Post by MillerTime on Dec 18, 2008 19:23:50 GMT -6
BORN MARCH 17, 1914 IN TEMPLE TEXAS. DIED DECEMBER 17, 2008
THE LAST TRUE IRON MAN FOOTBALL PLAYER. QUARTERBACK, SAFETY, PUNTER, EVEN CAUGHT A PASS, AND FROM TIME TO TIME RAN BACK A FEW KICKS.
HE JOINED THE NFL AT AGE 23, RETIRED AT AGE 38. HE SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER WITH THE REDSKINS. HE PASSED FOR 187 TOUCHDOWNS AND RAN ANOTHER 9. IN THE 6 YEARS HE PLAYED SAFETY IN HAULED 31 INTs.
IN 1963 THE NFL INDUCTED ITS FIRST CLASS OF PLAYERS INTO THE HALL OF FAME. "SLINGIN" SAMMY WAS ONE OF THEM. IN 1947 SAMMY PLAYED IN 12 GAMES. HE THREW 25 TDs THAT SEASON. IN '43 HE PLAYED 10 GAMES AND TOSSED 23.
I GUESS HIS MOST FAMOUS QUOTE CAME FOLLOWING THE 73-0 LOSS THE SKINS SUFFERED TO THE BEARS IN THE 1940 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. A REPORTER ASKED IF HE FELT THE GAME WOULD HAVE CAME OUT DIFFERENT HAD AN EARLY PASS NOT BEEN DROPPED IN THE ENDZONE.
THE COLORFUL BAUGH REPLIED, "YEAH" WITH A BIT OF GROWL " IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 73-7.
AS WE WATCH THE PLAYERS OF TODAY WHINE ABOUT THIS AND THAT HURTING, JUST THINK IF CLOTHES LINING WAS STILL LEGAL.
WE LOST A MAN WHO TRULY DEFINED THE GAME AND TOOK IT TO A NEW LEVEL.
FOR MORE STATS ON SAMMY BAUGH:
www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BaugSa00.htm
EVEN MORE:
www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80d6988a&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true
