Elroy Hirsch

Chicago Rockets ( AAFC ) ( 1946-1948 )
Los Angeles Rams (NFL) (1949 - 1957)

3x Pro Bowl (1951, 1952, 1953)
NFL 1950s All- Decade Team
Pro Football Hall of Fame (recorded 1968)
College Football Hall of Fame (recorded 1974)
Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame (2005)
National High School Sports Hall of Fame (recorded 1988)
Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame (1964 )

Elroy Leon Hirsch ( born June 17, 1923 in Wausau, Wisconsin, † January 28, 2004 in Madison, Wisconsin ) Nickname: Crazylegs, was an US- American football player. He played as a wide receiver and running back in the National Football League ( NFL) and won with the Los Angeles Rams in 1951 the championship.

3.1 Actors
3.2 sports official

Origin

Hirsch attended in his hometown high school. In addition to American football, he also played basketball. He received his nickname by his running style, which he already appropriated as a child. He ran to time and again with his legs crossed over curbs. Contemporaries of deer led from that his running style reminiscent of a demented duck.

Playing career

College career

1942 Hirsch received a scholarship to the University of Wisconsin -Madison and ran there on for their college team, the Wisconsin Badgers. In his first year of college, he drew attention to himself by his manager Harry Stuhldreher good performances. He was employed in various positions and was in his first year achieved by throws 786 yards space gain by running game, 390 yards by pass catches and 226 yards. In particular, his erratic running style made him for opposing defenders to an unpleasant opponent.

1943 Stag joined the U.S. Marine Corps, but was given the opportunity his college education at the University of Michigan to continue. He ran for the Michigan Wolverines, but also ran other sports in college. In 1946 he was elected to the National College Football All-Star Team. The team played against the Los Angeles Rams. Thanks to two touchdowns, which could achieve stag, the College team scored a 16-0 victory. Hirsch was elected Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game.

Professional career

1945 Hirsch was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the NFL Draft. He was never on for this team. Instead, he joined 1946-1948 the Chicago Rockets, who were at home in the competition league All-America Football Conference ( AAFC ) on. 1948 played his team a comparison game against the Browns. Hart suffered a personal setback first of his career. Through a hard tackle an opponent he pulled a knee and a skull injury. He could then not play to the end of the season. After three years with the Rockets, he then moved to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL. From 1950 he was employed by his trainer Joe Stydahar only as a wide receiver. 1951, Hirsch be personally successful year. He introduced during the regular season three season records on - for the most caught balls (66 ), most touchdowns scored by pass catches (17) and the largest space gain achieved. This record 1495 yards in one season, was only ten years later broken by Charley Hennigan.

After the Rams had in 1949 NFL Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles lost 14-0 with them in 1950 once again made the move into the final. The game was lost again. The Cleveland Browns prevailed with 30:28. Hirsch could catch four passes for a space gain of 42 yards. 1951 succeeded then the Rams to prevail with 24:17 against the Browns in the final. Again go deer pass four catches for a room gain of 66 yards. 1955 Hirsch then moved for the fourth time in a final one. Again he was beaten with his team the Browns in the final game with 38:14.

In 1954, Hirsch wanted to end his career. Since the Rams had a lot of injured players, he decided to return and played until 1957 when this team.

After playing career

Actor

Hirsch has played with during his playing career in various films. 1953 his life was portrayed in the film Crazylegs. Hirsch played in it himself After he finished his career, he still appeared in other films, among other things, he starred with Dana Andrews in the film Zero Hour! .

Sports official

1960 Hirsch was general manager of the Rams. He undertook his former teammate Bob Waterfield as a coach. Successes but he could no longer celebrate with the Rams, but the team has developed into one of the worst teams in the league. After nearly 20 years, Hirsch had to leave the Rams. Before 1969, he was appointed sporting director of his old colleges in Madison, he had briefly held the same role in the Union Oil Company. During his time as Director of Sport in Wisconsin the Badgers were able to establish enormous popularity. Within four years he was able to increase the average attendance of 43,000 to more than 70,000 spectators. He also brought the deficit football team back into the profit zone. 1981, 1982 and 1984 were able to move each in Bowl games the Badgers. Only the Independence Bowl in 1982 could be won against the Kansas State University with 14:3. After he retired in 1987, he was Ambassador of his team.

Honors

Hirsch was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1965. He is also a member of the Madison Sports Hall of Fame since 1968 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, in the NFL 1950s All- Decade Team, in the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame and in 1974 in the College Football Hall of Fame. He played in three Pro Bowls and was elected in 1999 by the newspaper The Sporting News as one of the 100 best football players of all time. His jersey number 40 is no longer awarded by the Badgers.

Off the pitch

Since 1981, in Madison to his credit an 8 km race, the Crazylegs Classic, carried out through the city center. Hirsch was married. He left next to his wife, nor a son and a daughter. Elroy Hirsch is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Wausau.

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