Hall of Fame Professional Football Player, Coach. For six seasons (1932 to 1937), he played at the tailback, defensive-back, wing-back and fullback positions in the National Football League with the Boston Braves and Boston/Washington Redskins. Born Clifford Franklin Battles, he attended Kenmore High School in Akron and played collegiate football at West Virgina Wesleyan where he lettered in baseball, basketball, track and tennis, as well as football. During his rookie season, he had an immediate impact on the league as he was leader in rushing yardage with 576. Boston would appear in the 1936 NFL Title Game and following the franchise's relocation to Washington, they captured the 1937 NFL Championship. During the 1937 title game, Battles rushed for 45 yards with a touchdown and recorded 3 receptions for 82 yards. Along with rookie quarterback Sammy Baugh, the pair proved to be a highly-successful combination. Battles concluded his playing career in 1937, as the league leader in rushing yardage with 874 and touchdowns with 5. In 60 career regular season games, he compiled 3,511 rushing yards with 23 touchdowns and earned All-Pro status each year of his career. He claimed the distinction as being the first player in the NFL to rush for 200 yards in a game, when he achieved this accomplishment with 215 yards against the New York Giants on October 8th, 1933. He would hold the position as an assistant coach at Columbia University (1938 to 1943) and following service with the US Marines during World War II, he was head coach of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference for parts of two seasons (1946 to 1947). He was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Hall of Fame Professional Football Player, Coach. For six seasons (1932 to 1937), he played at the tailback, defensive-back, wing-back and fullback positions in the National Football League with the Boston Braves and Boston/Washington Redskins. Born Clifford Franklin Battles, he attended Kenmore High School in Akron and played collegiate football at West Virgina Wesleyan where he lettered in baseball, basketball, track and tennis, as well as football. During his rookie season, he had an immediate impact on the league as he was leader in rushing yardage with 576. Boston would appear in the 1936 NFL Title Game and following the franchise's relocation to Washington, they captured the 1937 NFL Championship. During the 1937 title game, Battles rushed for 45 yards with a touchdown and recorded 3 receptions for 82 yards. Along with rookie quarterback Sammy Baugh, the pair proved to be a highly-successful combination. Battles concluded his playing career in 1937, as the league leader in rushing yardage with 874 and touchdowns with 5. In 60 career regular season games, he compiled 3,511 rushing yards with 23 touchdowns and earned All-Pro status each year of his career. He claimed the distinction as being the first player in the NFL to rush for 200 yards in a game, when he achieved this accomplishment with 215 yards against the New York Giants on October 8th, 1933. He would hold the position as an assistant coach at Columbia University (1938 to 1943) and following service with the US Marines during World War II, he was head coach of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference for parts of two seasons (1946 to 1947). He was enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Bio by: C.S.
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