Benny Friedman

Player

Cleveland Bulldogs (1927 )
Detroit Wolverines (1928 )
New York Giants (1929-1931)
Brooklyn Dodgers (1932-1934)

Assistant coach

Yale University (1932-1934)

Coach

New York Giants (1930 )
Brooklyn Dodgers (1932 )
City College of New York (1934-1941)
Brandeis University (1951-1959)

5x All-Pro selection ( 1927-1930, 1933) 1 2 team
College Football Hall of Fame (1951 )
National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (2004)
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame (1979 )
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2005)
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (1961 )

Benjamin " Benny " Friedman ( born March 18, 1905 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, † November 24, 1982 in New York City ) was an US- American football player. He played as a quarterback in the National Football League ( NFL ) for the Cleveland Bulldogs, Detroit Wolverines, the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Friedman is considered the first quarterback who made more attention with his performance as a passer, than by his skills as a runner and blocker.

Youth

Benny Friedman was born as the son of Orthodox Jewish immigrants from Russia in Cleveland. He was the fourth of six children. His father worked as a furrier and tailor. At the Cleveland East Tech High School, he played basketball and baseball. As a football player he was no longer accepted after a short time by the coach of the team. He was considered too frail. After his move to Glenville High School, he was able to convince as a football player there. He was able to defeat the team of his former school with 31:0 in 1922 in the regular season. In the final of the city championship his team won again with 13:0. The Scouts of the college football teams became aware of Friedman. The Pennsylvania State University saw on a scholarship for Friedman, as well as the coach of the " Nittany Lions " held him not suitable for physically.

Playing career

College career

Benny Friedman studied from 1923 to 1926 at the University of Michigan. As his financial resources were limited, he worked as a drummer in a Chinese restaurant, selling theater tickets and books in the university bookstore. From 1924 he played for the college football team on the position of quarterbacks. American football was a running game in the first place. The rules for the passing game were complicated and vulnerable to the attacking team. The quarterback was allowed to go to the pass throw just five yards behind the line of scrimmage and could be attacked even after the pass throw by the Defense. Friedman was one of the first players that started the ball throw as a dominant offensive tactics. In order to grip the football better, he constantly trained his hands and fingers. Since it when throwing a rotation about the longitudinal axis sent along the ball, he reached a stable trajectory. Their own pass receiver, it was made easier to catch the ball. In the game between 1925 and 1926, Friedman led his team to each Conference Championship. In both years, he was elected to the All- American and 1926 in addition to the most valuable player of his team and the league.

Professional career

Benjamin Friedman 1927 professional player with the Cleveland Bulldogs in the year. He was employed as a quarterback and placekicker. After the Bulldogs had to stop playing mode after the season, he moved to the Detroit Wolverines. Friedman was now known nationwide. After the 1928 season was purchased by the owner of the New York Giants, Tim Mara, the team from Chicago. He had set the game mode and Friedman played for an annual salary of $ 10,000 from then on for the team from New York City. With the commitment of Mara Friedman managed to lead his team into the profit zone. While the team in 1928 yet (according to other sources 54,000 U.S. dollars) recorded a loss of $ 40,000, made the spectacular play of Friedman in 1929 for an annual profit of 8,500 dollars and in the years 1930 and 1931 for a profit of 23,000 and 35,000 U.S. dollars. With Ray Flaherty and Red Badgro players had been in the ranks of the Giants, who were able to catch the passes of Friedman and be recovered touchdowns.

1929 and 1930 included the Giants the game from each year on the second place. At times, practiced Friedman 1930, the office of the Head Coaches of the Giants from. Friedman was in all four years playing the best ball thrower in the NFL. After the 1931 season left Friedman, who had the middle of the season suffered a serious knee injury, which is now coached by Steve Owen team. He had previously Tim Mara asked for a share of the Giants, the latter has rejected. The owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers took the chance and ordered Friedman in 1932 as a quarterback and coach. In Brooklyn Friedman could not connect to its previous performance. The 1931 knee injury suffered greatly put to him. He could not run up in numerous games of the Dodgers. After the 1934 season, he finished his playing career.

Coaching career

Already acted in 1932 Friedman as assistant coach at Yale University. Immediately after finishing his playing career, he received an offer from Fiorello LaGuardia, mayor of New York City, to act as coach of the City College of New York. The Office was rewarded him with an annual salary of $ 4,500. The activity retained Friedman at until 1941. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he worked as sports director and coach at Brandeis University from 1949 until 1963. From 1964 he ran a summer camp for boys, in which also a football school was integrated.

Off the pitch

Friedman was considered a difficult person. During his playing career he was considered a " prima donna ". He frequented the so-called better society and refused contact with his players off the field from. In 1953, he publicly claimed at the age of 48 years that he now could still play football professionally. This has been interpreted it as arrogance. After the opening of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he wrote letters to the press and members of the jury and called it his inclusion in the Hall of Fame. In 1970, Friedman led a lawsuit against the NFL. The league refused players who were active before 1958, to pay a pension. His behavior was considered inappropriate and was decisive for his late entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Benny Friedman suffered from diabetes in 1978 had him due to his illness a leg amputated. Mentally he should not recover from this surgery. In 1982, he shot himself in his own apartment in New York City. His burial place is unknown.

Honors

Benjamin Friedman was five times elected to the All- Pro. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (his recording was made posthumously ), in the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

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