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Sammy Baugh

Receives Honors In Retirement

Baugh's college football feats had not been forgotten. In 1993 Texas Christian University retired his Number 45 jersey and in 1999 he was elected to the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame in 1999.

The Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio annually honors the best passing quarterback in college football with the Sammy Baugh Trophy. During the last forty-two years, winners include Duante Culpepper (1998), Steve Young (1983), John Elway (1982) and Bob Griese (1966).

College Hall of Fame sportswriter Grantland Rice was no slacker of hyperbole. During the Golden Age he immortalized Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen." The best team in college football today is awarded the Grantland Rice Trophy. He said of Sammy Baugh's passing, "He hurled the ball with as much speed as [professional baseball] player Dizzy Dean ever knew." That was an understatement.

Career Statistics

Passing Punting
Yr Team ATT COM YDS TD INT Punts YDS AVG LNG
WASH: Washington Redskins.
1937 WASH 171 81 1127 8 14 — — — —
1938 WASH 128 63 853 5 11 — — — —
1939 WASH 96 53 518 6 9 26 — 38.0 69
1940 WASH 177 111 1367 12 10 35 — 51.3 85
1941 WASH 193 106 1236 10 19 30 — 48.7 75
1942 WASH 225 132 1524 16 11 37 — 46.6 74
1943 WASH 239 133 1754 23 19 50 — 45.9 81
1944 WASH 146 82 849 4 8 44 — 40.6 76
1945 WASH 182 128 1669 11 4 33 — 43.3 57
1946 WASH 161 87 1163 8 17 33 — 45.1 60
1947 WASH 354 210 2938 25 15 35 — 43.7 67
1948 WASH 315 185 2599 18 14 0 0 0.0 0
1949 WASH 255 145 1903 18 14 1 53 53.0 53
1950 WASH 166 90 1130 10 11 9 — 39.1 58
1951 WASH 154 67 1104 7 17 4 — 55.3 58
1952 WASH 33 20 152 2 1 1 48 48.0 48
TOTAL 2995 1693 21886 187 203 338 101 45.1 85

Historians say that Sammy Baugh was the first great passer in the National Football League. He played as an offensive quarterback and punter. On defense, Baugh was a safety. In 2002, he still held records in five NFL categories and was tied for first in five more. Baugh's jersey number (#33) is the only one ever retired by the Washington Redskins.

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsFootballSammy Baugh Biography - Discovers Sports In Temple, Texas, Moves To Sweetwater, Texas, Recruited For College Career At Tcu