Hugh McElhenny

The King

 Growing up during the “Golden Age of Pro Football”, most never had that free-as-the-wind feeling Hugh McElhenny had as a youth – slipping and weaving through a broken field, dodging and ducking around his opponents as though they were garbage cans.
 
 But, I know what it means. McElhenny had a sixth sense, with the kind of wide angle-vision that told him at a glance where every tackler was stacked out. He was called “The King” of the running backs of his era. He ran with the ball the way little boys do in their wildest dreams. He had speed, power and guts, and the complete repertoire of moves – the pivot, the sidestep, the change of pace, the high stepping, the sudden bursts, the spinning and shoulder fakes. His use of the straight arm was an uncanny gift for breaking a tackle.
 
49ers legend Hugh McElhenny
Hugh McElhenny
 McElhenny is remembered as a symbol of the 1950s. He was a first-round draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers in 1952 from the University of Washington, and was an instant hit. His rookie season, the versatile halfback recorded the 49ers season’s longest run from scrimmage (89-yards), the longest punt return (94-yards) and the top rushing average (7.0-yards per carry). Not surprisingly, he was a unanimous choice for the league’s NFL Rookie of the Year honors. 
 
  Descriptions of his runs were like passages out of children’s fiction, literally sprinkled with opposing players bouncing off each other and diving helplessly at his vanishing heels.In college, he broke every rushing record at Washington, and many of his marks – for example, most yards in a game (298-yards), and best career per carry average (7.8-yards) – still stand nearly seven-decades later.
 
 Said McElhenny, “I always looked at it this way. Since I knew where I was going, and the defensive players don’t, I feel it’s their problem to worry about me.”
 
  “McElhenny was like a bowling ball thrown with body English, said 49ers head coach Frankie Albert, “It slides crazily down the alley, curls around the pins and scatters them gently.”
 
 Said McElhenny to me in an interview in 2000, “It’s like when you walk down a dark alley. That’s how I feel when I’m out in the open all alone – as if I’m walking down a dark alley. And you see at the end of the alley, a glimmer of light from the cross street – that’s the goal line, and you’re in a hurry to get there. But, on the way, even though the alley is dark you can’t see a thing, you sense a telegraph pole to your right, and you veer away from it. A few steps farther you sense a doorway with a man in it, even though you can’t see him. You just feel it. So you turn away from that too. Haven’t you had that experience many times? I have.
 
 In 1961, after nine seasons and five Pro Bowl appearances with the 49ers, McElhenny played for the Minnesota Vikings. It was, all things considered, his finest season. He accounted for 1,067 combined yards, and made his sixth trip to the Pro Bowl. Two years later, as a member of the New York Giants, McElhenny realized a dream which had thus far escaped him – playing on a championship team. When he retired after the 1964 season, McElhenny was one of only three players to have gained more than more than 11,000 all-purpose yards.

Thanks to writer Martin Jacobs for sharing this article on Hugh McElhenny.

 Martin Jacobs is a long time San Francisco native and a lifelong 49ers fan. His career in journalism began in 1965 as a columnist for the Pro Football Weekly. In 2003, he wrote the weekly article on “49ers Collectibles” for the Gameday stadium program. In year 2000, Martin was selected the team’s No. 1 Fan by Visa International. A plaque honoring his achievements is on display at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Other books available by Martin Jacobs are: “Kezar Stadium-49ers Fans Remember”, “San Francisco 49ers Legends-The Golden Age of Pro Football,” and “Gridiron Legends-Players Who Changed the Game Forever.”
Martin can be reached at [email protected] or his Face Book Page 

Image Gallery of Hugh McElhenny, Running Back 1952-1964

Hugh McElhenny Football Cards

Hugh McElhenny All-Time Career Statistics

Regular Season Rushing & Receiving Totals
 RushingReceivingTotals
YearAgeTeamPos#GamesCarriesYardsY/ALongTDCatchesYardsY/RLongTDTouchesY/TchYScm TDsFmb
1952*+24SFORH3912986847.0♦89t♦62636714.17731248.5105195
1953*+25SFORH39121125034.53333047415.87121426.997756
195426SFORH396645158.060t6816220.3530729.467764
195527SFORH3912903273.64441120318.555t21015.253063
1956*28SFOLH39121859165.086t♦81619312.122t02015.5110984
1957*29SFOLH39121024784.76113745812.44321396.793638
1958*30SFOLH39121134514.03463136611.859t21445.7817810
195931SFORH391018673.71812232915.0723409.939641
196032SFOHB399953473.7380141148.14511094.246112
1961*33MINLHB/RHB39131205704.8413372837.62631575.485368
196234MINHB3911502004.02701619111.9410665.939103
196335NYGHB3914551753.223011918.3242664.026623
196436DETHB39822482.21405163.2270272.46400
9 seasons 49ers9787742884.98935195266613.7771510726.569545043
2 seasons Vikings241707704.5413534748.94132235.61244611
1 season Lions822482.21405163.2270272.4640 
1 season Giants14551753.223011918.3242664.026623
13 Year NFL Career143112452814.78938264324712.3772013886.185285857
Regular Season Kick & Punt Returns Totals
 Punt ReturnsKick ReturnsAll Purpose Yards
YearAgeTeamPos#GamesReturnsYardsY/RLongTDReturnsYardsY/RtLongTD
1952*+24SFORH39122028414.294t♦11839622.04001731♦
1953*+25SFORH3912151046.92501536824.55501449
195426SFORH3968789.8320821026.3510969
195527SFORH39127101.4100918921.0310729
1956*28SFOLH391215382.51201330023.13601447
1957*29SFOLH391210414.1130    0977
1958*30SFOLH391224933.949023115.5180941
1961*33MINLHB/RHB3913815519.481t125929.53501069
196234MINHB39115438.6140716022.9400594
196335NYGHB391413745.7130613622.7510476
196436DETHB398100.00037224.0270136
9 seasons 49ers97996486.594165149423.05509100
2 seasons Vikings241319815.2811921924.34001663
1 season Lions8100.00037224.0270136
1 season Giants1413745.7130613622.7510476
13 Year NFL Career1431269207.394283192123.155011375

Playoff Statistics

Post Season Rushing & Receiving Totals
 RushingReceivingTotals
YearAgeTeamPosGamesCarriesYardsY/ALongTDCatchesYardsY/RLongTDTouchesY/TchYScmTDsFmb
1957*29SFOLH114825.971069616.047t1208.917810
196335NYGHB17192.78022010.012094.33900
Total Playoff Games with Giants17192.78022010.012094.3390 
Total Playoff Games with 49ers114825.971069616.0471208.91781 
Total Post Season Games2211014.8710811614.5471297.52171 
Post Season Kick & Punt Returns Totals
 Punt ReturnsKick ReturnsAll Purpose Yards
YearAgeTmPosGamesReturnsYardsY/RLongTDReturnsYardsY/RtLongTD
196335NYGHB12199.510014747.0470105
Total Playoff Games with Giants12199.510014747.0470105
Total Playoff Games with 49ers1           
Total Post Season Games22199.510014747.0470105
  • + – All-Pro Selection
  • * – Pro Bowl Selection
  • ♦ – Led the League
  •  

For some good additional reading:

the king hugh mcelhenny book

“THE KING” Hugh McElhenny-A San Francisco 49ers Legend ….. Biography of Hugh McElhenny by sports writer and 49ers historian Martin S. Jacobs

Purchase at Amazon
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Martin Jacobs

Martin Jacobs is a long time San Francisco native and a lifelong 49ers fan. His career in journalism began in 1965 as a columnist for the Pro Football Weekly. In 2003, he wrote the weekly article on "49ers Collectibles" for the Gameday stadium program. In year 2000, Martin was selected the team's No. 1 Fan by Visa International. A plaque honoring his achievements is on display at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Other books available by Martin Jacobs are: "Kezar Stadium-49ers Fans Remember", "San Francisco 49ers Legends-The Golden Age of Pro Football," and "Gridiron Legends-Players Who Changed the Game Forever." Martin can be reached at [email protected] or his FaceBook Page