October 20

In this edition of the Football's History Headlines, we discuss the great Jim Thorpe and the awesome Jim Brown as well as many more Football Hall of Fame Legendary stories.

Football history enthusiasts, delve into the gridiron's past! On this very date, history unfolded on the field in several ways. We might be celebrating a record-breaking performance by a legendary player, a trade that sent shockwaves through the league, or even the birth of a new franchise that would leave its mark on the game. Let's lace up our cleats and travel back in time to see what iconic moments transpired on this date in American football history!

Long Return for Seno

October 20, 1946 - Polo Grounds, New York City - Frank Seno returns kickoff 105 yards for the  Chicago Cards vs NY Giants. T.J. Troupe wrote a nice piece on Frank Seno on the Pro Football Researchers website in which he writes: “The 1946 Cardinals were a team on the upswing, and on October 20 in the Polo Grounds against the contending Giants in one of the most thrilling contests of the year Frank Seno set an NFL record with his 105-yard kick-off return for a touchdown. His coast-to-coast return gave the Cardinals a short lived 24 to 21 lead.” Short lived indeed as the Giants stormed back with a Howie Livingston 5 yard scamper for a score to lift the New York squad to a 28-24 win over the Cards.

Jim Brown sets record!

October 20, 1963 -Philadelphia. Pennsylvania - Per an NFLFILMS.com article from 2012, Cleveland Browns’ running back Jim Brown became the all-time leading career rusher in the NFL.  “First Down” Jim Brown – as many would call him – accomplished the historic feat on an 8-yard run in the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles, propelling his way over Joe “The Jet” Perry’s record of 8,378 yards.  The Browns won the game over the Eagles 37-7.

Jim Thorpe Day proclaimed by POTUS

October 20, 1973 - The White House. Washington D.C.- Proclamation 4209 was announced as declaring a Jim Thorpe Day across the nation.
President Nixon proclaimed Jim Thorpe greatest athlete of the 1st -half of the Twentieth century in a written proclamation to the country as read here - Proclamation 4209.
 

Rosey Brown

October 20, 1932 - Charlottesville, Virginia - Roosevelt “Rosey” Brown is born. Rosey was an offensive tackle from Morgan State College in Baltimore who earned the Black All-American honors. Rosey was selected in the 27th round of the 1953 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. The Giants like that Brown was 6-3, 255-pound and possessed  powerful arms and a willingness to work hard while learning per the Pro Football Hall‘s write up on him.  Rosey played in the NFL for 13 seasons and earned a spot on 9 Pro Bowl rosters while being selected as an ALl-NFL player 8 times. Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Roosevelt Brown in 1975.

Don Trull

October 20, 1941 -  Don Trull a former quarterback from Baylor University was born. Don was an All-American and twice won the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top passer. Trull threw for more than 4,000 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career with the Baylor Bears. The website footballfoundation.org points out that he was good in his studies too as Trull was Baylor’s first-ever NFF National Scholar-Athlete. The National Football Foundation selected Don Trull to enter into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2013

Lee Roy Selmon

October 20, 1954 - Eufaula, Oklahoma -  Lee Roy Selmon was born as the youngest of nine children in the Selmon home. Lee Roy was a great student as he became a National Honor Society member while at Eufaula High School. After high school Selmon followed his two older brothers and played football at the University of Oklahoma. Lee Roy Selmon was a Defensive Tackle for the Sooners and a pretty good one at that. The NFF’s website provides that Lee Roy won the Outland and Lombardi Awards as the nation's best lineman. In his three years as a starter, Oklahoma went 32- 1-1 and won two national championships. He was also selected to possess the NFF Scholar-Athlete in 1975. The National Football Foundation selected Lee Roy to enter into its College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.  The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used their very first ever Draft pick to select Lee Roy Selmon to play for their new team. He played 9 seasons in the NFL. For his career he registered 78 1/2 sacks, 380 QB pressures, forced 28 1/2 loose balls and he recovered 10 of these fumbles.  The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined him in 1995.

Ray Childress

October 20, 1962 - Richardson, Texas - Ray Childress a defensive end from Texas A&M came into this world. Ray played with the Aggies from 1981 through 1984 and per the NFF had the most tackles of any lineman in the storied history of Texas A&M tallying 360 in his brilliant college career.  Childress alo added 25 sacks to his college resume, dropping QBs behind the line 15 times in 1983 alone. The NFF elected Ray Chidress into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Ray played in the NFL for 12 seasons, 11 of them with the Houston Oilers and finished his final pro year with the Dallas Cowboys. He was named first-team All-Pro five times and made five Pro Bowl appearances

Chad Hennings

October 20, 1965 -Elberton, Iowa  - Chad Hennings a Defensive Tackle from the Air Force Academy was born.  Chad played his first season at Air Force as a tight end, but he switched over to the defensive side of the ball as a sophomore. In 1985  the Falcons had their best season ever, as they finished ranked fifth in the nation and sported a 12-1 record. The NFF reports that as a senior Chad led the nation with 24 sacks and won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top interior lineman he was also a unanimous All-America selection and repeated as an Academic All-America. Chad Hennigs entered into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dexter Coakley

October 20, 1972 - Mt. Pleasant, SC - Dexter Coakley the linebacker from Appalachian State was born on that day. The standout linebacker starred at App State from 1993 through the 1996 seasons. Boasting 616 career tackles, Coakley was per the National Football Foundation’s website a three-time First Team All-America and the first two-time winner of the Buck Buchanan Award as Football Championship Subdivision's top defender and was the first three-time Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Dexter Coakley was the first Hall of Fame inductee for Appalachian State when he entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Dexter was picked in the third round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1997 NFL Draft, and enjoyed a 10-year career with the Cowboys and the St. Louis Rams.