George McAfee facts for kids
McAfee with the Bears
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| No. 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Halfback Defensive back Return specialist |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: | March 13, 1918 Corbin, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| Died: | March 4, 2009 (aged 90) Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 178 lb (81 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Ironton (Ironton, Ohio) |
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| College: | Duke (1937–1939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1940 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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George Anderson McAfee (born March 13, 1918 – died March 4, 2009) was an amazing American football player. He played as a halfback, defensive back, and return specialist for the Chicago Bears. He played from 1940 to 1941 and again from 1945 to 1950 in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the pros, McAfee was a star athlete at Duke University. He excelled in baseball, track and field, and college football. George McAfee is so famous that he was chosen for both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He still holds an NFL record for the best average in punt returns over a career.
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Early Life and College Football
George McAfee was born in Corbin, Kentucky. He was one of 12 children in his family! He used to joke that only the first kids to wake up got to wear shoes that day. Soon after he was born, his family moved to Ironton, Ohio. There, he went to Ironton High School.
In 1937, McAfee earned a scholarship to play college football at Duke University. During his three years at Duke, his team had an impressive record of 24 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie. He helped the Duke Blue Devils win Southern Conference (SoCon) championships in 1938 and 1939. The 1938 Duke team was especially famous. They were called the "Iron Dukes" because no other team scored against them all season. They were unbeaten until the Rose Bowl. In that game, the USC Trojans scored a touchdown with less than a minute left to win 7–3.
In his final college season in 1939, McAfee was a leader in many areas. He led his team in rushing, receiving, scoring, kickoff returns, punt returns, interceptions, and punting. He was recognized as an All-American by many sports groups.
McAfee was also a talented baseball player. He batted .353 as a center fielder for the Duke Blue Devils baseball team. He even won a Southern Conference championship in the 100-meter dash in track and field during his senior year.
Professional Football Career
George McAfee was picked second overall in the 1940 NFL Draft. People called him "One-Play McAfee" because he was incredibly fast and could make big plays instantly. He could run 100 yards in just 9.7 seconds! In his very first professional game, McAfee returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown. This helped the Bears beat the Brooklyn Dodgers with only 30 seconds left. Later in his first year, he returned a kickoff for 93 yards. He also threw a touchdown pass to help the Bears win against their rivals, the Green Bay Packers. In the 1940 NFL championship game, McAfee returned an interception for a 34-yard touchdown. The Bears won that game 73–0 against the Washington Redskins.
His second year, 1941, was amazing for McAfee. He led the league by averaging 7.3 rushing yards per carry. He also scored a league-high 12 touchdowns in an 11-game season. Even though his rushing yards might seem low today, he shared the field with other great running backs. These included Hugh Gallarneau, Norm Standlee, and Bill Osmanski, plus Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman. McAfee was known for being able to do everything. In 1941, his 12 touchdowns came from rushing, receiving, punt returns, kickoff returns, and even an interception return! He helped the Chicago Bears win their second NFL championship in a row against the New York Giants. That season, his 31.6 yards per punt return set a team record that still stands today.
Serving His Country
After his great 1941 season, McAfee joined the United States Navy to serve in World War II. He served from 1942 to 1945. This meant he missed almost four full seasons of his professional football career.
Return to the NFL
McAfee came back to the Chicago Bears in 1945. In his first game back, he carried the ball five times for 105 yards and scored three touchdowns. He continued to play for Chicago until 1950. Even though he wasn't named All-Pro again, he kept playing very well on both offense and defense for the Bears.
During his time in professional football, McAfee scored 234 points. He gained 5,313 total yards and intercepted 25 passes in eight seasons. He was also the NFL punt return champion. As of 2018, he still holds the NFL record for the best average punt return in a career, at 12.78 yards.
His college coach, Wallace Wade, said McAfee was "a one-man offense, and practically unstoppable." Red Grange, a famous Bears player from earlier years, called McAfee "the most dangerous man with the football in the game." Green Bay Coach Earl "Curly" Lambeau said McAfee was "the most talented back the Packers ever faced." George Halas, the Bears' longtime owner and coach, once said, "the highest compliment you can pay any ball carrier is just compare him with McAfee."
McAfee himself described his running style. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 178 pounds, which was small even for his time. When he first joined the Bears, he was amazed by how big the other players were. The Bears were known as the "Monsters of the Midway." McAfee remembered a rookie player getting knocked out cold trying to tackle a teammate. He said, "That play served as a valuable lesson for me. Whenever I ran with the ball, I had that picture in my mind... I would run as fast as I could if there was any daylight."
Honors and Achievements
During his college football career, George McAfee was named first-team All-American. He helped the Duke Blue Devils win two Southern Conference championships. He was also a key member of the "Iron Dukes" team that almost won the 1939 Rose Bowl.
As a star running back, defensive back, kicker, punter, and kick returner for the Chicago Bears in the 1940s, McAfee achieved many honors. He was named All-Pro and set the all-time career punt return record. He also helped the Bears win NFL championships in 1940, 1941, and 1946.
The Chicago Bears retired his jersey number 5 in 1955. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1961 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. He also joined the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1967 and was a first member of the Duke Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. McAfee was also named to the NFL's 1940s All-Decade Team. This means he was one of the best players of that entire decade.
Later Life
After he stopped playing football in 1950, McAfee and his wife, Jeanne M. McAfee, moved back to Durham, North Carolina. They raised their three children there. For several years after retiring, McAfee worked as an NFL referee. At the same time, he and his brother, Wes, started the McAfee Oil Company. George McAfee led this company for 30 years before selling it.
His brother, Wes McAfee, also played football for Duke and was drafted into the NFL. Wes played only one NFL season before he also volunteered to serve in World War II.
George McAfee rarely talked about his football achievements after he retired. However, he often went to Duke athletic events for many years. He passed away on March 4, 2009, at the age of 90.
