50 Facts About Elroy Hirsch

Elroy Leon "Crazylegs" Hirsch was an American professional football player, sport executive and actor.

Elroy Hirsch was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1974.

Elroy Hirsch was named to the all-time All-Pro team selected in 1968 and to the National Football League 1950s All-Decade Team.

Elroy Hirsch received the nickname "Crazylegs" for his unusual running style.

Elroy Hirsch served in the United States Marine Corps from 1944 to 1946 and then played professional football in the All-America Football Conference for the Chicago Rockets from 1946 to 1948 and in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams from 1949 to 1957.

Elroy Hirsch had a brief career as a motion picture actor in the 1950s and served as the general manager for the Rams from 1960 to 1969 and as the athletic director for the University of Wisconsin from 1969 to 1987.

Elroy Hirsch's father was a foreman in an iron works.

Elroy Hirsch was a star football player at Wausau High School in 1939 and 1940.

Elroy Hirsch enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in the fall of 1941 and played on the school's freshman football team.

Elroy Hirsch rushed for a high of 174 yards against Missouri.

Elroy Hirsch acquired the "Crazylegs" nickname because of his unusual running style in which his legs twisted as he ran.

Elroy Hirsch ran to school and back, skipping and crisscrossing his legs in the cement blocks of the sidewalks.

In January 1943, Elroy Hirsch enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was transferred to the University of Michigan as part of the V-12 Navy College Training Program.

Elroy Hirsch scored five touchdowns in Michigan's first three games and threw for a touchdown in the fourth game against Notre Dame.

On October 11,1943, Elroy Hirsch scored three touchdowns, including a 61-yard reverse around the right end, and intercepted a pass to help Michigan to its first victory over Minnesota since 1932.

On May 13,1944, Elroy Hirsch starred in two sports in the same day, winning the broad jump with a distance of 24 feet,.

Elroy Hirsch was commissioned a second lieutenant in May 1945.

Elroy Hirsch remained with the Marine Corps in the fall of 1945 and played for the Marine Corps football team at the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California.

Elroy Hirsch was named the game's outstanding player, and the Los Angeles Times described his performance in the game as a "one-man show" after he scored the game's only touchdowns, including a 68-yard touchdown sprint, for the college squad.

Elroy Hirsch later described the game as his greatest athletic thrill.

Elroy Hirsch ultimately opted not to play in the NFL, instead playing for the Chicago Rockets of the All-America Football Conference.

Elroy Hirsch played three seasons with the Rockets from 1946 to 1948.

Elroy Hirsch later said the decision to sign with the Rockets was the worst decision he ever made.

In September 1947, Elroy Hirsch caught a 76-yard touchdown pass for an AAFC record.

Elroy Hirsch did not return to action during the 1948 season, totaling 101 receiving yards and 93 rushing yards in five games.

In June 1949, Elroy Hirsch alleged that the Hornets had breached a contractual obligation to pay him a bonus and sought a release to allow him to play for the Green Bay Packers.

Elroy Hirsch earned $20,000 a year from the Rams, following a bidding war with the Hornets.

Easily the best year of his career, Elroy Hirsch tied or broke multiple NFL receiving records in 1951.

Elroy Hirsch was selected as a first-team All-Pro player by both the Associated Press and the UP.

Elroy Hirsch was selected to play in the Pro Bowl each year from 1951 to 1953.

Elroy Hirsch had another strong season in 1953, leading the NFL with a career-high average of 23.6 yards per reception.

Elroy Hirsch finished second in the NFL with 941 receiving yards in 1953 and was selected as a first-team All-Pro by the AP and a second-team All-Pro by the UP.

Elroy Hirsch continued to play for the Rams through the 1957 season.

Elroy Hirsch announced his retirement as a player at age 34 in January 1958.

In nine years with the Rams, Elroy Hirsch totaled 343 receptions for 6,299 yards and 53 touchdowns.

Elroy Hirsch hosted a daily sports commentary show on KNX radio from 1961 to 1967.

Elroy Hirsch appeared as himself in a 1956 episode of the Captain Midnight television series in a spot advertising Ovaltine milk flavoring.

In March 1960, Elroy Hirsch signed a three-year contract to serve as the general manager of the Los Angeles Rams; he replaced Pete Rozelle as the Rams' general manager after Rozelle was hired as NFL commissioner.

In 1963, after Dan Reeves acquired outright ownership of the Rams, Elroy Hirsch's title was changed to assistant to the president.

Elroy Hirsch continued to serve as Reeves' assistant through the 1968 season.

In February 1969, Elroy Hirsch was hired away from the Rams to serve as the athletic director at the University of Wisconsin.

Elroy Hirsch announced his resignation as Wisconsin's athletic director in December 1986; the resignation became effective at the end of June 1987.

Elroy Hirsch could adjust and wind up catching the ball over his shoulder in stride about as well as anyone.

Elroy Hirsch was inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

In September 1969, at the time of the NFL's 50th anniversary, Elroy Hirsch was one of 16 players named to the all-time All-Pro team selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Elroy Hirsch was named to the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team in August 1969.

Elroy Hirsch has received many other honors, including the following:.

Elroy Hirsch is the namesake of the Crazylegs Classic, an annual eight-kilometer running race from the Wisconsin State Capitol to Camp Randall Stadium with proceeds benefiting the University of Wisconsin athletics programs.

Elroy Hirsch married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Stahmer, in June 1946.

Elroy Hirsch died of natural causes at an assisted living home in Madison, Wisconsin in January 2004 at age 80.