Charles Louis Trippi was an American professional football player for the Chicago Cardinals of the National Football League from 1947 to 1955.
40 Facts About Charley Trippi
2.
Charley Trippi attended the University of Georgia, where he played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1942 to 1946, with an interlude in 1944 while serving in the military during World War II.
3.
Charley Trippi ultimately signed a record $100,000 contract with the Cardinals.
4.
Charley Trippi was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
5.
Charles Louis Charley Trippi was born to an Italian immigrant father on December 14,1921, in Pittston, Pennsylvania, a coal-mining community.
6.
Charley Trippi attended Pittston Area High School and began his football career as a tailback for the school's football team.
7.
Charley Trippi was given a scholarship and played for the Georgia Bulldogs football varsity team from 1942 to 1946, with an interlude in 1944 due to World War II.
8.
Charley Trippi was retroactively named the game's most valuable player when the award was created in 1953.
9.
Charley Trippi played for the 1944 Third Air Force Gremlins football team and was selected as a first-team back on the Associated Press' 1944 Service All-America team.
10.
In 1946, Charley Trippi led Georgia to its first undefeated season.
11.
Charley Trippi finished as runner-up in Heisman Trophy voting behind winner Glenn Davis of Army.
12.
Charley Trippi was named the Most Valuable Player of the game in 1945.
13.
In 1947, Charley Trippi played one season of minor league baseball with the Southern Association's Atlanta Crackers.
14.
Charley Trippi was a major part in the battling between the NFL and All-America Football Conference.
15.
Charley Trippi felt the NFL was more established and stable, and Bidwill had offered him job security.
16.
Charley Trippi served a multitude of roles for the Cardinals as a rookie: in 11 games, he rushed 83 times for 401 yards, caught 23 passes for 240 yards, averaged 43.4 yards on 13 punts, returned eight punts for 181 yards and 15 kickoffs for 321 yards, and on defense returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown.
17.
Charley Trippi scored touchdowns on a 44-yard run and a 75-yard punt return.
18.
Charley Trippi was named to the 1947 All-Pro second-team backfield by the United Press.
19.
Charley Trippi led the NFL in all-purpose yards in both 1948 and 1949, compiling 1,485 and 1,552 respectively.
20.
Charley Trippi's 5.4 rushing yards per carry in 1948 led the league, as did his two punt return touchdowns.
21.
Charley Trippi had a 45-yard punt return touchdown against the Green Bay Packers and later returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
22.
Charley Trippi was a first-team All-Pro selection for 1948 by the AP, UPI, New York Daily News, and the Sporting News, among others.
23.
Charley Trippi was held to nine carries for only 26 yards during the game, which was played in a heavy snowstorm.
24.
Charley Trippi saw heavy use as a receiver in 1949; in addition to rushing for 554 yards, he led the Cardinals in receptions and receiving touchdowns and was second on the team with 412 receiving yards.
25.
Charley Trippi moved back to offensive halfback for one season and again was invited to the Pro Bowl.
26.
Charley Trippi then switched over to play defense in 1954, recording three pass interceptions as a defensive back.
27.
Charley Trippi became the Cardinals' primary punter for 1953 and 1954, and had a career punting average of over 40 yards per punt.
28.
Charley Trippi appeared in only five games that season and did not record any statistics on offense.
29.
Charley Trippi retired on December 13,1955, a day before his 33rd birthday.
30.
Charley Trippi set a franchise record with 864 punt return yards and averaged 13.7 yards per return.
31.
Charley Trippi later took up a business in real estate.
32.
Charley Trippi was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1959; the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 1965; and the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1968.
33.
Charley Trippi is the only player in the Pro Hall of Fame to have accumulated at least 1,000 yards each receiving, passing, and rushing.
34.
In 1969, Charley Trippi was named to the NFL's 1940s All-Decade Team, compiled to honor the best players of the decade.
35.
At the time of his death, Charley Trippi was the oldest living member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as the oldest living No 1 NFL draft pick.
36.
On December 14,2021, Charley Trippi turned 100, becoming the second Pro Football Hall of Famer to reach that milestone, after Clarence "Ace" Parker.
37.
Charley Trippi was one of only four University of Georgia football players to have his jersey number retired.
38.
Charley Trippi had three children from his first marriage and three stepchildren from his second marriage.
39.
Charley Trippi died on October 19,2022, in Athens, Georgia, at the age of 100.
40.
Charley Trippi was the last surviving member of the National Football League 1940's All Decade Team.