Edward R. Vandervoort Memorial Award

The Edward R. Vandervoort Memorial Award has been awarded annually by the Club since 1953 to someone who is neither a current MSU athlete nor current MSU coach; has done much to advance the status of athletic teams representing schools/colleges within his/her surrounding community, and exemplifies community encouragement for the finest things in athletic endeavors. The award is named in honor of the late Edward Vandervoort of Lansing who contributed so many fine services to athletics in the Greater Lansing area.

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2021 Recipient of the Edward R. Vandervoort Memorial Award

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Dean Look

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The 2021 recipient of the Edward R. Vandervoort Memorial Award is Dean Look. Dean was born in 1937 in Lansing, MI. He played high school football in Lansing and then attended MSU from 1956-60 where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Business Management. Dean was a two-sport star player in football and baseball at MSU. He played football for Duffy Daugherty and baseball for John Kobs. In baseball, he was named the team's MVP in 1958 and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection after leading the team in six different offensive categories. In 1959 he made the switch from halfback to a quarterback for the football team. During that time, he was the only player in the country to be named the UPI’s Backfield Player of the Week three times that season. After receiving All-American honors, he was a first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos of the AFL in 1960. In 1961 he played professional baseball with the Chicago White Sox and then played football for the New York Titans (also in the AFL) in 1962.

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Dean is most notable for his 29 years of service as an NFL official: first as a line judge in 1972 then as a side judge in 1978. He retired after the 2000 season. He was the side judge who signaled touchdown on the historic Joe Montana to Dwight Clark pass better known as “The Catch” during the 1982 NFC Championship game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers. As an official, Look wore the uniform number 49 and was assigned to three Super Bowls--- Super Bowl XIII (13) in 1979, Super Bowl XV (15) in 1981, and Super Bowl XXVII (27) in 1993.

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Dean was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

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