Ken Strong dominates the early gridiron as a formidable triple-threat player who cemented his legacy with the New York Giants.
KEN STRONG
Football Bio
August 6, 1906 – West Haven, Connecticut – Halfback and place kicker Elmer Kenneth Ken Strong was born. According to a NFL.com article, Ken was an All-American at NYU from 1926 through the 1928 season, and later was one of the NFL’s early stars.
Strong once scored two touchdowns, two extra points, and a field goal in one game to help lead the New York Giants to victory in a 1934 NFL championship game. It’s remembered in NFL lore as the Sneaker Game. It’s called the Sneaker Game because the Giants wore sneakers to get better footing on an ice-covered field at the Polo Grounds, and they did get an advantage.
Besides playing with the Giants from 1933 to 1935, and later in the 1940s per the article, Ken also signed with the Staten Island Stapletons in 1929 through 1932, and the AFL’s New York Yankees for the seasons of 36 and 37.
Ken Strong was a five-time first-team All-Pro, as well as a member of the NFL’s All-1930s Decade Team, and he is the second player in NFL history to devote an entire season to place kicking. Strong’s jersey, number 50, was retired by the Giants in 1947, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and into the Giants Ring of Honor in 2010.
Ken Strong leaves behind an incredible legacy that bridges the gap between college dominance and early professional football lore. He stands forever enshrined in Canton, celebrated as the versatile hero of the famous “Sneaker Game” and a true New York Giants icon who mastered every aspect of the sport.
A football card of Ken Strong from the 1935 National Chicle Football set.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1967.
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1957.
- NFL Champion: 1934 (New York Giants).
- All-Decade Team: Named to the NFL 1930s All-Decade Team.
- First-Team All-Pro: 4× First-Team selection (1930, 1931, 1933, 1934) and widely recognized as a 5× All-Pro by various historical publications.
- Scoring Leader: Led the NFL in scoring during the 1933 season.
- Retired Number: His #50 jersey was retired by the New York Giants in 1947.
- Giants Ring of Honor: Inducted in 2010.
- Collegiate Honors: Consensus All-American in 1928 for the NYU Violets and led the nation in scoring.
