Member Biography

Tom Harmon of Michigan reeled off a succession of big plays in his career. In 1939 he went 95 yards with an intercepted pass against Iowa, scored on Pennsylvania with runs of 65 and 35 yards, and made all his team's points in a 27-7 victory over Yale. He opened the 1940 season on his 21st birthday at California and scored on runs of 94, 86, 70 and 65 yards. Tom's last college game was in Michigan's 40-0 victory at Ohio State. He ran for three touchdowns, passed for two, kicked four extra points, returned three kickoffs for 81 yards, intercepted three passes and punted three times for an average of 50 yards. The home crowd at Ohio State gave him a standing ovation. Tom led the nation in scoring in 1939 and 1940, was All-America both years and won the Heisman Trophy in 1940. He joined the Army Air Corps, was shot down twice, received the Silver Star and Purple Heart. Tom played with the Los Angeles Rams 1946-1947, then became a nationally acclaimed broadcaster. He was born September 28, 1919, in Rensselaer, Indiana, and died March 15, 1990, in Los Angeles. Tom attended Horace Mann High School, Gary, Indiana, and was a star in three sports.