American football player
Kennedy, circa 1942 | |
No. 85 | |
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Position: | Running back Defensive back |
Personal information | |
Born: | (1921-06-29)June 29, 1921 Sandpoint, Idaho, U.S. |
Died: | July 29, 2010(2010-07-29) (aged 89) Boise, Idaho, U.S. |
Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Weight: | 195 lb (88 kg) |
Career information | |
High school: | Sandpoint |
College: | Washington State |
NFL draft: | 1943 / round: 4 / pick: 27 |
Career history | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Military career | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service | U.S. Army Air Forces |
Rank | Lieutenant |
Battles / wars | World War II |
Stats at Pro Football Reference |
Robert Henry Kennedy (June 29, 1921 – July 29, 2010) was an American professional football player who was a running back for five seasons with the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and the New York Yanks of the National Football League (NFL).
Football career
After graduation from Sandpoint High School in northern Idaho, Kennedy attended Washington State College in Pullman and played college football for the Cougars; he was an All-American fullback and quarterback. He continued to play football for the U.S. Army Air Forces during the years of World War II, with the Third Air Force Gremlins.
Although selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1943 NFL draft, after the war Kennedy signed a contract to play for the upstart New York Yankees of the AAFC, a new professional league established in competition with the established NFL. Kennedy played "both ways" for the Yankees, starting as a running back on offense and a linebacker and defensive back on defense.
In 1950, following the merger of the AAFC and the NFL, Kennedy played one season for the short-lived New York Yanks of the NFL.
After football
During his later years, Kennedy worked as a real estate broker and a property developer in southern California; he was a proficient chef and an aficionado of playing cards.
He was inducted into the WSU athletic hall of fame in 1988.
References
- "Bob Kennedy Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
- Strite, Dick (October 4, 1942). "WSC Cougars plow through Webfoots, 7-0". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1.
- Hampson, Fred (October 25, 1942). "Washington State overpowers Oregon State, 26-13". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 18.
- "Boom! Kennedy scores". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). (photo). November 9, 1942. p. 11.
- "Kennedy winds up as leader". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 7, 1942. p. 11.
- ^ "Robert H. 'Bob' Kennedy," The Arizona Republic, www.azcentral.com/
- "Many W.S.C. and Idaho football players named in pro league draft". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 9, 1943. p. 13.
- Pierce, Oliver (September 14, 1988). "Six to join WSU's hall of fame". Idahonian. (Moscow). p. 9A.
External links
- Washington State University Athletics Hall of Fame Archived 2019-07-03 at the Wayback Machine – Bob Kennedy
- Career statistics from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
Philadelphia Eagles 1943 NFL draft selections | |
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- 1921 births
- 2010 deaths
- American football running backs
- American football defensive backs
- New York Yankees (AAFC) players
- New York Yanks players
- Third Air Force Gremlins football players
- Washington State Cougars football players
- People from Sandpoint, Idaho
- Players of American football from Idaho
- United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II