On This Date: Former College Hoopers Tackling December 1 NFL Gridiron

December 1st, 2023 - 10:34

Long before kneeling knuckleheads such as ill-informed GQ poster boy #ColonKrapernick and his supporters promoted NFL "slavery" spurring 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 members of a league championship basketball squad who promptly were among the top 41 selections in 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 December 1 in football at the professional level (especially in 1940, 1946 and 1963):

DECEMBER 1

  • B Len Barnum (West Virginia Wesleyan hooper) accounted for the New York Giants' lone score with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jim Lee Howell (All-SWC first-five hoops selection as Arkansas senior in 1935-36) in 14-6 setback against the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940.

  • Los Angeles Rams E Jim Benton (forward was Arkansas' third-leading scorer in SWC play as senior in 1937-38) caught two touchdown passes from Bob Waterfield in a 31-21 win against the New York Giants in 1946.

  • Cleveland Browns FB Jim Brown (#2-scorer with 14 ppg for Syracuse as sophomore in 1954-55 before averaging 11.3 as junior) rushed for 179 yards on 29 carries in a 24-10 win against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1963.

  • B Olie Cordill (Rice hoops letterman in 1938) caught a third-quarter touchdown pass to help the Cleveland Rams secure 13-13 tie against the Green Bay Packers in 1940.

  • Boston Patriots DE Larry Eisenhauer (collected 14 points and 18 rebounds in four basketball games for Boston College in 1959-60) intercepted a pass from QB Jack Kemp in 17-7 win against the Buffalo Bills in 1963.

  • Green Bay Packers FB Ted Fritsch Sr. (Wisconsin-Stevens Point hoops letterman in 1940-41 and 1941-42) had three of his league-high nine rushing touchdowns in a 20-7 win against the Washington Redskins in 1946.

  • Los Angeles Dons rookie E Dale Gentry (averaged 5.3 ppg for Washington State's 1941 NCAA Tournament runner-up) caught two touchdown passes in a 62-14 AAFC win against the Buffalo Bisons in 1946.

  • Dallas Cowboys CB Cornell Green (Utah State's all-time leading scorer and rebounder when career ended in 1961-62) had two interceptions in a 34-27 setback against the New York Giants in 1963.

  • TE Todd Heap (grabbed 14 rebounds in 11 games for Arizona State in 1999-00) caught a touchdown pass midway through fourth quarter to give the Baltimore Ravens the lead in a 27-23 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002.

  • Minnesota Vikings QB Brad Johnson (part-time starting forward for Florida State as freshman in 1987-88 when averaging 5.9 ppg and shooting 89.1% from free-throw line) threw four touchdown passes in a 41-17 win against the Arizona Cardinals in 1996.

  • Chicago Cardinals rookie E Mal Kutner (two-year Texas hoops letterman in early 1940s) caught two touchdown passes from Paul Christman in a 35-28 win against the Chicago Bears in 1946.

  • Los Angeles Rams TE James McDonald (four-year Southern California letterman in early 1980s averaged 8.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg as senior forward) had a 35-yard pass reception in 29-3 setback against the New Orleans Saints in 1985.

  • Brooklyn Dodgers TB Ace Parker (Duke hoops letterman in 1936) threw two touchdown passes in a 14-6 win against the New York Giants in 1940. One of the TD receptions was caught by rookie HB Banks McFadden (led Clemson in scoring each of his three seasons en route to becoming school's first All-American in 1939).

  • Chicago Bears K Mac Percival (three-year hoops letterman was part of squad winning Texas Tech's first SWC championship in major sport in 1960-61) kicked three of his league-high 25 field goals in a 23-17 win against the New Orleans Saints in 1968. Bears QB Jack Concannon (grabbed one rebound in one Boston College basketball contest in 1961-62) threw two touchdown passes.

  • New York Giants B Kink Richards (Simpson IA hoops letterman) had a decisive 31-yard rushing touchdown in fourth quarter of 21-14 win against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1935.

  • Atlanta Falcons WR Andre Rison (backup hoops guard for Michigan State in 1987-88) had eight pass receptions for 124 yards - including two fourth-quarter touchdowns - in a 35-31 win against the Green Bay Packers in 1991.

  • New York Giants CB Jason Sehorn (averaged 12.5 ppg and 6 rpg for Shasta Community College CA in 1990-91) had a career-high nine solo tackles in 32-29 setback against the Tennessee Titans in 2002.

  • Washington Redskins QB Norm Snead (averaged 7.8 ppg in four Wake Forest games as senior in 1960-61) passed for 332 yards in a 36-20 setback against the Baltimore Colts in 1963.

  • Cincinnati Bengals QB John Stofa (averaged 5.8 ppg and 5.4 rpg for Buffalo in 1961-62) threw two second-half touchdown passes in a 33-14 AFL setback against the Boston Patriots in 1968.

  • Two opening-quarter touchdown receptions by Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton (SMU hooper for three games in 2015-16 under coach Larry Brown) accounted for game's first two scores in a 23-20 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019.

  • San Diego Chargers WR Kitrick Taylor (Washington State hooper in 1984-85 and 1986-87) had six pass receptions for 60 yards in a 9-7 setback against the Oakland Raiders in 1991.