 McElhenny in 1955 | |||||||||||||||||||
| No. 39 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Halfback Return specialist | ||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born: | December 31, 1928 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Died: | June 17, 2022 (aged 93) Henderson, Nevada, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Washington (Los Angeles, California) | ||||||||||||||||||
| College: |
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| NFL draft: | 1952 / round: 1 / pick: 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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. 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",[1] a reference to both his popularity and his nickname.
- ^ "The 1950s and "The King"". History Release. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on March 10, 2010. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
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