Former USC receiver Sam Dickerson dies at 66

Sam Dickerson, a USC receiver who gained fame with a game-winning touchdown catch against UCLA in 1969, died on Dec. 23 of cancer, USC announced. He was 66.

Dickerson caught 24 passes, six for touchdowns, and averaged 19.6 yards per reception in 1969.

None was bigger than his touchdown against UCLA on Nov. 22 at the Coliseum.

USC trailed, 12-7, late in the fourth quarter when a Bruins defender guarding Dickerson was called for a pass-interference penalty on fourth down.

On the next play, quarterback Jimmy Jones lofted a pass toward the left corner of the end zone.

Dickerson made a sliding catch for a 32-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 32 seconds remaining to give the Trojans a 14-12 victory.

“The ball seemed to stay up there forever,” Dickerson told The Times’ Chris Foster in 2009. “There was a brick wall five or six yards behind the end zon, and I rolled into that. I looked up and the ref was signaling touchdown and our guys were running at me.”

Dickerson, who came to USC from Stockton’s Franklin High, was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1971 NFL draft and had a brief pro career.

He was a parks and recreation supervisor in Modesto for 32 years.

A celebration of Dickerson’s life will run from noon to 5 p.m. Jan. 5 in the Grand Ballroom at Wine and Roses in Lodi.