Jimmy Hitchcock Auburn Offensive Threat

June 28, 1911 - Inverness, Alabama - Jimmy Hitchcock, a great player from Auburn University in 1930 through the 1932 season, was born. Jimmy’s brilliant career was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, as he excelled at both quarterback and halfback for Auburn University.

The National Football Foundation informs the reader that Hitchcock was a triple-threat halfback, as he led the Southern Conference in scoring in 1932 and handled the Tiger punting chores. Jim became Auburn's first All-American following his brilliant senior season. "The Phantom of Union Springs" compiled an incredible record as a punter, kicking 232 times without having a single punt blocked. During a 1932 game against rival Tulane, Hitchcock flashed his ball-carrying brilliance with a 60-yard touchdown return of an intercepted pass, followed quickly by a 63-yard TD run out of his punting formation. Tulane was demoralized, and Hitchcock was racing toward one of the finest seasons the South had ever witnessed. That same season, after Auburn had defeated coach Wallace Wade's Duke eleven, Wade commented: "I have never seen a finer all-around back play against one of my teams."

Jimmy was also an excellent baseball player for the Tigers, and in fact, he was the school's first student to be nominated as an All-American in both baseball and football. His athletic prowess led him to a 7-year career in professional baseball after college, and during the off-season, he helped out Auburn by coaching the Tiger backfield players.