989–1998), with whom he has two children (Deion Jr. and Deiondra), and Pilar Biggers-Sanders (1999–2013) with whom he has three children (Shilo, Shelomi Golenzer and Shedeur).

text: Sanders, along with J.M. Black, published his autobiography, Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life. World Publishing 1998. The book was inspired after he began counseling with Bishop T.D. Jakes. He notes his agent Eugene E. Parker as another person who influenced his life.

text: He appeared with his family on the NBC show Celebrity Family Feud which premiered on June 24, 2008.

text: On September 22, 2011, he served Pilar Biggers-Sanders with divorce papers. He then backed away from the story and denied he and Pilar would be divorcing. By December 17, 2011, he had followed through with filing for divorce.[47] On March 12, 2013, he was awarded primary custody of his two sons, Shilo and Shedeur, and Pilar was awarded primary custody of their daughter Shelomi.[48] However, one week later, a judge awarded custody of Shelomi to him as well.[49] During the divorce battle, Pilar made several accusations of abuse against him on social media and in interviews, leading him to file a Defamation of Character lawsuit against her. In 2015, he seemed to have won when the court awarded him a $2.2 million judgment against his ex-wife in the case.[50] However, in August, 2017, on appeal the case went against him. [51]

text: Sanders is presented as a devout Christian speaker with a fee range of $30,001-$50,000.[52] He has been in a relationship with Tracey Edmonds since 2012.[53][40]

text: Sanders has made an effort to coach at several different stops. His first being with the charter school Prime Prep Academy in 2012 which he helped found, but was later fired as the coach after a school staffer alleged Sanders assaulted the staffer. Sanders denied the claim and the charter school later shut down in 2015 due to financial mismanagement. In 2015, Sanders was named the CEO of FOCUS Academies and granted the head coaching position at the Triple A Academy where Sanders led them to face his alma mater North Fort Myers high school in Florida and featured a key matchup between several ranked recruits. [54]. On August 17, 2017 it was announced by CBS Sports that Deion Sanders would be switching coaching positions at a new high school to become the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill high school in Cedar Hill, Texas. The move was significant for Sanders as both his sons play at the high school. Sanders will serve on the staff as offensive coordinator under former Dallas Cowboy Aveion Cason.[55]