Paul "Tank" Younger facts for kids
Younger on a 1952 Bowman football card
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| No. 13, 11, 35 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Fullback, Halfback, Linebacker |
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | June 25, 1928 Grambling, Louisiana |
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| Died: | September 15, 2001 (aged 73) Inglewood, California |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Grambling State U. Lab. (LA) | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Grambling State | ||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1949 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Paul Lawrence "Tank" Younger (born June 25, 1928 – died September 15, 2001) was an amazing American football player. He played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1949 to 1958. Tank Younger played different positions like fullback, halfback, and linebacker. He was a true pioneer in football history.
Tank Younger was the first NFL player to come from a college that was mostly for black students. He was also the first African American person to become a leader in an NFL team's office. He worked as a scout and executive for the Los Angeles Rams until 1975.
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College Football Star
Tank Younger played college football at Grambling State University. When he first started, he played as a tackle. But his coach, Eddie Robinson, quickly saw that Tank was better suited for other roles. He moved Tank to play in the offensive backfield and as a linebacker.
How He Got His Nickname
Tank Younger earned his famous nickname "Tank" because he was so strong. He would plow through many defenders who tried to tackle him. It was like watching a tank move on the field!
Record-Breaking College Career
In 1945, as a freshman, Tank Younger led the entire nation in scoring. He scored an incredible 25 touchdowns that year. In his junior year, he ran for 1,207 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. He also threw 11 touchdown passes.
When he graduated in 1948, Tank Younger had scored 60 touchdowns in his college career. This was an all-time record for the NCAA. After his senior season, he was named Black College Football's Player of the Year. He was also chosen for the 1948 Pittsburgh Courier All-America team.
Professional Football Journey
Even though no NFL team picked him in the draft, Tank Younger signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He joined them as a free agent. This made him the first NFL player ever to come from an HBCU (Historically Black College or University).
The "Bull Elephant" Backfield
Tank Younger was a key part of the Rams' famous "Bull Elephant" backfield. This was a group of strong running backs that included "Deacon" Dan Towler and Dick Hoerner. Tank Younger is still the sixth-leading rusher in Rams history, with 3,296 yards.
NFL Highlights and Achievements
Tank Younger played professional football for ten years. He played for the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his career, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl four times (in 1951, 1952, 1953, and 1955). The Pro Bowl is like an all-star game for the best players in the NFL.
He ran for 3,640 yards and scored 34 touchdowns by running. He also caught 100 passes for 1,167 yards and scored 1 touchdown by catching the ball. On defense, he intercepted three passes.
Tank Younger was the first black player to play in an NFL All-Star Game. After his playing career, he continued to break barriers. He became the league's first black assistant general manager. He worked for the San Diego Chargers from 1975 to 1987. In 2000, Tank Younger was honored by being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
