Ross Carter (Mar. 10, 1914 – Jun. 19, 2002) earned a reputation as a fearsome lineman and masters athlete and was eventually voted into an athletic hall of fame four times.

Born in Missouri, he grew up in Oregon and graduated from Lakeview High School. He attended Southern Oregon University and played football in 1932 and ‘33 under coach Howard Hobson before transferring to Oregon in 1934. Carter filled out to 6-foot, 238 pounds and played on both offense and defense as a guard for the Ducks in 1934 and ’35.

Carter was the first Oregon player selected in the NFL Draft, taken in the eighth round of the inaugural event by the Chicago Cardinals in 1936. He played four seasons as a reserve for the Cardinals, then moved into the lumber business as co-owner of Starr-Carter.

His son, Ross Carter, Jr., played at Oregon from 1964-66.

Carter became a masters athlete upon turning 65 and set age-group records in the shot put and discus. He set the US Record in the shot put in the Men’s 75 age group in 1990 at 40-41/4 inches. He was voted USA Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year in 1994 after setting an age-group record of 121-8 in the discus at age 80. He threw 101-1 in 2000 at age 86.

Carter was voted to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1981, the Southern Oregon University Hall of Fame in 1990 and the University of Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1995. He was voted to the USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame in 1998.

He died in 2002 of natural causes at age 88.