Hugh McElhenny
McElhenny in January 2014
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| No. 39 | |||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth: | December 31, 1928 | ||||||||||||||
| Place of birth: | Los Angeles, California | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Los Angeles (CA) Washington | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Washington | ||||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1952 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9 | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Rushing yards: | 5,281 |
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| Average: | 4.7 |
| Rushing touchdowns: | 38 |
| Receptions: | 264 |
| Receiving yards: | 3,247 |
| Receiving touchdowns: | 20 |
| Player stats at NFL.com | |
Hugh Edward McElhenny Jr. (born December 31, 1928) is a former professional American football player who was a halfback 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 frequently called "The King". A member of San Francisco's famed "Million Dollar Backfield" and one of the franchise's most popular players, McElhenny's number 39 jersey is retired by the 49ers and he is a member of the San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame.
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 fullback for the Washington Huskies football team and set several school and conference records. He was drafted by the 49ers with the ninth pick in the 1951 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 five Pro Bowls, and earned a 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 returned kickoffs and punts, 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. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, "Hugh McElhenny was to pro football in the 1950s and early 1960s what Elvis Presley was to rock and roll," a reference to both his popularity and his nickname.
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