Wednesday, 04 December 2024

Dan Reeves

Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2024
Embed from Getty Images
Sport(s): Football Owner
Statistics: 2 NFL Championships (1945 & 1951)
Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Dan Reeves bought the Cleveland Rams in 1941, and four years later, his team won the NFL Championship. Cleveland's joy was short-lived, as he moved his team to the bright lights of Los Angeles, making the Rams the first team and Reeves the first owner in the big four to tap into the West Coast.

Reeves had to fight off another team as the All-American Football Conference formed, and the Los Angeles Dons fought for the L.A. market. The NFL would win the war, and the Dons were not one of the teams allowed to continue, and Reeves scooped up the scraps of the team. The Rams made it to the NFL Championship three years in a row, winning the third in 1951.

Reeves was also innovative in creating youth programs, and in 1946, he was the first to sign an African-American player (Kenny Washington) in 13 years. He was also a pioneer in getting his team on television. He ran the team until he died in 1971.

We are proud to nominate Dan Reeves for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.