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May 16

Exploring the HOF Careers of Eddie Casey along with Thurman Thomas, Jim Langer, & Don Anderson on their Birthdays!

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May 16 Football History

In this episode of the Football History Headlines, we discuss the birthday boys of the HOF's Jim Langer, Eddie Casey, Thurman Thomas and Donny Anderson as well as many more HOF Legendary stories.

Gridiron ghosts are stirring! Today's date is etched in the annals of NFL history. From legendary comebacks to record-breaking performances, monumental trades to heart-wrenching defeats, the pigskin has witnessed its share of drama on this very day. Let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit the iconic moments, game-changing plays, and unforgettable figures that forever marked their place in the grand narrative of professional football. So, gear up, football fans, as we delve into the captivating stories that unfolded on this historic day in the NFL!


Eddie Casey

May 16, 1894 - Natick, Massachusetts - Eddie Casey Harvard's halfback arrived in the world in 1916 and 1919. The National Football Foundation's website bio on Casey informs the reader that Eddie was a ferocious tackler, but he always had a boyish grin when he helped his opponent up. The description tells me that he played hard but loved and had fun playing the game. He was well-liked by teammates and opponents alike. One story tells how some rival Yale team members invited Casey to dinner one evening. There was crude conversation of "raw meat" football styles until the Eli captain finally asked Eddie how he would like his steak prepared. "Just run the steer in here, and I'll take a swipe at him," was Casey's quick retort. "Natick Eddie" had quickness and agility, making him a standout player on both sides of the ball. He started as a freshman in 1916, then served in the Navy during World War I when Harvard, like most schools, suspended varsity competition. Returning for the 1919 season, Casey led the Crimson through a perfect 10-game regular season and a 7-6 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Casey earned All-American honors that year. Eddie Casey was honored to be selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968.   

After his playing days, we had this from Newspapers.com Football History Headline of the Day pop up on December 10, 1930, in the Boston Globe. "CASEY HEAD COACH OF HARVARD ELEVEN!" Yes, Casey returned home to coach the Crimson, but it wasn't his first gig. Eddie had guided Mount Union in 1920 and 1921, Tufts University from 1922 to 1925, and the Harvard Freshman squad from 1926 through 1928. Long-time Harvard Coach Arnold Horween had just announced late in the season, on the eve of a game against Army, that he would be stepping down at the end of the 1930 season. Casey was a natural replacement, and he did well at the helm of the Crimson sporting four seasons, compiling a 20-11-1 record before, according to the American Football Database, he was also the head coach of the Boston Redskins of the National Football League in 1935, as the Pro Football Reference lists him playing that season too for Boston. He later coached the Boston Bears of the Third American Football League in 1940. The article notes that Casey also played professional football 1920 for the Buffalo All-Americans.


More Football Hall of Fame Birthdays for May 16

Here are the bios on some birthday boys that are either in the College Football Hall of Fame or the Pro Football Hall of Fame that were born on this day. There is plenty more about them to read by either clicking their high-lighted name or at the top of this page clicking the "On This Day in Football History" and going to May 16 Football History.

May 16, 1943 - Borger, Texas - Donny Anderson who was the 1963 to 1965 starting halfback of Texas Tech was born.The National Football Foundation selected Donny Anderson for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Donny enjoyed nine seasons at the professional level as a player too. 

May 16, 1948 - Little Falls, Minnesota - The South Dakota State and Miami Dolphins center Jim Langer arrived to have his birth certificate signed.  Langer had his body of NFL work enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.  

May 16, 1966 - Houston, Texas - Oklahoma State running back from 1984 through the 1987 season, Thurman Thomas was born. Thomas’ collegiate football records are celebrated in the College Football Hall of Fame after his induction in 2008. The Buffalo Bills wisely selected Thomas in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the brilliant NFL career of Thurmon Thomas in 2007. 


Credits

The picture in the banner above is from the US Library of Congress' collection and was contributed by Percy Duncan Haughton circa 1922 and is titled " How to watch and understand football ."


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