Elroy Hirsch biography
Elroy Hirsch, in full Elroy Leon Hirsch, byname Crazylegs, (born June 17, 1923, Wausau, Wis., U.S.—died Jan. 28, 2004, Madison, Wis.), American gridiron soccer participant, sports activities administrator, and actor who rose to fame as a collegiate star and who was a record-setting vast receiver with the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL).
In 1942 Hirsch performed halfback on the University of Wisconsin’s soccer workforce and earned the nickname “Crazylegs” for an unorthodox operating type that made him troublesome to sort out. The following 12 months he enlisted within the Marines and started officer coaching on the University of Michigan. There he turned the varsity’s solely athlete to letter in 4 sports activities in the identical 12 months (soccer, basketball, baseball, and observe). After World War II, Hirsch started taking part in skilled soccer with the Chicago Rockets (1946–48) of the All-America Football Conference and endured a number of injury-plagued seasons earlier than becoming a member of the NFL’s Rams in 1949. Moved to the cut up finish place, he turned an integral a part of the workforce’s formidable offense, which relied closely on the ahead go and featured a tandem of Hall of Fame quarterbacks Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin. In the 1951 season Hirsch led the league in catches (66) and landing receptions (17) and set an NFL report (since damaged) for receiving yards (1,495). His play helped the Rams win the NFL championship that 12 months. Hirsch’s immense reputation led to appearances in a number of motion pictures throughout his taking part in days, together with the autobiographical Crazylegs (1953) and Unchained (1955).
In 1957 he retired from skilled soccer with 387 profession receptions for 7,029 yards and 60 touchdowns. He later served as athletic director (1969–87) on the University of Wisconsin and helped flip across the faculty’s struggling sports activities program. Hirsch was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.