Hank Bauer (football player)
Encyclopedia
Henry John Bauer is a former American football
running back
and professional television and radio broadcaster.
After graduating California Lutheran University
, Bauer signed as a free agent in 1976 with the Dallas Cowboys only to be cut in training camp. He was picked up in 1977 by the San Diego Chargers
and went on to a distinguished playing and broadcasting career entirely in San Diego. Bauer was honored in November 2009 as one of the 50 Greatest Chargers in team history as part of the Chargers' 50th Anniversary season celebration held at a large outdoor ceremony in downtown San Diego. Bauer also developed as a noted media spokesman during his career and went on to TV sportcasting as well as radio.
Bauer holds the NFL single season record for most special teams tackles with 52. As a short-yardage specialist and often referred to "Hank the Howitzer" for his explosive running, Bauer finished one season with 18 carries for a total of 28 yards, scoring 8 touchdowns and achieving 9 first downs. Bauer was forced to retire in 1983, after playing six games with a broken neck. He later coached running backs and special teams for four years with the Chargers, then became a sports anchor for KFMB
from 1987-2002.
Since 1998 he has been the color commentator
for the Chargers radio broadcasts on FM105.3 and AM1360 in San Diego. Bauer appeared in the NFL Films production, "Americas Game: Missing Rings" with Dan Fouts
and Kellen Winslow
with several observations about their 1981-1982 season. Bauer was the sports anchor at KFMB-TV8 in San Diego from 1987 through March, 2003.
Bauer appeared and provided commentary in the NFL Films production, "The San Diego Chargers: The Complete History" released on DVD in September, 2009 commemorating their 50th anniversary.
The highlight of his career included two USO tours on behalf of the NFL. 1979 he joined Joe Klecko, Jon Kolb, and Matt Blair visiting troops in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Hawaii. In 1980 he became one of only 19 players to make more than one USO Tour, visiting troops in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Germany.
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...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and professional television and radio broadcaster.
After graduating California Lutheran University
California Lutheran University
California Lutheran University is a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Thousand Oaks, California.-Mission statement:The University's mission statement is as follows:...
, Bauer signed as a free agent in 1976 with the Dallas Cowboys only to be cut in training camp. He was picked up in 1977 by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and went on to a distinguished playing and broadcasting career entirely in San Diego. Bauer was honored in November 2009 as one of the 50 Greatest Chargers in team history as part of the Chargers' 50th Anniversary season celebration held at a large outdoor ceremony in downtown San Diego. Bauer also developed as a noted media spokesman during his career and went on to TV sportcasting as well as radio.
Bauer holds the NFL single season record for most special teams tackles with 52. As a short-yardage specialist and often referred to "Hank the Howitzer" for his explosive running, Bauer finished one season with 18 carries for a total of 28 yards, scoring 8 touchdowns and achieving 9 first downs. Bauer was forced to retire in 1983, after playing six games with a broken neck. He later coached running backs and special teams for four years with the Chargers, then became a sports anchor for KFMB
KFMB
KFMB may refer to:* KFMB , a radio station licensed to San Diego, California, United States* KFMB-FM, a radio station licensed to San Diego, California, United States...
from 1987-2002.
Since 1998 he has been the color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
for the Chargers radio broadcasts on FM105.3 and AM1360 in San Diego. Bauer appeared in the NFL Films production, "Americas Game: Missing Rings" with Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
and Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow
Kellen Boswell Winslow is a former American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. He is currently the athletic director at Central State University.Winslow did not play high...
with several observations about their 1981-1982 season. Bauer was the sports anchor at KFMB-TV8 in San Diego from 1987 through March, 2003.
Bauer appeared and provided commentary in the NFL Films production, "The San Diego Chargers: The Complete History" released on DVD in September, 2009 commemorating their 50th anniversary.
The highlight of his career included two USO tours on behalf of the NFL. 1979 he joined Joe Klecko, Jon Kolb, and Matt Blair visiting troops in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Hawaii. In 1980 he became one of only 19 players to make more than one USO Tour, visiting troops in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Germany.