On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling October 29 NFL Gridiron

October 29th, 2023 - 9:59

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 29 in football at the professional level (especially in 1950, 1961 and 1978):

OCTOBER 29

  • New York Giants E Red Badgro (All-Pacific Coast Conference first-five pick as forward in 1926-27 when named USC's MVP) opened game's scoring with a 15-yard touchdown reception in 34-7 win against the Newark Tornadoes in 1930.

  • Buffalo Bills rookie WR Don Beebe (Aurora College IL junior varsity hooper in 1983-84) delivered a 63-yard touchdown reception in 31-17 win against the Miami Dolphins in 1989.

  • Cleveland Rams E Jim Benton (forward was Arkansas' third-leading scorer in SWC play as senior in 1937-38) had two touchdown receptions in a 28-21 setback against the Chicago Bears in 1944.

  • Philadelphia Eagles WR Harold Carmichael (starter two seasons for Southern LA averaged 9.8 ppg and 10.6 rpg in 1969-70) caught seven passes for 126 yards in a 16-10 setback against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978. Rookie WR Dave Stief (hoops teammate of Portland State All-American Freeman Williams in 1977-78) caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jim Hart to put the Cardinals ahead to stay.

  • In 1950, Los Angeles Rams rookie RB Glenn Davis (Army hooper in 1944-45 and 1945-46) scored a touchdown in his third different game of month (45-yard pass from Norm Van Brocklin). Detroit Lions QB Fred Enke (three-year All-Border Conference first-team hoops selection under his father was Arizona co-captain as senior in 1947-48) threw two second-half TD passes of more than 40 yards to John Greene in 65-24 setback against the Rams.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers rookie E Ben Douglas (two-time All-MVC second-team hoops selection for Grinnell IA in 1929-30 and 1930-31) accounted for game's only score with a touchdown on pass reception in 7-0 win against the Chicago Cardinals in 1933. It was Douglas' lone professional TD.

  • Chicago Bears WR George Farmer (teammate of UCLA legend Lew Alcindor in 1968-69) caught five passes for 141 yards in a 27-10 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1972.

  • TE Jimmy Graham (part-time starter for Miami FL averaged 4.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg from 2005-06 through 2008-09) caught two touchdown passes from Russell Wilson in the last 5 1/2 minutes to give the Seattle Seahawks a 41-38 win against the Houston Texans in 2017. Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (played in seven hoop games for Clemson in 2010-11) caught eight passes for career-high 224 yards.

  • Dallas Cowboys CB Cornell Green (Utah State's all-time leading scorer and rebounder when career ended in 1961-62) had an interception in his fourth consecutive contest of the month in 1967.

  • Miami Dolphins QB Bob Griese (sophomore guard for Purdue in 1964-65) threw two second-quarter touchdown passes in a 26-8 win against the Baltimore Colts in 1978.

  • Houston Oilers WR Bill Groman (Heidelberg OH scoring average leader as sophomore and junior while averaging 14.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg from 1954-55 through 1957-58) had two of his AFL-leading 17 pass reception touchdowns in a 28-16 win against the Buffalo Bills in 1961. Groman was in the midst of having at least two TD catches four times in a five-game span.

  • New York Giants rookie E Clyde "Pete" Hall (collected 25 points and 16 rebounds in 21 Marquette games from 1957-58 through 1959-60) caught a career-long 20-yard pass in 17-16 setback against the Dallas Cowboys in 1961. Cowboys rookie FB J.W. Lockett (three-year hoops letterman led Central Oklahoma with 8.8 rpg in 1958-59) had a career-high 66 rushing yards.

  • Cleveland Rams rookie TB Parker Hall (Ole Miss hoops letterman in 1938) scored on an 88-yard rushing touchdown to open game's scoring in 14-14 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1939.

  • Green Bay Pacers HB Paul Hornung (averaged 6.1 ppg for Notre Dame as sophomore in 1954-55) threw a touchdown pass to WR Ron Kramer (three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection led Michigan in scoring as sophomore and junior before finishing runner-up as senior All-American in 1956-57) in 28-10 win against the Minnesota Vikings in 1961.

  • Washington Redskins rookie TE Jimmie Johnson (averaged 2.7 ppg and 1.5 rpg for Howard University in 1988-89) had a 39-yard pass reception in 37-24 setback against the Los Angeles Raiders in 1989.

  • San Diego Chargers LB Bob Laraba (collected eight points and six rebounds in five UTEP basketball games in 1957-58 and 1958-59) returned an interception 57 yards for touchdown in 37-0 AFL win against the Denver Broncos in 1961.

  • Chicago Bears B Keith Molesworth (three-year hoops letterman for Monmouth IL in late 1920s) threw two touchdown passes in a 14-10 win against the New York Giants in 1933.

  • E R.C. Owens (led small colleges with 27.1 rpg in 1953-54 while also averaging 23.5 ppg for College of Idaho) had at least 100 receiving yards for first of six times in the San Francisco 49ers' last eight games of 1961 season.

  • San Francisco 49ers WR Terrell Owens (UTC hooper from 1993-94 through 1995-96 started five games) caught two touchdown passes from Jeff Garcia in a 34-24 setback against the St. Louis Rams in 2000.

  • New York Yankees E Barney Poole (Ole Miss hoops letterman in 1943) caught a 52-yard touchdown pass from George Ratterman (third-leading scorer with 11.7 ppg for Notre Dame in 1944-45) in fourth quarter in a 38-27 win against the Chicago Bears in 1950.

  • Cleveland Browns WR Andre Rison (backup hoops guard for Michigan State in 1987-88) had seven pass receptions for 173 yards in a 29-26 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in 1995.

  • Cleveland Browns WR Reggie Rucker (averaged 6.8 ppg and 3.8 rpg for Boston University in 1966-67) caught two touchdown passes in a 41-20 win against the Buffalo Bills in 1978.

  • Chicago Cardinals E Bob Shaw (Ohio State hoops starter in 1942 and 1943) caught a touchdown pass in all five games of month in 1950.

  • Philadelphia Eagles QB Roy Zimmerman (San Jose State letterman as hoops center in 1938 and 1939) rushed for a fourth-quarter touchdown to account for decisive score in 24-17 win against the New York Giants in 1944.