Wednesday, December 17, 2008

The First Great Quarterback


Before Manning. Before Marino. Before Unitas. There was Slingin' Sammy Baugh. He died today at age 94.


Sammy Baugh revolutionized the NFL as quarterback of the Washington Redskins in the 1930s and 1940s. He, more than anyone else, brought the forward pass into the pro game. And, as did many of the players of his day, he played on both sides of the ball (on offense and defense), and excelled at both. One feat stands out more than any other: Sammy Baugh once threw four touchdowns and intercepted four passes . . . in the same game! Wow!


Another great thing about Sammy Baugh: he lived most of his life (before and after football) on the plains of West Texas (near Sweetwater).

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