On This Date: Ex-College Hoopers Ready to Tackle October 19 NFL Gridiron

October 19th, 2024 - 8:32

Long before kneeling knuckleheads and politicized multiple anthems, the NCAA Tournament commenced in 1939, which was one year after the NIT triggered national postseason competition. An overlooked "versatile athlete" feat occurring in 1938 likely never to be duplicated took place at Arkansas, where the quarterback for the football squad (Jack Robbins) repeated as an All-SWC first-team basketball selection, leading the Razorbacks (19-3) to the league title. After the season, Robbins became an NFL first-round draft choice by the Chicago Cardinals (5th pick overall) and senior football/basketball teammates Jim Benton (11th pick by Cleveland Rams) and Ray Hamilton (41st pick by Rams) went on to become wide receivers for at least six years in the NFL. Yes, they created a kneeling-in-admiration shatterproof achievement - three do-everything members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in the same NFL draft.

Two years later, All-SWC first-team hoop selection Howard "Red" Hickey was instrumental in Arkansas reaching the 1941 Final Four before becoming an end for the Cleveland Rams' 1945 NFL titlist. Two-sport college teammate and fellow end O'Neal Adams scored five touchdowns for the New York Giants the first half of the 1940s. Another two-sport Hog who played for the Giants in the mid-1940s was Harry Wynne. An earlier versatile Razorback was Jim Lee Howell, who was an All-SWC first five hoop selection in 1935-36 before becoming a starting end for the Giants' 1938 NFL titlist and Pro Bowl participant the next year. Adams, Benton, Hamilton, Hickey and Howell combined for 77 touchdowns in an 11-year span from 1938 through 1948 when at least one of the ex-Razorback hoopers scored a TD in each of those seasons.

Hickey and ex-Hog All-SWC second-team hooper in 1929-30/NFL end Milan Creighton each coached NFL franchises. Many other ex-college hoopers also displayed their wares on the gridiron. Following is exhaustive research you can tackle regarding former college basketball players who made a name for themselves on October 19 in football at the professional level (especially in 1952 and by ex-hoopers with the 49ers):

OCTOBER 19

  • Detroit Lions E Cloyce Box (combined with twin brother Boyce to help West Texas win Border Conference hoops championship in 1943) caught two touchdown passes in a 24-16 win against the Los Angeles Rams in 1952.

  • New York Giants E Glenn Campbell (Emporia State KS hooper) caught two touchdown passes in a 53-0 win against the Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1930.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers TB Johnny Clement (SMU hoops letterman in 1940) threw two touchdown passes and rushed for two TDs in a 35-24 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1947.

  • Cleveland Browns QB Otto Graham (Big Ten Conference runner-up in scoring as Northwestern sophomore in 1941-42 and junior in 1942-43) threw four touchdown passes in a 49-7 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1952. Browns DE Len Ford (center for Morgan State's CIAA hoops titlist in 1944) opened the game's scoring with a fumble recovery return for TD.

  • Miami Dolphins QB Bob Griese (sophomore guard for Purdue in 1964-65) threw three touchdown passes in a 43-0 win against the New York Jets in 1975.

  • Baltimore Ravens TE Todd Heap (grabbed 14 rebounds in 11 games for Arizona State in 1999-00) caught seven passes for 129 yards in a 34-26 setback against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003.

  • Philadelphia Eagles rookie E Dick Humbert (three-year starter captained Richmond team as senior when averaging 7.4 ppg) opened game's scoring with a four-yard touchdown catch in 21-17 setback against the Washington Redskins in 1941.

  • Minnesota Vikings QB Joe Kapp (backup forward averaged 1.8 ppg and 1.2 rpg for California's PCC champions in 1957 and 1958) threw three touchdown passes in a 27-10 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969.

  • B Wild Bill Kelly (two-year Montana hoops letterman in mid-1920s) accounted for the Frankfort Yellow Jackets' lone score with a five-yard rushing touchdown in a 6-6 tie against the Orange Tornadoes in 1929.

  • OLT Frank Kinard (Ole Miss hoops letterman from 1935-36 through 1937-38) recovered a fumble and ran 60 yards for touchdown for the Brooklyn Dodgers' only score in a 20-6 setback against the Chicago Cardinals in 1941.

  • San Francisco 49ers RB Terry Kirby (averaged 3.4 ppg as Virginia freshman in 1989-90 and 2.1 as sophomore in 1990-91) rushed for two second-quarter touchdowns in a 35-28 win against the Atlanta Falcons in 1997.

  • WR Dave Logan (three-time scoring runner-up averaged 14.1 ppg and 6.3 rpg for Colorado in mid-1970s) caught 46-yard touchdown pass from Brian Sipe in fourth quarter to give the Cleveland Browns a 26-21 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1980.

  • St. Louis Rams WR Dane Looker (averaged 4.8 ppg as Western Washington freshman in 1995-96 and 10.2 ppg as sophomore in 1996-97 before transferring to Washington and concentrating on football) had a touchdown reception in his third contest of five-game span in 2003.

  • New York Giants WR Bob McChesney (Hardin-Simmons TX hoops letterman in 1945-46) caught two first-half touchdown passes from Charlie Conerly in a 24-23 setback against the Chicago Cardinals in 1952.

  • TE Rich McGeorge (all-league hooper for Elon averaged 13.7 ppg and 9.1 rpg while making 59% of his field-goal attempts) had 26-yard touchdown reception from John Hadl in fourth quarter to give the Green Bay Packers a 19-17 win against the Dallas Cowboys in 1975.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers E Elbie Nickel (Cincinnati's second-leading scorer in 1942 also earned hoop letter in 1947) caught two touchdown passes from Jim Finks (led Tulsa with 8.9 ppg as sophomore in 1946-47) in a 28-24 setback against the Washington Redskins in 1952. Redskins E Hugh Taylor (OCU leading scorer with 11.4 ppg as senior in 1947) caught two second-half TD passes.

  • San Francisco 49ers WR Terrell Owens (UTC hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) caught two touchdown passes from Steve Young in a 35-28 win against the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. Six years later, Owens had six pass receptions for 152 yards in a 24-7 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003 when WR teammate Tai Streets (collected four points and seven rebounds in 13 games for Michigan's NIT titlist in 1997 under coach Steve Fisher) caught the go-ahead touchdown pass from Jeff Garcia.

  • Philadelphia Eagles HB Bosh Pritchard (four-sport letterman for VMI) had a 69-yard pass reception for touchdown in 35-24 setback against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1947.

  • Chicago Rockets B Ray Ramsey (Bradley's top scorer in 1941-42 and 1942-43) scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns (one rush/two pass receptions) in a 31-28 AAFC setback against the Cleveland Browns in 1947. Rockets rookie QB Sam Vacanti (averaged 2.8 ppg as backup swingman for Iowa in 1942-43) threw three TD passes.

  • Detroit Lions WR Freddie Scott (averaged 5.3 ppg as sophomore forward for Amherst MA in 1972-73) had a career-long 44-yard touchdown catch in 48-17 win against the Chicago Bears in 1981.

  • Los Angeles Rams WR Del Shofner (Baylor hoops letterman in 1956) opened game's scoring with a 92-yard touchdown reception in 31-10 setback against the Chicago Bears in 1958.

  • San Francisco 49ers QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) threw three first-half touchdown passes in a 35-21 win against the New Orleans Saints in 1975. TE Tom Mitchell (averaged 6.1 ppg and 9.4 rpg in 10 basketball games for Bucknell in 1963-64) caught a career-long 60-yard TD pass from Snead.

  • Kansas City Chiefs FL Otis Taylor (backup small forward for Prairie View A&M) had four pass receptions for 131 yards in a 17-10 AFL win against the Miami Dolphins in 1969.

  • Dallas Cowboys P Ron Widby (three-time All-SEC selection averaged 18.1 ppg and 8.4 rpg for Tennessee from 1964-65 through 1966-67) punted four times for 200 yards (50.0 average) in a 49-14 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1969.

  • B Doug Wycoff (Georgia Tech hoops letterman in 1926) provided the Staten Island Stapletons' lone score with a 37-yard touchdown pass in fourth quarter in 7-6 setback against the Providence Steam Roller in 1930.