BOSTON (AP) – Ron Burton, the first player ever drafted by the New England Patriots, has died after a long battle with bone cancer.

Burton, who founded a camp for disadvantaged youth, was 67.

He died Saturday, WBZ-TV and WBZ-AM radio reported. Burton’s son, Steve Burton, is a sports reporter for WBZ-TV.

This summer, the Patriots created the New England Patriots’ Ron Burton Community Service Award to be given to a player who makes the greatest impact on the New England community.

Patriots offensive guard Joe Andruzzi became the first recipient on Aug. 25, 2003. Three of his firefighter brothers were involved in the rescue effort after the attacks at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Burton, a high school star in Ohio and a college standout at Northwestern, was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Burton, a running back, spent six seasons with the then-Boston Patriots after they took him with their first pick in the 1959 American Football League draft.

In six seasons with the Patriots, Burton gained 1,536 yards on 429 carries, caught 111 passes for 1,205 yards and scored 19 touchdowns. His best pro season was in 1962, when he carried 134 times for 548 yards and two scores and caught 40 passes for 461 yards and four touchdowns.

In 1985, he founded the Ron Burton Training Village, a summer camp in rural Hubbardston in which inner-city youth participate in athletic and academic programs. He also gave motivational speeches and received several community honors.

“Ron Burton was a compassionate man who dedicated his life to helping others,” Kraft said. “He reinvested everything he had back into his community. He was an inspiration to everyone he came in contact with and positively impacted the lives of thousands of children.”

On April 24, 2002, Burton was named the male winner of the “Lenny Zakim” New England Hero Award by the Center for the Study of Sport in Society of Northeastern University. Zakim was executive director of the Anti-Defamation League’s New England office.

On June 25, 2001, Burton received the “Heroes Among Us” award from the Boston Celtics, the first time it was given outside the FleetCenter where it is presented to others at games. The award recognizes community service.

Joanne Byron, state chairman for Reading is Fundamental, said Burton had helped her get her program rolling 14 years ago and had helped it keep going since. The program has distributed tens of thousands of dollars to schools across the state to help them buy books.

“Ron Burton always took the time, no matter how busy he was, to help others. He cared about others before himself. He was very special. He was just such a beautiful person, a beautiful heart,” she said.

He was drafted by the Patriots of the AFL, the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL and Ottawa of the Canadian Football League.

He retired after the 1965 season and went to work for John Hancock Life Insurance Co., where he was an executive consultant. In 1970 and 1974, he was a candidate for Secretary of State of Massachusetts.

In 2002, a scholarship was created at Northern Michigan University in the name of his training camp, to be given to a student who attended it. Stonehill College in Easton also has established a fund to provide two full scholarships each year to youngsters who attended the camp.

Burton leaves his wife, JoAnn, and five children.

AP-ES-09-14-03 1535EDT