However, Prothro, who had only three losing seasons in 16 seasons as a college coach, had only one winning season in six as an NFL coach, compiling a record of 35-51-2.
Prothro's first Ram team finished half a game behind the division champion San Francisco 49ers with an 8-5-1 record.
He was fired after the Rams fell to 6-7-1 in 1972 amid complaints that he was unable to motivate and communicate with NFL players.
Prothro, who had three years remaining on a five-year contract, filed a $1.9 million breach of contract suit against the Rams. Former Ram owner Dan Reeves, who signed Prothro, had inserted a clause in the contract that stipulated that in the event of Reeves' death, Prothro could not be terminated without cause.
Reeves died in 1971, and the late Carroll Rosenbloom, after becoming the Rams' owner, fired Prothro and hired Chuck Knox. Prothro and the Rams settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Although Prothro, who owned several soft drink bottling franchises and had extensive real estate holdings in Tennessee and Arkansas, was financially secure, he returned to the NFL as coach of the San Diego Chargers in 1974 because he felt he had something to prove.
"I enjoy being a coach," Prothro said in a 1974 interview, "so the way my last job ended certainly influenced me some in deciding to come back. If I could have walked away on top, I wouldn't have been as inclined to return. I do have something to prove."
Prothro was unable to revive the Chargers, who had finished with their worst record ever the season before he arrived amid newspaper reports of widespread drug abuse by the players. Prothro compiled a 21-39-0 record.
The Chargers finished last in the AFC West in Prothro's first two seasons. After leading the Chargers to a 7-7 record in 1977, their first .500 record in eight seasons, Prothro abruptly quit after the Chargers lost three of their first four games in 1978.
Tired of coaching, Prothro was named executive vice president of the Cleveland Browns in 1979. He retired in 1981.
After leaving football, Prothro, ranked as one of the world's top bridge players, concentrated on playing in tournaments.
Rodgers, who also lives in Memphis and has spent much time with Prothro in the past few years, organized a dinner for him there a year ago, and more than 100 former Oregon State and UCLA players attended.
"At the dinner, he certainly knew his fate," said Rick Purdy, who played for Prothro at UCLA in 1965-67. "We wanted to get together while he was still alive and could appreciate it. My biggest memory of him was that he was one of the most articulate and well-versed men I've ever met in my life."
Funeral services are set for 1 p.m. CDT Wednesday at the Memphis Funeral Home East in Tennessee. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to either the Regents of UCLA, Division of Urological Research, Tommy Prothro Memorial, P.O. Box 951738, Los Angeles 90095-1738 or the Oregon State University Foundation, 517 Snell Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. 97331.
Times staff writer Jim Hodges contributed to this report.
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)
Tommy Prothro's Coaching Record
COLLEGE
Year Team W L T Pct 1955 Oregon St. 6 3 0 .667 1956 Oregon St. 7 3 1 .700 1957 Oregon St. 8 2 0 .800 1958 Oregon St. 6 4 0 .600 1959 Oregon St. 3 7 0 .300 1960 Oregon St. 6 3 1 .667 1961 Oregon St. 5 5 0 .500 1962 Oregon St. 9 2 0 .818 1963 Oregon St. 5 5 0 .500 1964 Oregon St. 8 3 0 .727 1965 UCLA 8 2 1 .800 1966 UCLA 9 1 0 .900 1967 UCLA 7 2 1 .778 1968 UCLA 3 7 0 .300 1969 UCLA 8 1 1 .889 1970 UCLA 6 5 0 .545 Total 104 55 5 .654
Career Highlights
1957--Lost to Iowa in Rose Bowl, 35-19
1962--Defeated Villanova in Liberty Bowl, 6-0
1964--Lost to Michigan in Rose Bowl, 34-7
1965--Defeated Michigan St. in Rose Bowl, 14-12
NFL
Year Team W L T Pct. 1971 Rams 8 5 1 .615 1972 Rams 6 7 1 .464 1974 San Diego 5 9 0 .357 1975 San Diego 2 12 0 .143 1976 San Diego 6 8 0 .429 1977 San Diego 7 7 0 .500 *1978 San Diego 1 3 0 .563 Total 35 51 2 .407
* Replaced by Don Coryell on Sept. 25
