Card: University of Texas Upper Deck 2011
Acquired: EBay, 2020
Failure: TTM 2015 & 2018, C/o Home

Jim Bertelsen played alongside Steve Worster in the Texas wishbone offense. A reliable runner out of the backfield, Jim rushed for 740 yards on 104 carries and 13 TDs in 1969. He’d then rush for 891 yards and 13 TDs in 1970, and 879 yards in 1971. In both 1970 and 1971 Bertelsen was named All-SWC, and was team MVP as a Senior.

Jim was selected in the second round of the 1972 NFL draft. He’d play for the next five seasons for the team. His best season came in 1973 when he rushed 206 times for 854 yards and 4 TDs when he played fullback and was named to the Pro Bowl. Bertelsen switched back and forth between RB and FB over the remainder of his career, retiring after the 1976 season.

I had tried multiple times to get Jim’s autograph on his cards but had failed. In the end I frustratingly decided to get a copy of his certified autograph instead. At last glance he lived in Wimberly, Tx.

He passed away at the age of 71, in mid 2021. His cause of death was not released.

G/Gs	RUSH	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
68/45	614	2466	4.0	16	49

REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
88	1014	11.5	2	44

PR	YDS	AVG	TD	LG
74	821	11.1	0	60