Edwin Horrell: Cal Golden Bears Hall of Fame Center

Edwin “Babe” Horrell anchored an undefeated California Golden Bears dynasty before carving out a celebrated legacy as a pioneering head coach for the UCLA Bruins.

Football Bio

September 29, 1902 – “Babe” Horrell was a center from the University of California, Berkeley, and played during the 1922-1924 seasons.

Edwin Horrell 1944

According to information gathered from the National Football Foundation website, Babe Horrell was so good that his alma mater high school in Pasadena, California, named its football field after him, Horrell Field.

Babe lettered in five different sports at the high school: football, basketball, track, swimming, and tennis. This well-rounded athlete translated to an outstanding collegiate career.

The Golden Bears went undefeated at 26-0-3 in the three seasons Horrell played. Edwin was the Golden Bears captain and was voted an All-American in 1924.

How influential can a center be in a game? Ask the 1923 Stanford University team about that, as Horrell blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown, then later sacked a Cardinal back in the end zone for a safety. The final score was 9-0!

After graduation, Babe became an assistant coach at UCLA for 12 seasons before taking over as the head coach in 1939 for an additional 5 seasons.

The National Football Foundation voted Edwin Horrell into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.[National Football Foundation]

Edwin “Babe” Horrell dominated the collegiate gridiron as an elite center and successfully transitioned his football IQ into a renowned coaching career, ultimately leading the UCLA Bruins to historic milestones on the West Coast.

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.
• Led the California Golden Bears to an undefeated 26-0-3 record over three seasons (1922-1924).
• Named a Consensus First-Team All-American and served as team captain in 1924.
• Personally scored 8 points (a blocked punt for a touchdown and a safety) in a 9-0 victory over Stanford in 1923.
• Honored by Pasadena High School, which renamed its stadium “Horrell Field”.
• Served as head coach for the UCLA Bruins (1939-1944), becoming the first coach to lead UCLA to a victory over rival USC.
• Coached the UCLA Bruins to their first-ever Rose Bowl appearance following the 1942 season.

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