On the gridiron, Cal Hubbard pioneered the modern linebacker position and was one of the most intimidating players in the National Football League.
But it was his remarkable ability to arbitrate the action on the baseball diamond that propelled Hubbard to become the only man in both the Pro Football and Baseball Halls of Fame.
“I’m just a big old country boy who hated to sit on the sidelines,” Hubbard said. “I wanted to be in the middle of the action.”
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing a menacing 250 pounds, Hubbard was the physical anchor for football’s most dominant defenses from 1927-36. He won four NFL championships with the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers and was named the league’s all-time tackle by a Pro Football Hall of Fame committee in 1969.
But by 1936, Hubbard was already moving on to a new career as an American League umpire. Hubbard had already umpired in the minor leagues during the football offseason beginning in 1928. In the 1936 NFL Championship game against Boston, Hubbard saw teammate Red Corzine’s leg get snapped and decided that was the end of his gridiron career.
“Well boys, if I’ve ever done anything to you all in my professional career, you’ve got a minute to settle the grudge,” Hubbard told his Giants teammates in the locker room. “This is positively my last football game.”
Hubbard’s extraordinary vision, often speculated to be at 20/10 level, and made him an excellent judge of balls and strikes. Furthermore, while Hubbard’s imposing size made him a tough man to intimidate, he was not quick to eject players.
“The best umpire is one who can handle a difficult situation and keep players in the game,” Hubbard explained. “However, you’ve got to know the rules.”
Indeed, Hubbard was revered by players, managers and executives for his extensive knowledge of the rulebook. In 16 years as a big league umpire, Hubbard was selected to call four World Series and three All-Star games.
In 1951, Hubbard was on a hunting trip when a ricocheting shotgun pellet damaged his eye. Though his remarkable vision was permanently weakened, Hubbard continued to impact the game as the American League’s supervisor of umpires. During his 17-year tenure as supervisor, Hubbard established clearly defined roles and field positions for each arbiter and helped Emmett Ashford become the first African-American umpire to work in the major leagues.
Hubbard ended his two-sport career when he retired from the American League office in 1969. Seven years later, Hubbard became the fifth umpire to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Hubbard passed away on Oct. 17, 1977.
FAQs
In recognition of his contributions to the game as an umpire and supervisor, Cal Hubbard was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, only the fifth umpire to be so honored up to that time. Hubbard died due to cancer October 17, 1977, in St. Petersburg. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery, Milan, Missouri.
Who is the only person in both the NFL and MLB Hall of Fame? ›
Cal Hubbard is the only man enshrined in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963) and the Baseball Hall of Fame (1976). The 6'5” tackle starred for nine NFL seasons with the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, who were later renamed the Steelers.
Where did Cal Hubbard go to college? ›
Cal Hubbard attended Centenary College of Louisiana and Geneva College.
Who is the only MLB player voted into the Hall of Fame unanimously? ›
Has anyone ever been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on their first ballot with unanimous support (or even close)? - Quora. One player was elected unanimously on the first ballot — that was Mariano Rivera. Cal Ripken Jr (98.53%, 537/545 votes).
Is anyone in 2 Hall of Fames? ›
Cal Hubbard is the only person inducted to both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Is Deion Sanders a billionaire? ›
Deion Sanders net worth is around $45 millions.
He earned significant amounts of money as a Major League Baseball (MLB) player. Over his MLB career, Sanders played for teams like the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. His earnings from baseball contributed notably to his overall net worth.
What MLB team has no Hall of Famers? ›
What MLB Teams Have No Hall of Famers? The Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, and Washington Nationals are the only active MLB teams without a single Hall of Fame inductee.
Who is the only athlete ever to be both an MLB All-Star and an NFL Pro Bowler? ›
Bo Jackson
Jackson is one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time, smashing prodigious home runs and rushing for jaw-dropping touchdowns. Playing for the Royals, White Sox and Angels from 1986-94, and the NFL's Raiders from 1987-90, Bo is the only athlete ever to be both an MLB All-Star and an NFL Pro Bowler.
Where did San Francisco's McCaffrey go to college? ›
McCaffrey played football at Stanford University and in 2014 as a sophom*ore in 2015, he was named AP College Football Player of the Year. That same year he was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, losing out to Alamaba running back Derrick Henry.
Where did Matt LaFleur go to college? ›
Born and raised in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, LaFleur attended Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and played wide receiver in 1998 and 1999. He transferred to Saginaw Valley State in Division II, and he played quarterback from 2000 to 2002, guiding the Cardinals to the D-II playoffs each season.
Drafted by the Panthers in the fourth round (126th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. Played for Oklahoma State from 2018-20, putting together a record season in 2019... Totaled 3,459 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns in career... Finished career ranked fourth in program history in rushing yards per game...
Why is Cal Ripken in the Hall of Fame? ›
He retired from baseball in October, 2001 after 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. His name appears in the record books repeatedly, most notably as one of only ten players in history to achieve 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. On July 29, 2007 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Why did they put the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown? ›
Coincidentally, in 1935 plans also were being formulated for an appropriate celebration in Cooperstown to mark baseball's upcoming 100th anniversary four years hence. Frick proposed that a Hall of Fame be established as part of the shrine to honor the game's immortals.
Who are the New York Giants baseball players in the Hall of Fame? ›
Numerous inductees of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum played for the New York Giants, including Christy Mathewson (a member of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class), John McGraw, Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Frankie Frisch, Ross Youngs and Travis Jackson.
Who was the first person in the Hall of Fame for baseball? ›
Class of 1936
In Baseball's first Hall of Fame class, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner, and Babe Ruth were inducted as five of the finest players of the era controlling the election ballots in 1936.
