Bobby Grayson
Encyclopedia
Bobby Grayson was an American football
player. He was a two-time consensus All-America
n player who led the Stanford University
football team to three consecutive Rose Bowl Games from 1933 to 1935.
At Stanford, Grayson played for the varsity football team in the 1933, 1934 and 1935 seasons. He was recruited to Stanford by Coach Glenn "Pop" Warner
and helped lead Stanford to a Pacific Coast Conference title in 1934 and co-championships in 1933 and 1935. He was a consensus All-American in both 1934 and 1935.
, Grayson was a football, track and baseball star at Jefferson High School. He was state 100-yard dash champion in 1931 at 10.1 seconds, and again in 1932 in 9.9 seconds with a career best of 9.8 seconds. Grayson also won the 220-yard low hurdles state championship twice, in 1931 he won in 26.6 seconds, and again in 1931 in 25.5 seconds. In football he was a four year letterman playing fullback and defense while leading Jefferson to the 1931 City title and allowed no scores by opponents.http://www.oregonstars.com/TypeClientDetail.php?Type=Biography&ObjId=430 In 1932, he was recruited to play football at Stanford
by their legendary coach Pop Warner
.
and Bones Hamilton, and came to be known as the "Vow Boys." The 1932 Stanford varsity team was soundly defeated by the USC Trojans (USC). After watching the defeat, the freshmen players got together and vowed that they would never lose to the Trojans. In November 1933, Stanford defeated USC, and Grayson scored the Reskins' only touchdown. Time magazine reported that "Stanford's speedy Fullback Bobby Grayson slashed and passed through the Trojan line, punched over a touchdown," resulting in a "resounding crash" for "the fattest Humpty Dumpty of 1933 football." The Stanford team proceeded to beat USC three straight years from 1933–1935 — making good on the vow. Stanford was the dominant team on the Pacific Coast, appearing in the New Year's Day Rose Bowl game in each of those three years. In three seasons, Grayson was part of a Stanford team that compiled a 25–4–2 record and became the first team to play in three consecutive Rose Bowls.
In the 1934 Rose Bowl
, Grayson rushed for 152 yards, a Rose Bowl record. Ernie Nevers said Grayson was "the best back I've ever seen." Grayson set numerous Stanford records. He set the record for most interceptions in a single game with four (two of which he returned for touchdowns) in a 1934 game against the University of Washington. His career total of 1,547 rushing yards in 405 carries established a Stanford record that stood for 20 years. A historical account of Grayson's accomplishments published by the LA84 Foundation notes:
Sportswriter Grantland Rice
wrote of Grayson:
Grayson was the 21st player drafted in the 1936 NFL Draft
— the inaugural NFL draft. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates but did not play professional football.
in the Pacific during World War II.
. He was survived by his wife, Sue Grayson, and a son, Dan Grayson.
In 2003, the Oakland Tribune ranked Grayson as one Stanford's top ten players of all time, ranking him at number five behind Ernie Nevers, Jim Plunkett
, Frankie Albert
, and John Elway
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He was a two-time consensus All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n player who led the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
football team to three consecutive Rose Bowl Games from 1933 to 1935.
At Stanford, Grayson played for the varsity football team in the 1933, 1934 and 1935 seasons. He was recruited to Stanford by Coach Glenn "Pop" Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...
and helped lead Stanford to a Pacific Coast Conference title in 1934 and co-championships in 1933 and 1935. He was a consensus All-American in both 1934 and 1935.
Early life
Born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Grayson was a football, track and baseball star at Jefferson High School. He was state 100-yard dash champion in 1931 at 10.1 seconds, and again in 1932 in 9.9 seconds with a career best of 9.8 seconds. Grayson also won the 220-yard low hurdles state championship twice, in 1931 he won in 26.6 seconds, and again in 1931 in 25.5 seconds. In football he was a four year letterman playing fullback and defense while leading Jefferson to the 1931 City title and allowed no scores by opponents.http://www.oregonstars.com/TypeClientDetail.php?Type=Biography&ObjId=430 In 1932, he was recruited to play football at Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
by their legendary coach Pop Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...
.
College career
Grayson's 1932 freshman team also included Bob Reynolds, Monk MoscripJim Moscrip
James Henderson "Monk" Moscrip was an American football player. Born in Adena, Ohio, attended The Kiski Prep School in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania before enrolling at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California...
and Bones Hamilton, and came to be known as the "Vow Boys." The 1932 Stanford varsity team was soundly defeated by the USC Trojans (USC). After watching the defeat, the freshmen players got together and vowed that they would never lose to the Trojans. In November 1933, Stanford defeated USC, and Grayson scored the Reskins' only touchdown. Time magazine reported that "Stanford's speedy Fullback Bobby Grayson slashed and passed through the Trojan line, punched over a touchdown," resulting in a "resounding crash" for "the fattest Humpty Dumpty of 1933 football." The Stanford team proceeded to beat USC three straight years from 1933–1935 — making good on the vow. Stanford was the dominant team on the Pacific Coast, appearing in the New Year's Day Rose Bowl game in each of those three years. In three seasons, Grayson was part of a Stanford team that compiled a 25–4–2 record and became the first team to play in three consecutive Rose Bowls.
In the 1934 Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
, Grayson rushed for 152 yards, a Rose Bowl record. Ernie Nevers said Grayson was "the best back I've ever seen." Grayson set numerous Stanford records. He set the record for most interceptions in a single game with four (two of which he returned for touchdowns) in a 1934 game against the University of Washington. His career total of 1,547 rushing yards in 405 carries established a Stanford record that stood for 20 years. A historical account of Grayson's accomplishments published by the LA84 Foundation notes:
"Bobby Grayson had the looks of a matinee idol; and he remains as one of the most publicized players in Pacific Coast football history. A member of the legendary 'Vow Boys' of Stanford, Grayson starred from 1933–1935 in an era that is regarded as the greatest in the school's gridiron history. A workhorse ball carrier from the fullback spot, Grayson combined speed and power in piling up the school's career reusing record that stood for nearly two decades. Grayson used sprinter-class speed in sweeping the ends, and his swivel-hipped moves eluded tacklers in the open field.; while he was as adept at battering up the middle and punishing opposing defensive lines."
Sportswriter Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
wrote of Grayson:
"Here is a big, fast back who can run an end, hit a line, kick, pass, block and handle any assignment given him."http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/graysonb.shtml#other
Grayson was the 21st player drafted in the 1936 NFL Draft
1936 NFL Draft
The 1936 National Football League Draft was the first draft of the National Football League. It took place on February 8, 1936 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and has taken place every year since. The draft was instituted in an effort to equalize strength amongst the...
— the inaugural NFL draft. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates but did not play professional football.
Military service
Grayson served as commanding officer of the minesweeper USS Loyalty (AMc-88)USS Loyalty (AMc-88)
USS Loyalty was an Accentor-class coastal minesweeper acquired by the U.S. Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing....
in the Pacific during World War II.
Legacy
Grayson died of a heart ailment in 1981 at age 66 in Bellevue, WashingtonBellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
. He was survived by his wife, Sue Grayson, and a son, Dan Grayson.
In 2003, the Oakland Tribune ranked Grayson as one Stanford's top ten players of all time, ranking him at number five behind Ernie Nevers, Jim Plunkett
Jim Plunkett
James William "Jim" Plunkett is a former American football quarterback who played college football for Stanford University, where he won the Heisman Trophy, and professionally for three National Football League teams: the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. ...
, Frankie Albert
Frankie Albert
Frank Cullen "Frankie" Albert was an American football player. He played as a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League...
, and John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
.
See also
- 1934 College Football All-America Team1934 College Football All-America TeamThe 1934 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1934 college football season...
- 1935 College Football All-America Team1935 College Football All-America TeamThe 1935 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams for the 1935 college football season...