February 18

In this episode of the Football History Headlines, we discuss the collegiate career of one George Gipp as well as many more HOF Legendary stories.

Gridiron fans, gear up for another exciting day of football history! Dive into the archives and relive the moments that shaped the game we love. Today's headlines take us back in time, exploring everything from legendary quarterback duels that captivated a nation to groundbreaking rule changes that redefined the sport. So, whether you're a die-hard traditionalist or a stats guru, we have something for everyone. Let's lace up our virtual cleats and take a trip down memory lane!

February 18, 1994 - According to the OnthisDay.com the Shreveport Pirates joined the Canadian Football League as the fourth US-based team. Unfortunately the team folded one year later in 1995.

February 18, 1893 - Alexandria, Minnesota - The awesome Army Football Center John McEwan claimed his birth date. John McEwan was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in1962 after the National Football Foundation tallied their votes.

February 18, 1895 - Laurium, Michigan - The legendary University of Notre Dame fullback George Gipp was born. See more about this legend by clicking on his name.

February 18, 1926 - Washington, D.C. - Len Ford the Defensive End from Michigan University was born. Ford first played professionally with the All American Football Conference’s Los Angeles Dons as a two way end. He was loved by quarterbacks on offense as he routinely hauled in leaping one hand grabs and was a big target at 6’-4” and 245 pounds according to the Pro Football hall of Fame. His specialty was on the defensive side of the ball though. When the AAFC disbanded, a former team of the defunct league, the Cleveland Browns, grabbed Len quickly in a special draft in the NFL. The Browns as a matter of fact changed their whole defensive thought process after acquiring Ford because of his awesome pass rushing skills, in essence creating the 4-3 defensive scheme. Len’s dominance really shined bright in the 1954 NFL Championship game against the Lions, when Ford  picked off two passes in the 56-10 route. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Len Ford at the 1976 festivities in Canton.

February 18, 1931 - San Francisco, California - Bob St. Clair was an outstanding tackle from the University of Tulsa. The 6’-9” 273 pound giant of a man found himself as being the third round pick of his hometown 49ers in the 1953 NFL Draft per the ProFootballHOF.com. Bob played 11 seasons in San Francisco named first- or second-team All-NFL nine times and was selected to play in five Pro Bowls. Bob St. Clair happily admired his bronze bust in 1990 when the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined him in their museum.

February 18, 1944 - Pat Bowlen attended Oklahoma and he ended up being one of the most successful NFL franchise owners in League History as his Denver Broncos teams had 21 winning seasons in the 30 years he ran the club per the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The  Broncos teams that Bowlen owned sold out 400 straight home games! The franchise has won three Super Bowls – XXXII, XXXIII and 50. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Pat Bowlen as a contributor in 2019.  

February 18, 1947 - NewPort News, Virginia - The stellar Purdue University halfback Leroy Keyes arrived into this life. The FootballFoundation.org tells us that Keyes got his first big play in college on the defensive side of the ball when as a sophomore against Notre Dame he picked off a fumble in midair and ran 95 yards to score. The 1968 season he was a fulltime offensive running back and he had games where he rushed for 225 yards on 21 carries against Illinois; two touchdowns running and one passing against Notre Dame. But who could forget his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter as Purdue came from 11 points down to beat Indiana 38-35 during that 1968 season!  Leroy Keyes was honored with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990 after the National Football Foundation tallied their votes.

February 18, 1962 - Crowley, Texas - Gary Reasons the outstanding linebacker from Northwestern State University celebrated his day of birth. The National Football Foundation shares that Reasons set school records with 172 tackles in a season and 394 tackles in his career. He made 24 tackles in a game against McNeese State. Northwestern State honored Gary by retiring his number 34 jersey at the end of his collegiate career. Gary Reasons received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College FOotball Hall of Fame in 1996.

February 18, 1963 - Norman, Oklahoma - The fine quarterback of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Chuck Long was born. The NFF says that Long was able to play in five bowl games. How is that, you ask? Well in 1982 he got in for two plays in the Rose Bowl but since it was such a small amount of playing time, the NCAA did not count it as an eligible season. In 1984, he set a national record by completing 22 consecutive passes against Indiana. In 1984, he led the nation in pass completion percentage, .661. The National Football Foundation selected Chuck Long for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

In honor of Pat Bowlen's Birthday - The picture in the banner above is from the US Library of Congress' collection and was contributed by photographer Carol M. Highsmith circa 2016 and is titled " Sports Authority Field at Mile High, home stadium of the Denver Broncos National Football League team in Denver, Colorado. The mile-high portion of the title refers to stadium's location almost exactly where the old Mile High baseball and football stadium stood from 1948 to 2002."