Age: 23
2nd
season in pro football & with 49ers
College: Oklahoma
Height: 6’0” Weight: 193
Prelude:
Baker was a
quarterback and defensive back in college on teams coached by Bud Wilkinson
that went a combined 30-2 from 1956 to ’58. He led the Sooners in passing in
1957 and had a 94-yard interception return in the Orange Bowl following that
season. Baker was chosen by the 49ers in the first round of the 1959 NFL draft
(fifth overall) and he moved directly into the defensive backfield, combining
with another rookie, Eddie Dove, to provide an effective safety tandem. He
intercepted five passes and was named to the Pro Bowl.
1960 Season Summary
Appeared in all
12 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Interceptions
– 10 [1, tied with Jerry Norton]
Most
interceptions, game – 4 at LA Rams 12/4
Int. return
yards – 96 [9, tied with Jerry Norton]
Most int.
return yards, game – 49 (on 4 int.) at LA Rams 12/4
Int. TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 0
Punting
Punts – 3 [19,
tied with Eddie LeBaron]
Yards – 143 [19]
Average – 47.7
Punts blocked
– 0
Longest punt
– 55 yards
Awards &
Honors:
2nd
team All-NFL: AP, UPI, NEA, NY Daily News
49ers went 7-5
to finish second in the NFL Western Conference (tied with the Detroit Lions)
while leading the league in fewest points allowed (205).
Aftermath:
Baker intercepted
another six passes and was a first-team All-NFL selection by The Sporting News
in 1961. He then served two years in the military but, rather than return to
the NFL, accepted an offer to become athletic director and men’s basketball
coach at Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University). Overall, in
a short but outstanding career, Baker intercepted 21 passes in just three
seasons with the 49ers, gaining first- or second-team All-NFL honors after two
of them and one Pro Bowl selection. To date, he shares the NFL record with his four-interception game against
the Rams and the 10
interceptions in 1960 are still the franchise record for the 49ers (tied by
Ronnie Lott in 1986).
--
Highlighted Years features players who were consensus
first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the
following statistical categories:
Rushing:
Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing:
Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving:
Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs,
Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose:
Total Yards
Defense:
Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff
Returns: Average
Punt Returns:
Average
Punting:
Average
*Leagues
include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL
(1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)
**NFC/AFC
since 1970
