April 11, 1916 - Pearl River, New York - The hard hitting guard from Colgate University in the 1933 to 1935 seasons, Danny Fortmann was born. Danny’s story starts by him attending Colgate in the pursuit of a medical education to launch him into the career of being a physician. As a 17 year old sophomore, Fortmann tried out for the football team and what good fortune that was for him and the team. The NFF has a few quotes from the Colgate Coach Andy Kerr who says, ”He was the best player I ever coached. He blocked with the sureness of a chopping axe. With his keen sense of play development, he always seemed to turn up where he could be most effective." Fortmann was a key reason for the success of the program in both his junior and senior seasons as well. Kerr went on to state that, "A key block by Danny made possible our first touchdown against Holy Cross in 1934 on an 85-yard punt return, and started us on the way to a spectacular victory," Kerr proclaimed. "Against undefeated Syracuse that season, Danny turned the tide by leading three stone-wall stands within our five-yard line. Again his blocking set up the punt return that clinched the victory." Daniel Fortmann received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Danny graduated with the medical degree he sought but the football in him was not yet complete. Most of the NFL felt that at 6’-0” and only 200 pounds that Fortmann was too small of a player to take a chance on, but the Chicago Bears took a flyer on him in the 9th and final round of the 1936 NFL Draft and he signed a contract with George Halas that earned him $110 per game. He proved his worth right away and at the ripe of 20 years old became the NFL’s youngest starter. In just 8 seasons in the NFL with the Bears the “undersized” Fortman earned All-Pro honors six times and the other two years he was a second team All-NFL selection! In 1965 Danny Fortmann was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While playing with the Bears Danny earned his Doctorate and became one of the country’s leading surgeons after football.
April 11, 1916 - Tiburon, California - The tough University of California halfback of the 1935 to 1937 era, Sam Chapman arrived into this life. The FootballFoundation.org’s bio on Sam says that while at the University of California at Berkeley, the 6-0, 188-pound "Tiburon Terror" was one of the players responsible for the great "Thunder" teams. His running, kicking, and defensive work often carried the Golden Bears to victory, and in the eyes of Coach Stub Allison, he was a better all purpose back than the legendary Red Grange! As a sophomore in 1935 Chapman caught a 20 yard pass from Bill Archer right near the USC 25 yard line and then somehow kept his balance in a stumbling manner and carried the ball across the goal line! Sam haunted the Trojans again the next season too as he took in a Vic Bottari's 25- yard pass on the USC nine-yard line and ran for the touchdown that won the game, 13-7. Chapman was a consensus All-America selection in 1937 and sparked the Golden Bears to a 13-0 victory over Alabama in the 1938 Rose Bowl Game. The College Football Hall of Fame proudly placed a display in honor of Sam Chapman into their legendary museum in 1984.
April 11, 1941 - Salt Lake City, Utah - Jim Romig the two-way guard/linebacker of the University of Colorado in the seasons of 1959 through 1961 made his entrance into the world. Romig was all-conference three years and All-America two years according to the NFF and was the defensive signal caller and captain. In 1961 he was sixth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, the highest ranking lineman on the list and the University retired his number 67 jersey after his final game. The National Football Foundation selected Jim Romig for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
April 11, 1962 - Ames, Iowa - The Georgia Bulldogs stud Safety from 1980 to 1983, Terry Hoage was born. The NFF tells of how he was a playmaker right from the onset as in 1981 at the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame, he blocked a field goal attempt. That helped Georgia win the game, finish the season 12-0, and win the national championship. As a junior in 1982, he led the nation with 12 pass interceptions, was named All-America a second time, as well as earning an Academic All-America award. As a senior he was really lights-out earning a consensus All-America honor a second time, Academic All-America a second time as well as all-SEC academic a third time. He was SEC Defensive Player of the Year for the second time that same season. With Hoage in the defensive backfield the Bulldogs had the best record of any major division team as they went 43-4-1. The honors continued later as the NCAA gave him a Big Five Award, given annually to the nation's top five outstanding athletes. The SEC named him to its 25-year team (1961-85). The Walter Camp Foundation named him to its all-century team. Terry Hoage’s collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 2000.
