Howard Cassady facts for kids
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| Position: | Halfback, Split end |
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| Personal information | |||
| Born: | March 2, 1934 Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Died: | September 20, 2019 (aged 85) Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Weight: | 183 lb (83 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Columbus (OH) Central | ||
| College: | Ohio State (1952–1955) | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1956 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Howard Albert "Hopalong" Cassady (born March 2, 1934 – died September 20, 2019) was a famous American football player. He played as a halfback and split end. He won the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1955. This award goes to the best college football player. Later, he was honored in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979. Hopalong played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He spent most of his career, seven seasons, with the Detroit Lions. With the Lions, he helped them win the 1957 NFL Championship Game.
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Early Life and Football Start
Howard Cassady was born in Columbus, Ohio. He went to Central High School in Columbus. This school is now closed.
College Football Success
Cassady played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He played from 1952 to 1955. During his time there, he scored 37 touchdowns in 36 games. He also played as a defensive back. No passes were ever completed against him in his four years.
Becoming an All-American
He was chosen twice as a consensus All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best players in the country. He earned this honor in both 1954 and 1955. The 1954 Buckeyes team had a perfect season, winning all 10 games. They also won a national championship that year.
Winning the Heisman Trophy
In 1954, Cassady finished third in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. The next year, in 1955, he won the Heisman Trophy. He won by the largest margin of votes at that time. He also won the Maxwell Award and was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year. During his playing days, he was 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighed about 170 pounds.
How "Hopalong" Got His Name
Cassady got his nickname "Hopalong" during his first game. He was a freshman at Ohio State. Sportswriters in Columbus saw him play. They said he "hopped all over the field". This reminded them of the famous cowboy character, Hopalong Cassidy. In that game, Cassady came off the bench. He scored three touchdowns, helping Ohio State win against Indiana University.
Ohio State Records
Hopalong Cassady held several Ohio State records for many years. He held the career rushing record with 2,466 yards. This record was broken in 1969. He also held the career all-purpose yards record with 4,403 yards. This was broken in 1974. His scoring record of 222 points was broken in 1975.
Other College Sports
Cassady also played baseball for Ohio State. He was a great player in baseball too. In 1955, he led the team in home runs. In 1956, he led the team in stolen bases. He was also a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
Professional Football Career
After college, Cassady played eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played seven seasons for the Detroit Lions. This was from 1956 to 1961, and again in 1963. In 1962, he played for both the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles. In the NFL, he was an all-purpose player. He played both as a receiver and a running back. He scored 27 touchdowns during his professional career.
Life After Football
After retiring from football, Cassady became a businessman. He started a company that made concrete pipes. Later, he worked as a scout for the New York Yankees baseball team. He also coached first base for the Columbus Clippers. This was a minor league baseball team.
His son, Craig Cassady, also played football at Ohio State. Craig briefly played in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints. Howard "Hopalong" Cassady passed away on September 20, 2019, at his home in Tampa, Florida.
