Hugh McElhenny facts for kids
McElhenny in 1955
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| No. 39 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||||||||
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| Born: | December 31, 1928 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Died: | June 17, 2022 (aged 93) Henderson, Nevada, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||||
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| High school: | Washington (Los Angeles) |
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| NFL Draft: | 1952 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9 | ||||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Hugh Edward McElhenny Jr. (born December 31, 1928 – died June 17, 2022) was an American professional football player. He played as a halfback in the National Football League (NFL) from 1952 to 1964. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions.
McElhenny was known for his super fast and hard-to-catch running style. People often called him "the King" and "Hurryin' Hugh". He was part of the San Francisco 49ers' famous "Million Dollar Backfield". This was a group of four amazing players who were very good at running and passing the ball. He was one of the team's most popular players. The 49ers even retired his uniform number, No. 39, meaning no other player on the team can wear it. He is also a member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.
McElhenny first became famous playing for Compton Junior College in 1948. He then went to the University of Washington. There, he was a two-time All-Pacific Coast Conference fullback for the Washington Huskies football team. He set many school and conference records. The 49ers picked him ninth overall in the 1952 NFL Draft. He was good at many things, which made him an instant star in the league. He earned five first-team All-Pro honors in his first six seasons. He was chosen for five Pro Bowls with the 49ers and one more with the Vikings. He finished his career after playing short times with the Giants and Lions.
McElhenny was a great all-around player. He was good at running, catching passes, and returning kickoffs and punts. When he retired, he had the third most all-purpose yards (total yards from running, catching, and returning) in NFL history. He was put into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981. The Pro Football Hall of Fame said he was like "Elvis Presley to rock and roll" because he was so popular.
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Early Life and College Football Career
Hugh McElhenny was born on December 31, 1928, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up there and went to George Washington High School. In high school, he set state records in hurdles and the broad jump. He could also run the 100-yard dash very fast, in 9.8 seconds. In 1947, he won both hurdles and the long jump at the state meet.
After high school, he went to Compton Junior College. He was a star on Compton's football team in 1948. That team was undefeated and won the Junior Rose Bowl. In one game, he ran back a kickoff for a 105-yard touchdown. People already thought he was one of the best players. Even Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon said he had "never seen such a combination of speed and size."
After a year at Compton, McElhenny went to the University of Washington in Seattle. He was a star fullback for the Washington Huskies football team. He and quarterback Don Heinrich were a powerful duo in 1950. That season, he ran for over 1,000 yards. He was the last Huskies player to do this until 1977. In a game against rival Washington State, he set school records. He rushed for 296 yards and scored five touchdowns. The 296 yards is still a school record today.
One of his most famous plays at Husky Stadium was a 100-yard punt return against USC in 1951. The next week, he kicked nine extra points in a big 63–6 win over Oregon. He was chosen for the first-team All-Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) in 1950 and 1951. He was also named to the Associated Press (AP) 1951 All-America team. He led the team in rushing for all three of his seasons. He set 16 school records, including most rushing yards in a season (1,107) and career (2,499).
Professional NFL Career
Playing for the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers picked McElhenny in the first round of the 1952 NFL Draft. He was the ninth player chosen overall. His very first play as a professional was a 40-yard touchdown run. He made the longest run from scrimmage (89 yards) and the longest punt return (94 yards) that season. He also had the best rushing average (7.0 yards per carry). Everyone agreed he was the best rookie player that year.
McElhenny was also great at catching passes. He was a favorite target for quarterback Y. A. Tittle on screen passes. Other coaches praised his skills. George Halas of the Chicago Bears and Steve Owen of the New York Giants were among them. Former Bears quarterback Johnny Lujack called him "the best running back I have seen." He also had amazing vision. He could see and react to players trying to tackle him from the side.
McElhenny was chosen for the Pro Bowl again in 1953. He joined his teammates, Tittle and Joe Perry. In 1954, with John Henry Johnson joining the team, the 49ers formed their famous "Million Dollar Backfield". This group included McElhenny, Tittle, Perry, and Johnson. The team hoped to win a championship. However, McElhenny hurt his shoulder in the sixth game, which ended his season. The team's offense struggled without him. Before his injury, he led the league with 515 rushing yards.
After a slower year in 1955, McElhenny had his best rushing season in 1956. He gained 916 yards and scored eight touchdowns. He was invited to his third Pro Bowl. John Henry Johnson was traded before the 1957 season. This broke up the Million Dollar Backfield. With McElhenny and Tittle leading, the 49ers tied for the Western Conference title. They lost a close tiebreaker game to the Detroit Lions. After the season, McElhenny was named the player of the game at the 1958 Pro Bowl.
After another Pro Bowl year in 1958, injuries slowed him down for the next two seasons. The 49ers then put McElhenny, who was 32, on the list for the 1961 NFL expansion draft.
Time with the Minnesota Vikings
McElhenny joined the new Minnesota Vikings team in 1961 through the expansion draft. That year, he led the team in rushing. He scored seven touchdowns, including his first punt return touchdown since his rookie year. He was invited to his sixth Pro Bowl after the season. In his second year with the Vikings in 1962, he did not score any touchdowns. The Vikings then wanted to move on to younger players. He felt his time with the Vikings was a "dead end street."
Playing for the New York Giants and Detroit Lions
The Vikings traded McElhenny to the New York Giants in July 1963. This trade brought him back together with Y. A. Tittle, who had joined the Giants two seasons earlier. McElhenny was excited to be with a winning team. The Giants made it to the 1963 NFL Championship Game. McElhenny carried the ball nine times for 17 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards. He also had a 47-yard kickoff return. However, the Giants lost the game 14–10 to the Bears.
The Giants released him during training camp in 1964. He was soon picked up by the Detroit Lions. He played in eight games for them before retiring after that season.
Legacy and Honors
McElhenny gained 11,375 all-purpose yards in his 13-year career. When he retired, he was one of only three players to have over 11,000 yards. He was called "The King" when he played for the 49ers. This was because he was "the most feared running back in the NFL." Quarterback Frankie Albert gave him the nickname after McElhenny's fourth game as a rookie. In that game, he returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown.
He was chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970. He said this was the best moment of his life. Other great players like Jack Christiansen, Tom Fears, and Pete Pihos were also inducted that year. His jersey number 39 is retired by the 49ers. Because he is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he was also automatically inducted into the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2007, NFL Network ranked him the fourth most elusive runner of all time.
McElhenny was also inducted into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame in 1963. He joined the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981. In 1979, he was one of the first ten people inducted into the University of Washington Husky Hall of Fame. As of 2016, his 12 rushing touchdowns in 1950 and 13 in 1951 are still among the top ten for a Washington player in one season. His 28 career rushing touchdowns tie him for sixth in school history.
On January 20, 1985, McElhenny took part in the opening coin toss at Super Bowl XIX at Stanford Stadium. He was there with U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
Later Life
After he stopped playing football, McElhenny worked as a color commentator for 49ers radio broadcasts from 1966 to 1972. In 1971, he tried to help bring an NFL team to Seattle. He even named himself general manager of a team called the "Seattle Kings" in 1972. However, his plans did not work out, and the Seattle Seahawks team was founded in 1974.
McElhenny was related to the McIlhenny family from Louisiana, who make Tabasco sauce. In his later life, McElhenny was diagnosed with a rare nerve disorder called Guillain–Barré syndrome. This illness almost killed him. He was temporarily unable to move from the neck down. He had to use a walker for a year to learn to move again.
Hugh McElhenny passed away at his home in Henderson, Nevada, on June 17, 2022.
See also
- Washington Huskies football statistical leaders
