Hall of Fame Halfback Hugh McElhenny Dies at Age 93

Hugh McElhenny, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who used his speed and elusiveness to rise to prominence as a halfback in the 1950s, died June 17 at age 93, the Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

Known for his long strides and high-knee propulsion, McElhenny rushed for 5,281 yards and 38 touchdowns in a 13-year career that included stops with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Detroit Lions. But it was his nine-year run with the San Francisco 49ers that vaulted "Hurryin' Hugh" into football stardom.

Using a traditional T-formation, the 49ers employed the famed "Million Dollar Backfield," which featured fullback Joe Perry, quarterback Y.A. Tittle and halfback John Henry Johnson, along with McElhenny, a six-time Pro Bowl selection who had a career-high 916 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground in 1956.

"Hugh McElhenny was a threat in all phases of the game offensively -- rushing, pass receiving and as a kick and punt returner," Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said. "His all-around talent -- obvious to pro football scouts when Hugh was still a teenager -- will be celebrated and preserved forever in Canton."

McElhenny's unique running style stood out in an era where most running backs used more deliberate, smashmouth approaches.

The No. 9 overall selection in the 1952 NFL draft by the 49ers out of Washington, McElhenny burst onto the professional scene, turning his first play from scrimmage into a 40-yard touchdown run. McElhenny, also known as "The King," quickly became a top target for Tittle out of the backfield, using his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame to weave his way through defenses off screen passes.

McElhenny had 37 catches for 458 yards and two touchdowns in 1957, and he finished his career with 264 receptions for 3,247 yards and 20 scores.

"There's no question he could do everything," former 49ers teammate Billy Wilson told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 2004. "He could change direction on a dime. He had great cutting ability where other backs were just slashers."

McElhenny, a Los Angeles native, was a five-time first-team All-Pro selection and was named to the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team. He was a first-team All-American in 1951 with the Huskies, and his No. 39 is retired by the 49ers.

Upon retirement following the 1964 season, McElhenny was one of only three players to have amassed more than 11,000 all-purpose yards (11,375). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970, and he is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

On his enshrinement day in Canton, a humbled and emotional McElhenny opened by acknowledging his teammates through the years, as well as his opponents.

"I want to pay tribute to the athletes that I played with for their second efforts which made my runs successful," McElhenny said, "and to my opponents for all the mistakes they made to make me look good."

McElhenny played in just two postseason NFL games -- one for the 49ers in 1957 and one for the Giants in 1963 -- rushing for 101 yards on 21 carries. He also caught eight passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.

No. the President of the Florida State University where Gatorade was created, was close friends with Lamar Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hunt was aslo the one who spearheaded the merger with the AFL and the NFL. He was the President of the AFL and chairman of the AFL merger committee. You believe he did not let the NFL committee members in on how the game is set up for a huge KC win, and thus the merger will happen? They must have all laughed all the way to the bank.

Now after. Gatorade was created by the university President, he got his friend Lamar hunt to let his player use a Gatorade instead of water, which had been the only thing players had always drank.

Come Super Bowl time, the Chiefs players were so fired up and energetic they never slowed down. The Vikings player with. their vaunted Defense were on rubber legs by half time and out of gas in the humidity and heat. Kansas ran all over them like they were amateurs.

The tests from the university that created Gatorade, knew that the electrolytes would make athletes more durable, than this drinking water. He got Hunt to use it. Later they even ran commercials on how the chiefs drank it and won, thus promoting the benefits

This is drug enhancement to the umpteenth degree, and even if it was not illegal it was so unethical it was pathetic.

How would you like to see any sports game played by professionals where one side gets water, and the other side pretty much gets energy drinks that promote stamina and strength?

Would you ever see one team allowed to have such drinks, while the other side is only allowed water?

Well, even if legal at the time, there should at least be a forever asterisk next to the Chiefs win and at most they should have their trophy taken away

Yet, like I stayed, the NFL, and AFL needed the merger too take place, it benefited all that they merged, and so they needed to have the AFL win. The years. earlier Joe Namath and the Jets upset the Colts, now they had the most powerful team, with the easiest Defense in years they could humble to make the AFL legitimate, and thus go ahead with the merger the next year, which is what happened.

One more thing, Lamar Hunt was still burning over the Viking ownership group who dropped their deal with the AFL to join them 1961. At the last minute the Viking owners instead accepted the an offer from the NFL to join them as a new franchise. Hunt was furious, because he was counting on a Midwest team for the AFL, to help legitimize the new league.

Well he got his revenge thanks to the Florida Gators new breakthrough formula that has since made the university billions through the years, and helped turn the NFL into the mega money make it has been through the years, all at the expense of the Minnesota Vikings.

Yea, I hold grudges a long time. I was a young Viking fan back then, and have been ever since. Well up until the kneeling BLM crap started. I was a subscriber and a die hard purple bleeding Viking fan who even purchased the NFL ticked every year since it started in 1996. Sadly, I gave up on football when the crap began and haven't watched it since,

Well, to be honest, I am a huge Gatorade fan. It. does work, but my hatred and anger is not at them. They did what any good intelligent person who has a great product would do. They called a friend and got a deal.

The culprits are the ones who decided to screw with the results of what should have been a fair Championship. Lamar Hunt owner of the AFL KC Chiefs, and Tex Schramm, NFL owner of the Dallas Cowboys are the main culprits. A reason I have both this clubs

What they did was worse than what Shoeless Joe Jackson did, because they were the owners. To this day the media sports critics continue belittle and hate Bench for his gambling, yet no one ever vilifies Hunt or Schramm for the scheme they concocted. I was even promoting the idea that Kansas City not be allowed to drink Gatorade when they won the Super Bowl a couple years ago. Unfortunate a committee I put together of, me, myself, and I, failed to get any attention.

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