Age: 23
1st
season in pro football
College: Texas
Christian
Height: 6’2” Weight: 185
Prelude:
The
multi-talented Baugh was a two-time All-American at TCU, where he passed for
3439 yards and 39 touchdowns and was also an outstanding punter. While a
baseball prospect as well, “Slingin’ Sammy” signed with the Redskins, newly
relocated from Boston to Washington, who chose him in the first round of the
1937 NFL draft (sixth overall). A passing tailback in the single-wing offense, he
improved as the season progressed and impressed with his poise as well as
precision throwing ability.
1937 Season Summary
Appeared in
all 11 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Passing
Attempts – 171
[1]
Completions –
81 [1]
Yards – 1127
[1]
Completion
percentage – 47.4 [2]
Yards per
attempt – 6.6 [2]
TD passes – 8
[2, tied with Bob Monnett & Ed Danowski]
Most TD
passes, game – 2 vs. Chi. Cardinals 9/24
Interceptions
– 14 [1, tied with Dave Smukler]
Passer rating
– 50.5 [2]
Rushing
Attempts – 86
[19]
Yards – 240
Yards per
attempt – 2.8
TDs – 1 [17,
tied with many others]
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Postseason: 1
G (NFL Championship at Chicago Bears)
Pass attempts
– 33
Pass
completions – 18
Passing
yardage – 335
TD passes – 3
Interceptions
– 1
Rushing
attempts – 4
Rushing yards
– 6
Average gain
rushing – 1.5
Rushing TDs –
0
Punts – 5
Punting yards
– 132
Punting
average – 26.4
Longest punt
– 43 yards
Awards &
Honors:
1st
team All-NFL: League, INS, UPI, NY Daily News
Redskins went
8-3 to finish first in the NFL Eastern Division. Won NFL Championship over
Chicago Bears (28-21).
Aftermath:
Baugh went on
to play 16 seasons in the NFL, all with the Redskins. Along the way, utilizing
his sidearm passing motion to excellent effect he led the league in numerous
statistical categories, including passing yards four times, touchdown passes
twice, and overall passing on six occasions. Baugh also excelled on defense and
as a punter and in 1943 led the NFL in passing, punting (45.9 avg.), and
interceptions (11). The Redskins benefited from his wide-open style and won
five Eastern Division titles and two league championships in Baugh’s first nine
seasons. After a difficult year of transition to the T-formation in 1944, Baugh
came back to set a completion percentage record of 70.3 (that lasted until
1982) as the Redskins topped the Eastern Division, and he continued to excel
even as the team went into decline thereafter, up until his retirement in 1952.
Overall, he passed for 21,886 yards and 187 TDs with a 56.5 percent completion
percentage on 1693 completions in 2995 attempts, all of which were NFL records
at the time. Baugh, masterful at the art of the quick-kick, also set league
records with a 51.4-yard average in 1940 and a career average of 45.1 yards,
leading the league five times. On defense, he intercepted 31 passes. Baugh
received first-team All-NFL recognition after seven seasons and second-team
honors following two other years. His #33 was retired by the Redskins (the only
retired number thus far in franchise history) and he was inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame as a Charter Member in 1963. He went on to become a head
coach in the AFL with the New York Titans and Houston Oilers.
--
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
