Year Inducted: 1973
Nominated By: Sollie Raso
Sports Competed In: Football
Athlete, Coach or Contributor: Athlete, Coach
High School:
Born Oct. 11, 1906, on a farm near Fowler, Colorado...Attended Pueblo Central H.S., graduating in 1926.
Achievements:
High School:
● Earned 16 letters in five sports (football, basketball, baseball, track and tennis) as a Wildcat from 1923-26.
● Named All-American in basketball.
College:
● Scheduled to enroll in the University of Michigan, but decided to attend Northwestern University.
● Left Northwestern because of homesickness and enrolled in Colorado College (CC).
● Attended CC for four years and graduated in 1930.
Achievements:
College:
● Earned 12 letters from 1926-30 for the Tigers at CC.
● Quarterbacked CC to a 14-8 record in 1927-29
● Rushed for 1,349 yards in 135 carries in 1928
● Named state's first All-American and selected to the National Football Foundation’s Hall of Fame (1928).
● Captain of the 1930 West team in the Shrine game at San Francisco, CA.
● All-Rocky Mountain Conference in football, basketball, baseball and track.
● Finished fourth in the hammer throw at Amateur Athletic Union's (AAU) national meet in 1930.
Achievements:
Professional Football:
● Played professional football for seven seasons.
● Started with Portsmouth Spartans (1931-1932), then traded to the Detroit Lions (1934-1938).
● Named All-Pro quarterback six times.
● Led NFL in scoring three times.
● Led Lions to NFL championship in 1935.
Coaching Career:
● Assistant coach at CC a year following his graduation (1931).
● Coached professionally for seven years with the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Rams and Los Angeles Dons.
Honors:
● Named one of 17 charter members in the pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
● Inducted into the Colorado Hall of Fame in 1965.
Occupations:
● Professional football player and coach.
● Athletic Director at the University of Detroit for five years.
Personal:
Lived in Canon City, CO with his wife, Dorothy Schroeder... Passed away Aug. 5, 1978.