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On March 15, 1990, Tom Harmon, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1940, Michigan; LA Rams) and broadcaster (CBS 1950-62), died of a heart attack at the age of 70. Harmon was a pilot during WWII and was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart. From the article:
"Tom Harmon | Heisman
Harmon is the first Michigan player to win the Heisman and the first of six players to also finish as runner up in the Heisman vote.
Born in Rensselaer, Indiana, Harmon was an outstanding athlete at Horace Mann High. In addition to 14 varsity letters, he was twice named all-state quarterback, captain of the basketball team, and as a senior, won the 100 yard dash and the 200 yard low hurdles at the state finals.
One of the great single-wing tailbacks, Old Ninety-Eight scored 33 touchdowns, kicked two field goals, kicked 33 points after touchdowns for 237 points, and threw 16 touchdown passes. He gained 3,438 yards rushing and passing, and played almost every minute of his three-year career. He also was a member of the varsity basketball team for two years.
A solid 193 pounds, Tom was a power runner noted for his cutbacks through tackles — often seen on the field with his jersey ripped by tacklers unable to hold on to him. He was probably the finest ball carrier in the country in his time.
In his final football game, against Ohio State, Harmon led the Wolverines to a 40–0 victory, scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards. In an unprecedented display of sportsmanship and appreciation, the Buckeye fans in Columbus gave Harmon a standing ovation at game’s end. No other Wolverine player has been so honored, before or since.
He led the nation in scoring in both 1939 and 1940 (a feat that remains unmatched) and was named All-American each year. His career points per game average of 9.9 stood as an NCAA record for ten seasons. In 1940, he won the Heisman and the Maxwell Award and was selected as the first pick in the NFL draft in 1941.
After a four-year stint as a pilot during World War II (for which he earned a Silver Star and the Purple Heart), he married actress Elyse Knox and played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1947 and 1948.
Harmon’s subsequent career in broadcasting proved as successful if not more than his time spent on the field. In 1949, after two posts as Sports Director of WJR in Detroit and commentator on KIEV in Glendale, he became Sports Director of the Columbia Pacific Network managing daily radio and television shows. Harmon reported live on major sporting events from the Olympics to the Rose Bowl for CBS, ABC and NBC, to name just a fraction of his 10,000 broadcasts. Until his passing on March 15, 1990, Harmon was broadcasting the Los Angeles Raiders football games.
Harmon was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1954."
"Tom Harmon | Heisman
Harmon is the first Michigan player to win the Heisman and the first of six players to also finish as runner up in the Heisman vote.
Born in Rensselaer, Indiana, Harmon was an outstanding athlete at Horace Mann High. In addition to 14 varsity letters, he was twice named all-state quarterback, captain of the basketball team, and as a senior, won the 100 yard dash and the 200 yard low hurdles at the state finals.
One of the great single-wing tailbacks, Old Ninety-Eight scored 33 touchdowns, kicked two field goals, kicked 33 points after touchdowns for 237 points, and threw 16 touchdown passes. He gained 3,438 yards rushing and passing, and played almost every minute of his three-year career. He also was a member of the varsity basketball team for two years.
A solid 193 pounds, Tom was a power runner noted for his cutbacks through tackles — often seen on the field with his jersey ripped by tacklers unable to hold on to him. He was probably the finest ball carrier in the country in his time.
In his final football game, against Ohio State, Harmon led the Wolverines to a 40–0 victory, scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards. In an unprecedented display of sportsmanship and appreciation, the Buckeye fans in Columbus gave Harmon a standing ovation at game’s end. No other Wolverine player has been so honored, before or since.
He led the nation in scoring in both 1939 and 1940 (a feat that remains unmatched) and was named All-American each year. His career points per game average of 9.9 stood as an NCAA record for ten seasons. In 1940, he won the Heisman and the Maxwell Award and was selected as the first pick in the NFL draft in 1941.
After a four-year stint as a pilot during World War II (for which he earned a Silver Star and the Purple Heart), he married actress Elyse Knox and played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1947 and 1948.
Harmon’s subsequent career in broadcasting proved as successful if not more than his time spent on the field. In 1949, after two posts as Sports Director of WJR in Detroit and commentator on KIEV in Glendale, he became Sports Director of the Columbia Pacific Network managing daily radio and television shows. Harmon reported live on major sporting events from the Olympics to the Rose Bowl for CBS, ABC and NBC, to name just a fraction of his 10,000 broadcasts. Until his passing on March 15, 1990, Harmon was broadcasting the Los Angeles Raiders football games.
Harmon was elected to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1954."
Tom Harmon | Heisman
Posted from heisman.com
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Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for making us aware that on March 15, 1990, American College Football Hall of Fame halfback (Heisman Trophy 1940, Michigan; LA Rams), WWII Army Air Corps B-25 Mitchell bomber pilot & P-38 Lightning fighter pilot, and broadcaster (CBS 1950-62), Thomas Dudley "Tom" Harmon died of a heart attack at the age of 70.
The B-25 he commanded was named 'Little Butch;' the P-38 fighter he flew was named 'Little Butch II'
"On April 9th, 1943 they were flying B-25 'Little Butch' to North Africa when they encountered a tropical storm. Lt. Tom Harmon parachuted from the plane and the remaining crew members were all killed when the plane crashed in the French Guiana jungle. Tom survived the crash and went on to be a P-38 fighter pilot in the 449th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific. He was shot down over China and rescued by the Chinese people. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.'
Tom Harmon: Michigan Football Legend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt9Zy1fb6Tk
Images:
1. Tom Harmon, University of Michigan, 1938
2. Tom Harmon pictured in his 'Little Butch' bomber jacket in 1942
3. Tom Harmon, top row, center, with his crew at Atkinson Field. Harmon’s “Little Butch” B-25 Mitchell bomber was nicknamed “Old 98” after his football jersey number during his days at the University of Michigan.
4. Tom Harmon, No. 98, was the best college football player in the nation in 1940, but pursuits in the military and in broadcasting were his true callings.
Background from {[ https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Tom_Harmon]}
Tom Harmon
Born on September 28, 1919 at Rensselaer, Indiana
Died on March 15, 1990 (aged 70) at Los Angeles, California
Thomas Dudley "Tom" Harmon (September 28, 1919 – March 15, 1990) was a star player in American college football, a sports broadcaster, and patriarch of a family of American actors. As a player, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1940 and is considered by some to be the greatest football player in Michigan Wolverines history.[1]
Early life
Harmon was born in the Harmon's family home at 118 South Weston Street in Rensselaer, Indiana, the youngest child of Louis A. and Rose Marie (née Quinn) Harmon, who had relocated from Livingston County, Illinois around 1900. In 1924, the family moved to Gary, Indiana. He attended Horace Mann High School in Gary, Indiana, graduating in 1937. While at Horace Mann High School, Harmon was already an outstanding athlete. In addition to 14 varsity letters, he was twice named All-State quarterback, Captain of the basketball team, and as a senior, won the 100 yard dash and the 200 yard low hurdles at the State Finals in Indianapolis, Indiana.[citation needed]
Harmon played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940, where he majored in English and Speech, hoping for a future career in broadcasting, and won the Heisman Trophy his senior season. He made his name as a tailback in the single-wing formation, and also excelled as a kicker. Harmon rushed for 2,134 yards during his career at Michigan, completed 100 passes for 1,304 yards and 16 touchdowns, and scored 237 points. During his career he played all 60 minutes 8 times.[1] He also was a member of the varsity basketball team for two years.[2]
In his final football game (against $3), Harmon led the Wolverines to a 40–0 victory, scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards. In an unprecedented display of sportsmanship and appreciation, the Ohio State fans in Columbus gave Harmon a standing ovation at game's end.[3] No other Wolverine player has been so honored, before or since.
He led the nation in scoring in both 1939 and 1940 (a feat that remains unmatched)[1] and was elected to the College Football All-America Team both years. His career points per game average of 9.9 stood as an NCAA record for ten seasons.[4] In 1940, he won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award both given to the outstanding college football player of the year.
While on campus, he was an active member of the Michigan Alpha Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Years later, the national fraternity leadership established the Harmon-Rice Award in his honor (the Rice name in the award honored Grantland Rice) that is presented each year to the most outstanding Phi Delt collegiate athlete in the nation. In 2007, Harmon was ranked #16 on ESPN's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. Also, Harmon was ranked #5 on the Big Ten Networks' program "Big Ten Icons", honoring the greateast athletes in the Big Ten Conference's history. During the Notre Dame vs. Michigan game in 2013, the starting quarterback, Devin Gardner was given the number 98 in honor of Harmon.
NFL draft
Harmon was taken by the Chicago Bears with the first selection in the 1941 NFL Draft.[5] Instead he opted to play with the New York Americans of the rival American Football League. After graduating from college he had a brief career as an actor, starring as himself in the biopic Harmon of Michigan. He appeared occasionally in films throughout the forties and fifties.
World War II
During World War II Harmon enlisted as a pilot in the Army Air Corps on November 8, 1941. Early in 1943, Harmon parachuted into the South American jungle when his plane flew into a tropical storm. None of the other crewmen bailed out or survived. He was the object of a massive regional search operation once his plane was reported missing. Four days later he stumbled into a clearing in Dutch
Guiana. He transferred to single seat fighters. In October that year, while on an escort mission accompanying a flight of bombers, his P-38 was shot down by the Japanese during a dogfight and he was forced to bail out into Japanese-occupied China where he was later rescued by anti-Japanese Chinese guerillas.[3] Harmon was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star for his actions with the 449th Fighter Squadron. He saved his silk parachute and it was later used as the material for his wife's wedding dress.[6]
Pro football career
From 1946 to 1947 Harmon played football professionally with the Los Angeles Rams, but wartime injuries to his legs limited his effectiveness. He focused his professional career as planned on being a sports broadcaster on radio and television, one of the first athletes to make the transition from player to on-camera talent. In 1954, Harmon was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
After football
Harmon narrated the film A Glimpse of Greatness–The Story of Ken Hubbs, which chronicles the life of the late Chicago Cubs second baseman. For several years in the 1970s, starting with its introduction, he was the TV spokesman for Kellogg's Product 19 cereal. His 10-minute broadcasts were a staple of the ABC and (later) American Information Radio networks. He was also seen on KTLA, Channel 5, Los Angeles. In the early 1980s he handled play-by-play duties for the Oakland Raiders pre-season telecasts.
Personal life
Harmon married actress and model Elyse Knox in 1944. Former Wolverines teammate Forest Evashevski was his best man and later became godfather of his son Mark.[6]
Harmon and his wife settled in California after he was demobilized. They had three children: Kristin (b. 1945), Kelly (b. 1948) and Mark (b. 1951). Kristin was previously married to the late Ricky Nelson and her children include Tracy Nelson and twins Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, who perform as the rock and country music act Nelson. Mark Harmon followed his father's footsteps into college football as a starting quarterback for the UCLA Bruins before becoming an actor and is married to actress Pam Dawber.
Death
Tom Harmon died of a heart attack on March 15, 1990 in Los Angeles, California, at age 70.
References
1. ↑ Jump up to:1.0 1.1 1.2 Jones, Todd (2007). "Michigan". In MacCambridge, Michael. ESPN Big Ten College Football Encyclopedia. ESPN Enterprises. p. 59. ISBN 1-933060-49-2.
2. ↑ Michigan Basketball 2007–08 (media guide).
3. ↑ Jump up to:3.0 3.1 "The Late Great 98: Tom Harmon on the field and at war". Michigan Today. 17 September 2008.
4. ↑ "2009 Division I Football Records Book: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records". National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 46. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
5. ↑ Mayer, Larry (25 April 2013). "These Bears draft picks gained fame in other areas". Chicago Bears. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
6. ↑ Jump up to:6.0 6.1 "Conquering Hero". Sports Illustrated. 20 August 2008."
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D GySgt Thomas Vick SGT Denny Espinosa SSG Stephen Rogerson SPC Matthew Lamb LTC (Join to see)Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 (Join to see) SSG Franklin Briant SPC Woody Bullard TSgt David L. SMSgt David A Asbury SPC Michael Terrell SFC Chuck Martinez CSM Charles Hayden
The B-25 he commanded was named 'Little Butch;' the P-38 fighter he flew was named 'Little Butch II'
"On April 9th, 1943 they were flying B-25 'Little Butch' to North Africa when they encountered a tropical storm. Lt. Tom Harmon parachuted from the plane and the remaining crew members were all killed when the plane crashed in the French Guiana jungle. Tom survived the crash and went on to be a P-38 fighter pilot in the 449th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific. He was shot down over China and rescued by the Chinese people. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart.'
Tom Harmon: Michigan Football Legend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt9Zy1fb6Tk
Images:
1. Tom Harmon, University of Michigan, 1938
2. Tom Harmon pictured in his 'Little Butch' bomber jacket in 1942
3. Tom Harmon, top row, center, with his crew at Atkinson Field. Harmon’s “Little Butch” B-25 Mitchell bomber was nicknamed “Old 98” after his football jersey number during his days at the University of Michigan.
4. Tom Harmon, No. 98, was the best college football player in the nation in 1940, but pursuits in the military and in broadcasting were his true callings.
Background from {[ https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Tom_Harmon]}
Tom Harmon
Born on September 28, 1919 at Rensselaer, Indiana
Died on March 15, 1990 (aged 70) at Los Angeles, California
Thomas Dudley "Tom" Harmon (September 28, 1919 – March 15, 1990) was a star player in American college football, a sports broadcaster, and patriarch of a family of American actors. As a player, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1940 and is considered by some to be the greatest football player in Michigan Wolverines history.[1]
Early life
Harmon was born in the Harmon's family home at 118 South Weston Street in Rensselaer, Indiana, the youngest child of Louis A. and Rose Marie (née Quinn) Harmon, who had relocated from Livingston County, Illinois around 1900. In 1924, the family moved to Gary, Indiana. He attended Horace Mann High School in Gary, Indiana, graduating in 1937. While at Horace Mann High School, Harmon was already an outstanding athlete. In addition to 14 varsity letters, he was twice named All-State quarterback, Captain of the basketball team, and as a senior, won the 100 yard dash and the 200 yard low hurdles at the State Finals in Indianapolis, Indiana.[citation needed]
Harmon played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940, where he majored in English and Speech, hoping for a future career in broadcasting, and won the Heisman Trophy his senior season. He made his name as a tailback in the single-wing formation, and also excelled as a kicker. Harmon rushed for 2,134 yards during his career at Michigan, completed 100 passes for 1,304 yards and 16 touchdowns, and scored 237 points. During his career he played all 60 minutes 8 times.[1] He also was a member of the varsity basketball team for two years.[2]
In his final football game (against $3), Harmon led the Wolverines to a 40–0 victory, scoring three rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four extra points, intercepting three passes, and punting three times for an average of 50 yards. In an unprecedented display of sportsmanship and appreciation, the Ohio State fans in Columbus gave Harmon a standing ovation at game's end.[3] No other Wolverine player has been so honored, before or since.
He led the nation in scoring in both 1939 and 1940 (a feat that remains unmatched)[1] and was elected to the College Football All-America Team both years. His career points per game average of 9.9 stood as an NCAA record for ten seasons.[4] In 1940, he won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award both given to the outstanding college football player of the year.
While on campus, he was an active member of the Michigan Alpha Chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Years later, the national fraternity leadership established the Harmon-Rice Award in his honor (the Rice name in the award honored Grantland Rice) that is presented each year to the most outstanding Phi Delt collegiate athlete in the nation. In 2007, Harmon was ranked #16 on ESPN's Top 25 Players In College Football History list. Also, Harmon was ranked #5 on the Big Ten Networks' program "Big Ten Icons", honoring the greateast athletes in the Big Ten Conference's history. During the Notre Dame vs. Michigan game in 2013, the starting quarterback, Devin Gardner was given the number 98 in honor of Harmon.
NFL draft
Harmon was taken by the Chicago Bears with the first selection in the 1941 NFL Draft.[5] Instead he opted to play with the New York Americans of the rival American Football League. After graduating from college he had a brief career as an actor, starring as himself in the biopic Harmon of Michigan. He appeared occasionally in films throughout the forties and fifties.
World War II
During World War II Harmon enlisted as a pilot in the Army Air Corps on November 8, 1941. Early in 1943, Harmon parachuted into the South American jungle when his plane flew into a tropical storm. None of the other crewmen bailed out or survived. He was the object of a massive regional search operation once his plane was reported missing. Four days later he stumbled into a clearing in Dutch
Guiana. He transferred to single seat fighters. In October that year, while on an escort mission accompanying a flight of bombers, his P-38 was shot down by the Japanese during a dogfight and he was forced to bail out into Japanese-occupied China where he was later rescued by anti-Japanese Chinese guerillas.[3] Harmon was awarded the Purple Heart and the Silver Star for his actions with the 449th Fighter Squadron. He saved his silk parachute and it was later used as the material for his wife's wedding dress.[6]
Pro football career
From 1946 to 1947 Harmon played football professionally with the Los Angeles Rams, but wartime injuries to his legs limited his effectiveness. He focused his professional career as planned on being a sports broadcaster on radio and television, one of the first athletes to make the transition from player to on-camera talent. In 1954, Harmon was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
After football
Harmon narrated the film A Glimpse of Greatness–The Story of Ken Hubbs, which chronicles the life of the late Chicago Cubs second baseman. For several years in the 1970s, starting with its introduction, he was the TV spokesman for Kellogg's Product 19 cereal. His 10-minute broadcasts were a staple of the ABC and (later) American Information Radio networks. He was also seen on KTLA, Channel 5, Los Angeles. In the early 1980s he handled play-by-play duties for the Oakland Raiders pre-season telecasts.
Personal life
Harmon married actress and model Elyse Knox in 1944. Former Wolverines teammate Forest Evashevski was his best man and later became godfather of his son Mark.[6]
Harmon and his wife settled in California after he was demobilized. They had three children: Kristin (b. 1945), Kelly (b. 1948) and Mark (b. 1951). Kristin was previously married to the late Ricky Nelson and her children include Tracy Nelson and twins Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, who perform as the rock and country music act Nelson. Mark Harmon followed his father's footsteps into college football as a starting quarterback for the UCLA Bruins before becoming an actor and is married to actress Pam Dawber.
Death
Tom Harmon died of a heart attack on March 15, 1990 in Los Angeles, California, at age 70.
References
1. ↑ Jump up to:1.0 1.1 1.2 Jones, Todd (2007). "Michigan". In MacCambridge, Michael. ESPN Big Ten College Football Encyclopedia. ESPN Enterprises. p. 59. ISBN 1-933060-49-2.
2. ↑ Michigan Basketball 2007–08 (media guide).
3. ↑ Jump up to:3.0 3.1 "The Late Great 98: Tom Harmon on the field and at war". Michigan Today. 17 September 2008.
4. ↑ "2009 Division I Football Records Book: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Records". National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 46. Retrieved 2010-07-09.
5. ↑ Mayer, Larry (25 April 2013). "These Bears draft picks gained fame in other areas". Chicago Bears. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
6. ↑ Jump up to:6.0 6.1 "Conquering Hero". Sports Illustrated. 20 August 2008."
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These are Tom Harmon highlights from his junior and senior seasons (1939 & 1940) but other than the Cal and Ohio State games, I'm not sure who the opponents ...
Tom Harmon tribute
"These are Tom Harmon highlights from his junior and senior seasons (1939 & 1940) but other than the Cal and Ohio State games, I'm not sure who the opponents are in the other clips."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eICuBpAaqto
Images:
1. Tom Harmon with his P38 Lightning 'Little Butch II'.
2. Tom Harmon dancing with his wife Elyse Knox Harmon
3. Wedding of Thomas Dudley Harmon & Elyse Knox August 26, 1944 in a chapel on the University of Michigan campus
4. l-r Mark Harmon, with mother Elyse Knox, sisters Kristen and Kelly and father Tom Harmon
Background from {[https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/harmon-thomas-dudley-tom]}
Harmon, Thomas Dudley ("Tom") written by Raymond Schmidt
(b. 28 September 1919 in Gary, Indiana; d. 15 March 1990 in Los Angeles, California), football player and sports broadcaster who was one of the most talented and exciting halfbacks in college football history.
Harmon was one of four sons born to Louis A. Harmon, a Gary policeman, and Rose Harmon, a homemaker. Harmon attended Horace Mann High School in Gary and starred in football, basketball, baseball, and track, winning fourteen varsity letters there. Though he was an outstanding baseball pitcher and was captain of the basketball team, football and track garnered Harmon's greatest prep fame. A four-year member of Horace Mann's varsity football team, he was named high school football's national scoring champion in 1936 after tallying 150 points. He was selected to the Indiana All-State football team for two years. Harmon also won state track championships for the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard low hurdles.
Harmon was interested in attending Dartmouth or Notre Dame, the latter a favorite of his Irish-Catholic parents. But his high school coach, Doug Kerr, a Michigan man, encouraged Harmon to attend his alma mater. The University of Michigan's beautiful campus and reputation as a good academic school finally convinced Harmon to enroll there in the fall of 1937, after he had graduated from Horace Mann.
Harmon, wearing jersey number 98 and starting at tail-back, made a big splash at Michigan as a junior in 1939. His highlights included scoring 3 touchdowns and rushing for 206 yards against Yale; scoring 4 touchdowns, including a 95-yard interception return, against Iowa; and rushing for 202 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns and passing for another, in a thrilling 19–17 win over Pennsylvania. In the third quarter against Pennsylvania, deep in Michigan territory, Harmon started off on a sweep around left end but reversed direction and circled back toward his goal line. Changing direction again, Harmon finally broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown gallop down the left sideline. He easily ran twice that 63-yard distance, the greatest play of his career, in the game Harmon later described as the most exciting he ever experienced. For the 1939 season Harmon scored 14 touchdowns and tallied 102 points, both the highest marks in the nation. In addition he rushed for 868 yards on 129 carries and completed 37 of 94 passes for 488 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was named a consensus All-American halfback and finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Iowa's Nile Kinnick.
In 1940 Harmon, at six feet, two inches and two hundred pounds, was again at tailback for a Michigan team that ranked among the best in the country. His season highlights included 4 touchdown runs, 94, 70, 86, and 7 yards respectively, against California, and 3 touchdown games against Michigan State, Harvard, and Ohio State. The California game produced the most remembered play of Harmon's career. A fan named Bud Brennan came out of the grandstands and attempted to tackle Harmon near the end of his third long touchdown gallop, but Harmon narrowly avoided him at the goal line. Against Ohio State in his final college game Harmon broke Red Grange's Big Ten Conference career touchdown record, his final tally coming with thirty-eight seconds left to play.
For 1940 Harmon had 844 rushing yards on 186 carries, he completed forty-two of ninety-three passes for 502 yards and seven touchdowns, and he scored 16 touchdowns and 117 points, again leading the nation in points scored. He was named unanimous All-American halfback for 1940, and his host of awards included the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Trophy, and the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. Yet Harmon always remained disappointed about the 1940 season, as Minnesota had handed Michigan a 7–6 upset defeat that cost the Wolverines the national championship on a day Harmon described as the "most frustrating" of his life.
Harmon played in the Shrine All-Star Game in January 1941, and while on the West Coast he appeared on Bing Crosby's radio show, where he met his future wife Elyse Knox, a movie actress. That summer, after graduating with majors in speech and English, he starred in a movie entitled Harmon of Michigan. He was voted into the starting lineup for the College All-Stars and threw a touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears in the annual charity game in Chicago. The Bears selected Harmon in the first round of the 1941 National Football League (NFL) draft, but he instead accepted a broadcasting job that included covering Michigan football games. He played one game for the New York Americans of the American Football League. Harmon enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on 5 November 1941 and was accepted for flying school.
In April 1943 Harmon was the only survivor when his B-25 bomber crashed in the jungle of Dutch Guiana (Suriname) while on a routine mission. After a grueling six-day hike through the swampy jungle, he finally stumbled into a native settlement. After rehabilitation he was trained as a fighter pilot and sent to the Asian theater. On 30 October 1943 Harmon's plane was shot down over China, and with his legs and hands severely burned in a cockpit explosion, he parachuted into a lake. Rescued by Chinese guerrillas, Harmon was guided on a perilous journey through Japanese-held territory and reached an American base. For his ordeals as Lieutenant he was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.
Harmon and Elyse Knox were married on 26 August 1944 in a chapel on the University of Michigan campus. Discharged from the Army Air Force on 12 August 1945, Harmon played again for the College All-Stars later that month. He signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams for the 1946–1947 seasons, but the wartime injuries to Harmon's legs had robbed him of much of his former speed. He retired from pro football after two seasons.
Harmon then returned to broadcasting, while he and Elyse began raising a family of three children, Christie, Kelly, and Mark, the last a noted movie actor. In the early 1950s Harmon began doing the nightly sports report on Channel 2 in Los Angeles, moving to KTLA television from 1958 to 1964. In 1961 he also started a long-running nightly sports radio show for ABC. In the late 1960s Harmon returned to KTLA to broadcast University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) football, moving in 1974 to the Hughes Television Network. He spent his final years hosting a popular show, Raider Playbook, after the NFL's Oakland Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982. He died of a heart attack at age seventy. He is buried in Los Angeles.
Harmon was one of the greatest all-around players in college football history, a top headliner in an era of exceptional players. He combined sprinter speed, line-smashing power, and an excellent passing touch to lead Michigan football back to its earlier glory days. In his college career Harmon scored 237 points, including 33 touchdowns, while gaining 2,134 yards on 398 carries and completing 101 of 233 passes for 1,399 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
Among the best sources on Harmon's football career are Mervin D. Hyman and Gordon S. White, Jr., Big Ten Football: Its Life and Times, Great Coaches, Players, and Games (1977); and Dave Newhouse, After the Glory—Heisman (1985). Also notable is Richard M. Cohen, Jordan A. Deutsch, and David S. Neft, The University of Michigan Football Scrapbook (1978), which includes a well-written forward by Harmon. Obituaries are in the Los Angeles Times (16 Mar. 1990) and the New York Times (17 Mar. 1990)."
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"These are Tom Harmon highlights from his junior and senior seasons (1939 & 1940) but other than the Cal and Ohio State games, I'm not sure who the opponents are in the other clips."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eICuBpAaqto
Images:
1. Tom Harmon with his P38 Lightning 'Little Butch II'.
2. Tom Harmon dancing with his wife Elyse Knox Harmon
3. Wedding of Thomas Dudley Harmon & Elyse Knox August 26, 1944 in a chapel on the University of Michigan campus
4. l-r Mark Harmon, with mother Elyse Knox, sisters Kristen and Kelly and father Tom Harmon
Background from {[https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/harmon-thomas-dudley-tom]}
Harmon, Thomas Dudley ("Tom") written by Raymond Schmidt
(b. 28 September 1919 in Gary, Indiana; d. 15 March 1990 in Los Angeles, California), football player and sports broadcaster who was one of the most talented and exciting halfbacks in college football history.
Harmon was one of four sons born to Louis A. Harmon, a Gary policeman, and Rose Harmon, a homemaker. Harmon attended Horace Mann High School in Gary and starred in football, basketball, baseball, and track, winning fourteen varsity letters there. Though he was an outstanding baseball pitcher and was captain of the basketball team, football and track garnered Harmon's greatest prep fame. A four-year member of Horace Mann's varsity football team, he was named high school football's national scoring champion in 1936 after tallying 150 points. He was selected to the Indiana All-State football team for two years. Harmon also won state track championships for the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard low hurdles.
Harmon was interested in attending Dartmouth or Notre Dame, the latter a favorite of his Irish-Catholic parents. But his high school coach, Doug Kerr, a Michigan man, encouraged Harmon to attend his alma mater. The University of Michigan's beautiful campus and reputation as a good academic school finally convinced Harmon to enroll there in the fall of 1937, after he had graduated from Horace Mann.
Harmon, wearing jersey number 98 and starting at tail-back, made a big splash at Michigan as a junior in 1939. His highlights included scoring 3 touchdowns and rushing for 206 yards against Yale; scoring 4 touchdowns, including a 95-yard interception return, against Iowa; and rushing for 202 yards, scoring 2 touchdowns and passing for another, in a thrilling 19–17 win over Pennsylvania. In the third quarter against Pennsylvania, deep in Michigan territory, Harmon started off on a sweep around left end but reversed direction and circled back toward his goal line. Changing direction again, Harmon finally broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown gallop down the left sideline. He easily ran twice that 63-yard distance, the greatest play of his career, in the game Harmon later described as the most exciting he ever experienced. For the 1939 season Harmon scored 14 touchdowns and tallied 102 points, both the highest marks in the nation. In addition he rushed for 868 yards on 129 carries and completed 37 of 94 passes for 488 yards and 6 touchdowns. He was named a consensus All-American halfback and finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Iowa's Nile Kinnick.
In 1940 Harmon, at six feet, two inches and two hundred pounds, was again at tailback for a Michigan team that ranked among the best in the country. His season highlights included 4 touchdown runs, 94, 70, 86, and 7 yards respectively, against California, and 3 touchdown games against Michigan State, Harvard, and Ohio State. The California game produced the most remembered play of Harmon's career. A fan named Bud Brennan came out of the grandstands and attempted to tackle Harmon near the end of his third long touchdown gallop, but Harmon narrowly avoided him at the goal line. Against Ohio State in his final college game Harmon broke Red Grange's Big Ten Conference career touchdown record, his final tally coming with thirty-eight seconds left to play.
For 1940 Harmon had 844 rushing yards on 186 carries, he completed forty-two of ninety-three passes for 502 yards and seven touchdowns, and he scored 16 touchdowns and 117 points, again leading the nation in points scored. He was named unanimous All-American halfback for 1940, and his host of awards included the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Trophy, and the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. Yet Harmon always remained disappointed about the 1940 season, as Minnesota had handed Michigan a 7–6 upset defeat that cost the Wolverines the national championship on a day Harmon described as the "most frustrating" of his life.
Harmon played in the Shrine All-Star Game in January 1941, and while on the West Coast he appeared on Bing Crosby's radio show, where he met his future wife Elyse Knox, a movie actress. That summer, after graduating with majors in speech and English, he starred in a movie entitled Harmon of Michigan. He was voted into the starting lineup for the College All-Stars and threw a touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears in the annual charity game in Chicago. The Bears selected Harmon in the first round of the 1941 National Football League (NFL) draft, but he instead accepted a broadcasting job that included covering Michigan football games. He played one game for the New York Americans of the American Football League. Harmon enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on 5 November 1941 and was accepted for flying school.
In April 1943 Harmon was the only survivor when his B-25 bomber crashed in the jungle of Dutch Guiana (Suriname) while on a routine mission. After a grueling six-day hike through the swampy jungle, he finally stumbled into a native settlement. After rehabilitation he was trained as a fighter pilot and sent to the Asian theater. On 30 October 1943 Harmon's plane was shot down over China, and with his legs and hands severely burned in a cockpit explosion, he parachuted into a lake. Rescued by Chinese guerrillas, Harmon was guided on a perilous journey through Japanese-held territory and reached an American base. For his ordeals as Lieutenant he was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.
Harmon and Elyse Knox were married on 26 August 1944 in a chapel on the University of Michigan campus. Discharged from the Army Air Force on 12 August 1945, Harmon played again for the College All-Stars later that month. He signed a contract with the Los Angeles Rams for the 1946–1947 seasons, but the wartime injuries to Harmon's legs had robbed him of much of his former speed. He retired from pro football after two seasons.
Harmon then returned to broadcasting, while he and Elyse began raising a family of three children, Christie, Kelly, and Mark, the last a noted movie actor. In the early 1950s Harmon began doing the nightly sports report on Channel 2 in Los Angeles, moving to KTLA television from 1958 to 1964. In 1961 he also started a long-running nightly sports radio show for ABC. In the late 1960s Harmon returned to KTLA to broadcast University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) football, moving in 1974 to the Hughes Television Network. He spent his final years hosting a popular show, Raider Playbook, after the NFL's Oakland Raiders moved to Los Angeles in 1982. He died of a heart attack at age seventy. He is buried in Los Angeles.
Harmon was one of the greatest all-around players in college football history, a top headliner in an era of exceptional players. He combined sprinter speed, line-smashing power, and an excellent passing touch to lead Michigan football back to its earlier glory days. In his college career Harmon scored 237 points, including 33 touchdowns, while gaining 2,134 yards on 398 carries and completing 101 of 233 passes for 1,399 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
Among the best sources on Harmon's football career are Mervin D. Hyman and Gordon S. White, Jr., Big Ten Football: Its Life and Times, Great Coaches, Players, and Games (1977); and Dave Newhouse, After the Glory—Heisman (1985). Also notable is Richard M. Cohen, Jordan A. Deutsch, and David S. Neft, The University of Michigan Football Scrapbook (1978), which includes a well-written forward by Harmon. Obituaries are in the Los Angeles Times (16 Mar. 1990) and the New York Times (17 Mar. 1990)."
FYI SSG Paul HeadleeCPL Michael PeckSgt (Join to see)PO1 Steve Ditto SPC Michael Terrell CPL Douglas ChryslerSP5 Geoffrey Vannerson SSG Michael Noll SSG William Jones Maj Marty Hogan SPC Michael Oles SRTSgt George RodriguezPO3 Charles Streich SGT (Join to see) SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SFC (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SGT Steve McFarland
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LTC Stephen F.
Big Ten Icons #05 - Tom Harmon
Big Ten Icons #05 - Tom Harmon
Big Ten Icons #05 - Tom Harmon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKc3NUm1_1A
Images:
1. 1965 press photo of Tom Harmon
2. Lt. Tom Harmon (on right), winner of the 1940 Heisman Trophy, standing next to his P-38G, 'Little Butch II'.
3. Tom & Elyse Harmon with their children [l-r] Kelly, Mark, and Christie
4. Tom Harmon posing beside his first plane, a B-25, 'Little Butch'
FYI LTC John Shaw 1SG Steven ImermanGySgt Gary CordeiroPO1 H Gene LawrenceSgt Jim BelanusSGM Bill FrazerMSG Tom EarleySGT Michael HearnSGT Randell Rose[SGT Denny EspinosaA1C Riley SandersSSgt Clare MaySSG Robert WebsterCSM Chuck StaffordPFC Craig KarshnerSFC Don VanceSFC Bernard Walko SPC Nancy GreenePVT Mark Zehner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKc3NUm1_1A
Images:
1. 1965 press photo of Tom Harmon
2. Lt. Tom Harmon (on right), winner of the 1940 Heisman Trophy, standing next to his P-38G, 'Little Butch II'.
3. Tom & Elyse Harmon with their children [l-r] Kelly, Mark, and Christie
4. Tom Harmon posing beside his first plane, a B-25, 'Little Butch'
FYI LTC John Shaw 1SG Steven ImermanGySgt Gary CordeiroPO1 H Gene LawrenceSgt Jim BelanusSGM Bill FrazerMSG Tom EarleySGT Michael HearnSGT Randell Rose[SGT Denny EspinosaA1C Riley SandersSSgt Clare MaySSG Robert WebsterCSM Chuck StaffordPFC Craig KarshnerSFC Don VanceSFC Bernard Walko SPC Nancy GreenePVT Mark Zehner
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LTC Stephen F. - Stephen, I especially liked this episode of Big Ten Icons! In his last game against Ohio State, he was given a standing ovation by the Buckeye faithful. That in itself shows his greatness.
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https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0363567/bio
1SG Fred "SARGE" Bucci
1SG Fred "SARGE" Bucci
Tom Harmon was a legendary college football player who became a sportscaster and sired TV superstar Mark Harmon (who also played college football at ...
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Lt Col Charlie Brown
Harmon was selected first in the 1941 National Football League draft by the Chicago Bears, but he spurned the game's most powerful team and signed to play one game with the New York Americans of a rival league. His pro debut at Yankee Stadium was not auspicious as he gained only 37 yards in 10 running attempts. He earned $1,500 for his efforts.
By December, Harmon had enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he became a fighter pilot.
Bailing Out Over China
Twice during World War II he was reported missing in action. In April 1943 he crashed into the jungles of Dutch Guiana, which is now Suriname, and marched alone through swamps and rain forests four days before he was rescued by natives.
Later that year, he bailed out of his P-38 fighter plane over China when it was shot down in an air fight. When he reached the ground, there were bullet holes in his parachute, and he pretended he was dead to discourage the enemy pilots from further attacks. He was smuggled back through Japanese-held territory to an American base by friendly Chinese bands.
When Harmon married Elyse Knox, an actress, on Aug. 26, 1944, the bride used the white silk and white cords from his parachute in her wedding gown.
After the war, Harmon received a $7,000 tax bill for earnings on the movie he had made in 1941. He accepted a $20,000-a-year offer from the Los Angeles Rams football team and performed for them through two unimpressive seasons. Wartime leg injuries robbed him of his former speed and power.
By December, Harmon had enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he became a fighter pilot.
Bailing Out Over China
Twice during World War II he was reported missing in action. In April 1943 he crashed into the jungles of Dutch Guiana, which is now Suriname, and marched alone through swamps and rain forests four days before he was rescued by natives.
Later that year, he bailed out of his P-38 fighter plane over China when it was shot down in an air fight. When he reached the ground, there were bullet holes in his parachute, and he pretended he was dead to discourage the enemy pilots from further attacks. He was smuggled back through Japanese-held territory to an American base by friendly Chinese bands.
When Harmon married Elyse Knox, an actress, on Aug. 26, 1944, the bride used the white silk and white cords from his parachute in her wedding gown.
After the war, Harmon received a $7,000 tax bill for earnings on the movie he had made in 1941. He accepted a $20,000-a-year offer from the Los Angeles Rams football team and performed for them through two unimpressive seasons. Wartime leg injuries robbed him of his former speed and power.
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