TCU's Slingin' Sammy Baugh Dead at 94

[MrMustang1965]

Word just came in via ESPN.

The Associated Press quoted Baugh's son saying Baugh had died after numerous health issues at Fisher County Hospital in Rotan, Texas

UPDATED:

LUBBOCK, Texas – Slingin' Sammy Baugh, the ultimate three-way threat who revolutionized the use of the forward pass as a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Washington Redskins, died Wednesday night. He was 94.

Baugh, who had numerous health issues, died at Fisher County Hospital in Rotan, according to his son, David Baugh. He said his father had battled Alzheimer's disease and dementia for several years and recently had been ill with kidney problems, low blood pressure and double pneumonia.
"It wasn't the same Sam we all knew," his son told The Associated Press. "He just finally wore out."

Sammy Baugh was the last surviving member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's inaugural class.

After starring at TCU, "Slingin' Sammy" played with the Redskins from 1937 to 1952, leading them to the NFL title in his rookie season and again in 1942.

Baugh was the best all-around player in an era when such versatility was essential. In 1943, he led the league in passing, punting and defensive interceptions. In one game, he threw four touchdown passes and intercepted four as well. He threw six touchdowns passes in a game twice. His 51.4-yard punting average in 1940 is still the NFL record.

"There's nobody any better than Sam Baugh was in pro football," Don Maynard, a fellow West Texas Hall of Famer who played for Baugh, said in a 2002 interview. "When I see somebody picking the greatest player around, to me, if they didn't go both ways, they don't really deserve to be nominated. I always ask, 'Well, how'd he do on defense? How was his punting?'"

When Baugh entered the NFL, the forward pass was so rare that it was unveiled mostly in desperate situations. But Baugh turn the pass into a regular feature of the offensive game plan.

As a rookie in 1937, he completed a record 81 passes (about seven a game) and led the league with 1,127 yards. By contrast, only six quarterbacks averaged three completions a game that year. He went on to lead the league in passing six times.

Baugh still holds Redskins records for career touchdown passes (187) and completion percentage in a season (70.3). His 31 interceptions on defense are third on the team's career list.

"He was amazing, just tremendously accurate," Eddie LeBaron, who took over as Washington's quarterback in Baugh's last season, said in a 2002 interview. "He could always find a way to throw it off balance. I've seen him throw the ball overarm, sidearm and underarm and complete them."
Baugh guided the Redskins to five title games and two championships, playing his entire career without a face mask. His No. 33 is the only jersey Washington has retired.

"Sammy Baugh embodied all we aspire to at the Washington Redskins," Redskins owner Dan Snyder said. "He was a competitor in everything he did and a winner. He was one of the greatest to ever play the game of football, and one of the greatest the Redskins ever had. My thoughts and prayers are with his family tonight."

Baugh's reputation blossomed as a star high school football, baseball and basketball player in Sweetwater. It began to grow during his college days at TCU.

It was there that he picked up the nickname "Slingin' Sammy" — but it wasn't for his passing. It was for the rockets he fired to first base as a shortstop and third baseman.

"Everybody thought I was a better baseball player growing up," he said in 2002. "I thought I was going to be a big league baseball player."

As an All-American football player, he led TCU to a 29-7-3 mark, including Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl victories. He masterfully executed an early ancestor of the West Coast offense at TCU, and he credits Horned Frogs coach Dutch Meyer with his NFL success.

"I was a little ahead of a lot of football players in those days because of Dutch," he said.

Baugh was known to make blunt, witty remarks.

After the Redskins' 73-0 loss to the Chicago Bears in the 1940 championship, a writer asked if the outcome would have been different had an end not dropped an early touchdown pass.

"Yeah," drawled Baugh. "It would have been 73-7."

Baugh was known for his reclusiveness.

After his NFL career, Baugh retreated to his 7,600-acre West Texas ranch about 95 miles southeast of Lubbock. The Hall of Fame and the Redskins have tried to lure him east for ceremonies over the years, and he always turned them down.

For years he drove to Snyder three or four times a week for golf, until sore knees, searing heat and the 100-mile round trip made those outings too tough.

But he always enjoyed football season.

"I'll watch it all damn day long," Baugh, who often sprinkled his conversation with mild obscenities, told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview. "I like the football they play. They got bigger boys, and they've also got these damn speed merchants that we didn't have in those days. I'd love to be quarterback this day and time."

[Buddha]

We like to make fun of the Frogs, because ... well, they're Frogs ... but this is a sad day for our friends in Fort Worth and in Washington. My dad used to tell me stories about Baugh when he played for the Redskins, and Dad said Baugh was the most accurate thrower he ever saw. He loved to tell the story about how, when Baugh was a rookie, his coach pleaded for accuracy, and said "hit 'em in the eye." Without missing a beat, Dad said, Baugh turned around and asked his coach "which eye?"

Farewell to one of the all-time greats.

(Just my opinion, but if Frog High is going to replace the dump they play in, they should name the new one Sammy Baugh Stadium. With all due respect to Tomlinson, Slingin' Sammy Baugh is the greatest player ever to come out of TCU.)

[LakeHighlandsPony]

Slingin Sammy was as good as they came.

[ponyboy]

RIP Mr. Baugh.

[mustangxc]

He will definitely be missed! I wrote him a couple of occasions and always got a personal reply.

[EastStang]

As a Redskins fan, this is definitely a sad day for the franchise. Not many people are still alive who saw Sammy play (I never did), but the stories about him around DC are almost mythical. He put the franchise on the map during a time when the NFL had trouble making payroll sometimes. A great QB and a decent person (even if he went to Froggieville). His only real regrets were being on the losing end of the greatest game ever played against us, and the famous 73-0 loss to the Bears in the NFL title game. Here is the Washington Post article today.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121703347.html?hpid=sec-sports&sid=ST2008121703927&s_pos=

[LakeHighlandsPony]

His story would make a great movie.

[MrMustang1965]

Little known fact: Robert Duvall visited with Slingin' Sammy Baugh for his characterization of Augustus 'Gus' McRae for the TV mini-series Lonesome Dove. He especially wanted to study Baugh's hand movements as well as his Texas accent.

[Rayburn]

Slingin' Sammy was probably the greatest football player ever. Sammy could throw, punt and play defensive back. His punting average is still the best in NFL history and remains one of the best all-around players of his day. One season he led the league in passing, interceptions and punting. In one game, he threw four touchdown passes and intercepted four passes. He threw six touchdowns in a game — twice — and kicked an 85-yard punt. He led the league in passing six times. Baugh guided Washington to five title games and two titles His No. 33 is the only jersey Washington has retired.

He hads a huge impact on the game as its first modern passer. When Baugh entered the NFL, the forward pass was so rare that it was unveiled mostly in desperate situations. But Baugh passed any time.

RIP, Sam Baugh.

[MrMustang1965]

Just my opinion, but if Frog High is going to replace the dump they play in, they should name the new one Sammy Baugh Stadium. With all due respect to Tomlinson, Slingin' Sammy Baugh is the greatest player ever to come out of TCU.

Coach Gary Patterson and most of the Horned Frogs players never met Sam Baugh, but they can still appreciate how the TCU legend revolutionized the game.

It was a bittersweet day Thursday at TCU as the No 11 Frogs practiced inside the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility a day after the NFL great died at the age of 94.

"I think all of us, in whatever profession we’re in, we can appreciate people that were great and meant something to their university, not only on a local but national level," Patterson said. "In his case, worldwide. He’s somebody a lot of people know."

The team will wear a No. 45 sticker on their helmets to honor Baugh for Tuesday’s game against No. 9 Boise State in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

Funeral services for Baugh have been scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Rotan. Burial will follow at Belvieu Cemetery. Family visitation is at 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home in Rotan.