| Who Is Harlon
Hill? |
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As a senior at Florence State Teachers College (now the University of
North Alabama) in 1953, Hill caught only 12 passes for a ground-oriented, single-wing
attack. Hill received small college All-America acclaim as an end, and was later
drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 15th round of the National Football League
Draft. The Bears felt they could afford to wait until the late rounds to draft Hill
because even though they knew very little about him, the other NFL teams knew even less.
As a rookie for the Chicago Bears, Hill caught 45 passes for
1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns to lead the club in all three categories. His
performance helped take the Bears from a 3-8-1 record in 1953 to a 8-4 mark in 1954.
On October 31, in San Francisco, Hill caught seven passes from quarterback George
Blanda for 214 yards and four touchdowns, in a 31-27 win over the 49er's. Hill's
fourth TD catch of the day was a game-winning 66 yarder with only 33 seconds left in the
game. The four TD's in a game still stands as a Bear's club record. At the
conclusion of the season, Hill was selected as All-Pro, played in the Pro Bowl in Los
Angeles for the West squad that won 26-19. Hill was chosen as the National Football
League Rookie of the Year.
In his second NFL season, Hill again led the Bears with 42
catches for 789 yards and nine touchdowns. He became the first winner of the Jim
Thorpe Trophy--symbolic of the National Football Leagues Most Valuable Player. He
also was captain for the West squad in the Pro Bowl, and again named All-Pro.
In 1956, Hill had 47 catches for 1,128 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He helped Chicago to a 9-2-1 record, and a spot in the Championship Game against
the New York Giants--where they were defeated 47-7. Hill was selected All-Pro for
the third straight year, and made his third appearance in the Pro Bowl.
In 1958, a severe ankle injury blunted the speed which made Hill
the NFL's most feared deep receiver. He eventually shifted from wide receiver to
defensive back.
Harlon Hill still holds numerous receiving records for the
Chicago Bears.
He passed
away on March 21, 2013 at the age of 80.
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Harlon
Hill's College Totals
| Year |
Team |
Games |
Catches |
Yards |
Average |
TD's |
Points |
1950 |
Florence State College |
9 |
2 |
23 |
11.5 |
2 |
12 |
1951 |
Florence State College |
9 |
22 |
372 |
16.9 |
6 |
36 |
| 1952 |
Florence State College |
9 |
18 |
379 |
21.0 |
7 |
42 |
| 1953 |
Florence State College |
8 |
12 |
246 |
20.5 |
4 |
24 |
| |
College Totals |
35 |
54 |
1,020 |
18.8 |
35 |
114 |
Harlon
Hill's NFL Totals
| Year |
Team |
Games |
Catches |
Yards |
Average |
TD's |
Points |
| 1954 |
Chicago Bears |
12 |
45 |
1,124 |
25.0 |
12 |
72 |
| 1955 |
Chicago Bears |
12 |
42 |
789 |
18.8 |
9 |
54 |
| 1956 |
Chicago Bears |
12 |
47 |
1,128 |
24.0 |
11 |
66 |
| 1957 |
Chicago Bears |
8 |
21 |
483 |
23.0 |
2 |
12 |
| 1958 |
Chicago Bears |
8 |
27 |
365 |
13.5 |
3 |
18 |
| 1959 |
Chicago Bears |
11 |
36 |
578 |
16.1 |
3 |
18 |
| 1960 |
Chicago Bears |
12 |
5 |
98 |
19.6 |
0 |
0 |
| 1961 |
Chicago Bears |
14 |
3 |
51 |
17.0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1962 |
Pittsburgh Steelers |
7 |
7 |
101 |
14.4 |
0 |
0 |
| 1962 |
Detroit Lions |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0 |
| |
NFL Totals |
103 |
233 |
4,717 |
20.2 |
40 |
240 |
HARLON HILL BIO
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Harlon Junious Hill
* Born: May 4, 1932 in
Killen, AL
* Died: March 21, 2013 (Age 80)
* Graduate of
Lauderdale County High School in 1949
* Graduate of the
University of North Alabama (then Florence State Teachers College)
with a
B.S. Degree in Education in
1955
* Earned a Masters Degree in
Education from the University of North Alabama (1969)
* Drafted by the
Chicago Bears in the 15th round (174th overall) of the 1954 NFL
Draft.
* Played nine seasons in the
National Football League (1954-62) with the Chicago Bears,
Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions.
* Following his
professional football career he became a public school teacher and
coach at Brooks High School in Killen, Ala., eventually becoming
the principal.
* Served as an
Assistant Football Coach with the University of North Alabama
football team, 1967-68
* In 1986 he became the
namesake for the Harlon Hill Trophy, presented annually to the
NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year
Awards
National Football
League Rookie of the Year in 1954
National Football
League Jim Thorpe Trophy recipient as MVP in 1955
Pro Bowl participant in
1954, 1955 and 1956
All-Pro selection in
1954, 1955 and 1956
Captain of the West
Squad in the 1956 Pro Bowl
Member of the Helms
Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame (1958)
Member of the Alabama
Sports Hall of Fame (1976)
Member of the
University of North Alabama Athletic Hall of Fame (1990)
Member of the
Lauderdale County Sports Hall of Fame (2000)
Member of the 50th
Anniversary University of North Alabama Football Team (1949-99)
Member of the Chicago
Bears Ring of Honor by Bears History.com
Member of Chicago Bears
All-time Team (1920-Present) by 20Yardline.com
Named to Chicago Bears
All-Time Starting Lineup by Bleacher Report
Named to 50 Greatest
Bears by ESPN
Harlon Hill on All-Pro Teams in
the National Football League
Year Team Level Voters
1954 2nd Team All-NFL Associated
Press
1954 1st Team All-NFL NY Daily
News
1954 1st Team All-NFL Sporting
News
1954 1st Team All-NFL UPI
1955 1st Team All-NFL
Associated Press
1955 1st Team All-NFL
Newspaper Ent. Assoc.
1955 1st Team All-NFL
NY Daily News
1955 1st Team All-NFL
Sporting News
1955 1st Team All-NFL
UPI
1956 1st Team All-NFL Associated
Press
1956 1st Team All-NFL Newspaper
Ent. Assoc.
1956 1st Team All-NFL
NY Daily News
1956 1st Team All-NFL
Sporting News
1956 1st Team All-NFL
UPI
Chicago Bears Record Books . . .
* His 4,616 receiving
yards is second best in Bears history
* His 40 career TD
receptions is second best in Bears history
* His 19 career
100-yard receiving games still the most by any Bears receiver
* 4 receiving TDs in a
game vs. San Francisco 49ers on October 31, 1954 is still tied for
Bears record (with Mike Dikta).
* 214 receiving yards
in a game vs. San Francisco 49ers on October 31, 1954 is still
Bears record
* Still holds Bears
records for most receiving yards by a rookie (1,124) and most TD
receptions by a rookie (12).
HARLON HILL TIMELINE
1946-49
Lauderdale County High
School
1950-53
Florence State Teachers
College
(now University of North
Alabama)
1950-53 - Four-year letterman at
end
1952-53 - Team Captain
1953 - NAIA
All-American
1955 - Received his
B.S. degree in Education
1954-61
Chicago Bears
1954 - National
Football League Rookie of the Year
1955 - Winner of the
first Jim Thorpe Trophy as
National Football
League Most Valuable Player
1954, 55, 56 - All-Pro
1955, 56, 57 - Pro Bowl
1956 - Captian of West
squad in Pro Bowl
1958
Selected to Helms
Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame
1962
Pittsburgh Steelers
1962
Detroit Lions
1969
Received his Master�s
degree in Education from
University of North
Alabama
1976
Selected to Alabama
Sports Hall of Fame
1986
Creation of the Harlon
Hill Trophy
1990
Inducted into
University of North Alabama
Athletic Hall of Fame
1998
Selected for 50th
Anniversary UNA Football Team
2000
Inducted into
Lauderdale County Sports Hall of Fame
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