Thursday, 21 November 2024

Sammy Baugh

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Athletes 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Football
Statistics: 2 NFL Championships (1937 & 1941)
4 First Team All-Pro Selections (1937, 1940, 1942 & 1943)
6 Pro Bowls (1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942 & 1951
5-Time Pass Completion Leader (1937, 1943, 1945, 1947 & 1948)
8-Time Pass Completion Percentage Leader (1940, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948 & 1949)
4-Time Passing Yards Leader (1937, 1940, 1947 & 1948)
2-Time Passing Touchdowns Leader (1940 & 1947)
3-Time Passer Rating Leader (1940, 1945 & 1947)
1-Time Interceptions Leader (1943)
1-Time All-American (1936)
21,886 NFL Passing Yards
187 NFL Passing Touchdowns
Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Number retired by the Washington Football Team
Number retired by Texas Christian University
Named to the 1940s All-Decade Team
Named to the NFL 75th Anniversary Team
Named to the NFL 100th NFL Anniversary Team
One of the first players to excel as a quarterback, Sammy Baugh also played in the two-way era, where he was a good defensive back and punter. Saying that, it was his throwing acumen that put him on the map, and it was this skill that landed him in the first-ever Pro Football Hall of Fame Class.

An All-American at TCU, Baugh was one of the first accurate passers in football. Taking Washington to two titles (1937 & 1943), Baugh played 16 years, throwing for over 21,986 yards, which was an incredible amount for that era. As a punter, Baugh led the NFL in yards/punt five times, and when he played on defense, he recorded 31 interceptions, including a league-leading 11 in 1943.

Baugh may not look like what quarterbacks are now, but he was the first pivotal step to get there.

We are proud to nominate Sammy Baugh for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.

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