Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny was to pro football in the 1950s and early 1960s what Elvis Presley was to rock and roll.
Hugh Edward McElhenny Jr. (December 31, 1928 – June 17, 2022) was an American professional football halfback who played in the National Football League (NFL) from 1952 to 1964 for the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Detroit Lions. He was noted for his explosive, elusive running style and was nicknamed "the King" and "Hurryin' Hugh". A member of San Francisco's famed Million Dollar Backfield and one of the franchise's most popular players, McElhenny's no. 39 is retired by the 49ers and he is a member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Halfback, return specialist
- Born
- 31 December 1928
- Birthplace
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Died
- 17 June 2022
- Place of death
- Henderson, Nevada, U.S.
- High school
- Washington (Los Angeles)
- College
- Compton (1948), Washington (1949–1951)
- Draft year
- 1952
Lore & Background
McElhenny first rose to stardom as a standout all-around player for Compton Junior College in 1948. He then transferred to the University of Washington, where he was a two-time All-Pacific Coast Conference at fullback for the Washington Huskies football team and set several school and conference records. He was selected by the 49ers with the ninth pick in the 1952 NFL draft, and his versatility made him an immediate star in the league, earning him five first-team All-Pro honors in his first six seasons.
With the 49ers, he was selected for five Pro Bowls, and he earned his sixth Pro Bowl appearance with the Vikings. He finished his career after short stints with the Giants and Lions. An all-around player who was a threat as a runner and a receiver and also return specialist, McElhenny had amassed the third-most all-purpose yards of any player in NFL history when he retired. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
Reader's Guide
McElhenny played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1952 to 1960, then for the Minnesota Vikings (1961–1962), New York Giants (1963), and Detroit Lions (1964). His first play as a professional was a 40-yard touchdown run which had been drawn in the dirt because he had not yet learned the team's playbook. He was nicknamed "the King" by 49ers quarterback Frankie Albert in the locker room following McElhenny's fourth game as a rookie, in which he returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown against the Bears.
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