Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
PFRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the history of professional football. Formed in 1979, PFRA members include many of the game's foremost historians and writers.
Brian wolf wrote:Of all the track stars that converted to the NFL, I would say Ollie Matson slightly edges out Bob Hayes, though most people might choose Hayes. Herschel Walker was great as well but didnt make any Olympic noise ...
I've read what I could find on Ollie Matson and I don't think you can call him a track star who converted to the NFL. I don't think Matson even ran track while at USF. He made the 1952 Olympic team despite not running the sprints since high school.
Ollie Matson played halfback, fullback, wide receiver, cornerback, and safety. He was a football player who was also a sprinter. He won a Bronze in the 400 meter dash, might have taken the Gold had he also been doing the sprints in college.
Like track there are tons and tons of wrestlers, Bill George, Alex Karras, Curley Culp immediately come to mind as HOF'ers who were renowned college wrestlers. I'm sure other HOF linemen were less renowned wrestlers in college and other renowned college wrestlers we're great but not HOF caliber pros as well.
Not coming immediately to mind but thinking Leo The Lion probably wrestled undergrad.
One track star worth mentioning is Willie Gault. He couldn’t go to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow due to the boycott, but after retiring from the NFL he continued running and he still holds world track records in the 100 meters and 200 meters in the over 45 and 50 years old categories.
Former Lions RB Jahvid Best competed in the 100 meters in the Olympics for Saint Lucia after retiring from the NFL.
We cant forget Terry Bradshaw, a star in Javelin, though no olympic noise and Bo Jackson, who some felt could have won a medal in the Decathlon, had he competed in the olympics, also a baseball star of course.
Brian wolf wrote:Of all the track stars that converted to the NFL, I would say Ollie Matson slightly edges out Bob Hayes, though most people might choose Hayes. Herschel Walker was great as well but didnt make any Olympic noise ...
I've read what I could find on Ollie Matson and I don't think you can call him a track star who converted to the NFL. I don't think Matson even ran track while at USF. He made the 1952 Olympic team despite not running the sprints since high school.
Ollie Matson played halfback, fullback, wide receiver, cornerback, and safety. He was a football player who was also a sprinter. He won a Bronze in the 400 meter dash, might have taken the Gold had he also been doing the sprints in college.
Matson did run the 100 in the 1951 NCAA Outdoor Championships coming in 4th at a 10.7. He must have participated generally in USF Track to get to the Championships.
NWebster wrote:Like track there are tons and tons of wrestlers, Bill George, Alex Karras, Curley Culp immediately come to mind as HOF'ers who were renowned college wrestlers. I'm sure other HOF linemen were less renowned wrestlers in college and other renowned college wrestlers we're great but not HOF caliber pros as well.
Not coming immediately to mind but thinking Leo The Lion probably wrestled undergrad.
Really good call there. Curley Culp won the national championship as a wrestler.
Ron Kramer, the tight end from Michigan whom the Packers chose with the 4th overall pick in the 1957 draft, held Michigan's all-time basketball scoring record at one time and he played for the Battle Creek Warriors and the Toledo Titans in the Midwest Professional Basketball League. He had been a fifth-round draft choice of the Detroit Pistons. He also won letters in track, where he competed in the long jump and the shot put.
