Arnie Herber
Encyclopedia
Arnold "Arnie" Charles Herber (April 2, 1910 – October 14, 1969) was a professional American football
quarterback
in the National Football League
for the Green Bay Packers
and New York Giants
. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1966. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
for one year before transferring to Regis College
.
in football and basketball
. After attending college for a few years to no notoriety, Herber came back to Green Bay and worked in the Club House as a handyman. Coach Curly Lambeau
gave Herber a try-out and Herber joined a team that was currently dominating the NFL.
in the famous Notre Dame Box
formation. In 1931, with Herber throwing more than usual for that era to early greats like John "Blood" McNally, the Packers reeled off nine straight wins to start the season and held on to win a third straight title. No other team in NFL history, besides the Packers themselves in the 1960s, has won three consecutive titles.
The NFL didn't start keeping statistics until 1932—when they did that year, Herber finished as the top passer in the league with 639 yards and nine touchdowns. He won the passing title again in 1933 with 799 yards and eight touchdowns. But Herber reached his peak as a pro starting in 1935 with the arrival of Don Hutson
. Hutson, the league's first true wide receiver
, changed the game with his graceful moves, precise patterns, and superb hands. Herber, who loved to throw the ball long, was a perfect fit for Hutson's talent. Hutson's first NFL reception was an 83-yard touchdown pass from Herber on the first play of the game when the Packers beat the Chicago Bears
, 7-0. In 1936, Herber and Hutson rewrote (temporarily) the NFL passing-receiving record book. Herber tossed a record 177 passes for a record 1239 yards, and 11 touchdowns. Hutson set new records with 34 catches, 526 yards receiving, and eight touchdowns, all marks he would soon improve. Green Bay finished 10-1-1 and went to the NFL title game, which they won 21-6 over the Boston Redskins. In that game, Green Bay passed for 153 yards and Herber threw two touchdowns, one to Hutson.
Sharing time with another great passer, Cecil Isbell
, Herber led the Packers to the title game again in 1938 and 1939
. In the 1938 championship, Green Bay lost to the New York Giants
23-17 despite another touchdown pass from Herber. In 1939, Green Bay avenged that loss with a 27-0 drubbing of the Giants. Herber threw for another touchdown in the 1939 title game. In 1940, Isbell began to get more playing time than Arnie, so Herber retired after 11 seasons with Green Bay.
He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1967.
Herber was the first great long thrower in the NFL and his success paved the way for truly "modern" quarterbacks Sammy Baugh
and Sid Luckman
. Herber was said to hold the ball with his thumb on the laces, a peculiarity shared by Sammy Baugh. It was his work with Don Hutson, however, that made him a legend and assured his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
.
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...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1966. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
for one year before transferring to Regis College
Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
.
Before the NFL
Herber was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin and was a Packers fan from a young age, all while starring at local West High SchoolGreen Bay West High School
Green Bay West High School is a high school in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at 966 Shawano Ave. Founded in the early 1900s, it recently in late 2001 underwent significant renovations, adding a new west wing and completely reconfiguring the cafeteria...
in football and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. After attending college for a few years to no notoriety, Herber came back to Green Bay and worked in the Club House as a handyman. Coach Curly Lambeau
Curly Lambeau
Earl Louis "Curly" Lambeau was founder, player, and first coach of the Green Bay Packers professional American football team...
gave Herber a try-out and Herber joined a team that was currently dominating the NFL.
Green Bay Packers career
Green Bay had posted an undefeated 12-0-1 record and won the NFL title the year before Herber was on the roster. In his first year, 1930, the Packers continued their success and won another title with Herber playing tailbackTailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
in the famous Notre Dame Box
Notre Dame Box
The Notre Dame Box was a variation of the single-wing formation used in American football, with great success by Notre Dame in college football and the Green Bay Packers of the 1920s and 1930s in the NFL...
formation. In 1931, with Herber throwing more than usual for that era to early greats like John "Blood" McNally, the Packers reeled off nine straight wins to start the season and held on to win a third straight title. No other team in NFL history, besides the Packers themselves in the 1960s, has won three consecutive titles.
The NFL didn't start keeping statistics until 1932—when they did that year, Herber finished as the top passer in the league with 639 yards and nine touchdowns. He won the passing title again in 1933 with 799 yards and eight touchdowns. But Herber reached his peak as a pro starting in 1935 with the arrival of Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
. Hutson, the league's first true wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
, changed the game with his graceful moves, precise patterns, and superb hands. Herber, who loved to throw the ball long, was a perfect fit for Hutson's talent. Hutson's first NFL reception was an 83-yard touchdown pass from Herber on the first play of the game when the Packers beat the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 7-0. In 1936, Herber and Hutson rewrote (temporarily) the NFL passing-receiving record book. Herber tossed a record 177 passes for a record 1239 yards, and 11 touchdowns. Hutson set new records with 34 catches, 526 yards receiving, and eight touchdowns, all marks he would soon improve. Green Bay finished 10-1-1 and went to the NFL title game, which they won 21-6 over the Boston Redskins. In that game, Green Bay passed for 153 yards and Herber threw two touchdowns, one to Hutson.
Sharing time with another great passer, Cecil Isbell
Cecil Isbell
-Pro:-External links:...
, Herber led the Packers to the title game again in 1938 and 1939
NFL Championship Game, 1939
The 1939 National Football League Championship game was held on December 10, 1939 at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis near Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This was the seventh NFL championship game played...
. In the 1938 championship, Green Bay lost to the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
23-17 despite another touchdown pass from Herber. In 1939, Green Bay avenged that loss with a 27-0 drubbing of the Giants. Herber threw for another touchdown in the 1939 title game. In 1940, Isbell began to get more playing time than Arnie, so Herber retired after 11 seasons with Green Bay.
New York Giants career
Herber came back to the draft-depleted NFL in 1944, answering a call to play for the New York Giants. Herber threw sparingly but efficiently, for 651 yards and six touchdowns. As usual for Herber-led teams, the Giants won their conference and went to the title game. Herber's old squad, the Packers, still featuring Don Hutson, beat the Giants 14-7. Herber played one more forgettable season with the Giants and then retired for good.Professional statistics
| Passing | Rushing | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | G | S | Comp | Att | Pct | Yds | YPA | Td | Int | Rate | Att | Yds | Avg | Td | Fum | Lost | |
| 1930 1930 Green Bay Packers season The 1930 Green Bay Packers season was their 10th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-3-1 record under coach Curly Lambeau earning them a first-place finish and the Packers' second consecutive National Football League Championship.... |
GNB Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| 1931 1931 Green Bay Packers season The 1931 Green Bay Packers season was their 11th in the National Football League. The club posted a 12-2 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a first-place finish and the Packers third consecutive National Football League Championship. The Packers became the first NFL team to win three... |
GNB | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| 1932 1932 Green Bay Packers season The 1932 Green Bay Packers season was their 12th in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-3-1 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a 2nd-place finish despite winning three more games than the champion Chicago Bears. With only one loss, the Bears' winning percentage was... |
GNB | 14 | - | 37 | 101 | 36.6 | 639 | 6.33 | 9 | 9 | 51.5 | 64 | 149 | 2.3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1933 1933 Green Bay Packers season The 1933 Green Bay Packers season was their 13th season in the National Football League . This was the first year of divisional play and Green Bay competed in the Western Division. The club posted a 5-7-1 record under coach Curly Lambeau, the first losing season in team history... |
GNB | 11 | - | 50 | 124 | 40.3 | 656 | 5.29 | 3 | 12 | 26.2 | 62 | 77 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934 1934 Green Bay Packers season The 1934 Green Bay Packers season was their 14th season in the National Football League . The club posted a 7-6-0 record under coach Curly Lambeau. The Packers played their Milwaukee, Wisconsin home games at Wisconsin State Fair Park.... |
GNB | 11 | - | 42 | 115 | 36.5 | 799 | 6.95 | 8 | 12 | 45.1 | 37 | 33 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1935 1935 Green Bay Packers season The 1935 Green Bay Packers season was their 15th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 8-4 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a second-place finish in the Western Conference. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive... |
GNB | 11 | - | 48 | 109 | 36.7 | 729 | 6.69 | 8 | 14 | 45.4 | 19 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936 1936 Green Bay Packers season The 1936 Green Bay Packers season was their 16th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 10-1-1 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a first-place finish in the NFL's Western Division.... |
GNB | 12 | - | 77 | 173 | 44.5 | 1,239 | 7.16 | 11 | 13 | 58.9 | 20 | -32 | -1.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 1937 Green Bay Packers season The 1937 Green Bay Packers season was their 17th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 7-4 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a second-place finish in the Western Conference.-Schedule:-Standings:-References:*... |
GNB | 9 | - | 47 | 104 | 45.2 | 684 | 6.58 | 7 | 10 | 50.0 | 5 | 9 | 1.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 1938 Green Bay Packers season The 1938 Green Bay Packers season was their 18th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 8-3 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a first-place finish in the Western Conference. The Packers lost to the Giants 23-17 in the 1938 NFL Championship Game... |
GNB | 8 | - | 22 | 55 | 40.0 | 336 | 6.11 | 3 | 4 | 48.8 | 6 | -1 | -0.2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1939 1939 Green Bay Packers season The 1939 Green Bay Packers season was their 19th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 9-2 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning a first-place finish in the Western Conference... |
GNB | 10 | - | 57 | 139 | 41.0 | 1,107 | 7.96 | 8 | 9 | 61.6 | 18 | -11 | -0.6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1940 1940 Green Bay Packers season The 1940 Green Bay Packers season was their 20th season in the National Football League. The club posted a 6-4-1 record under coach Curly Lambeau, earning them a second-place finish in the Western Conference.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Roster:... |
GNB | 10 | - | 38 | 89 | 42.7 | 560 | 6.29 | 6 | 7 | 53.6 | 6 | -23 | -3.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1944 1944 New York Giants season The 1944 New York Giants season was the 20th season for the club in the National Football League.-Schedule:-Playoffs:-Standings:-See also:*List of New York Giants seasons... |
NYG | 10 | - | 36 | 86 | 41.9 | 651 | 7.57 | 6 | 8 | 53.0 | 7 | -58 | -8.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945 1945 New York Giants season The 1945 New York Giants season was the 21st season for the club in the National Football League.-Schedule:-Standings:-See also:*List of New York Giants seasons... |
NYG | 10 | - | 35 | 80 | 43.8 | 641 | 8.01 | 9 | 8 | 69.8 | 6 | -27 | -4.5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Totals | 129 | - | 481 | 1175 | 40.9 | 8,041 | 6.84 | 81 | 106 | 50.1 | 250 | 116 | .5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |
| Source: http://www.nfl.com/players/profile?id=HER025169 | |||||||||||||||||
Legacy
Overall, Herber passed for 8,041 yards, 81 touchdowns, and 106 interceptions. He led his teams to four NFL championships.He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
in 1967.
Herber was the first great long thrower in the NFL and his success paved the way for truly "modern" quarterbacks Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
and Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
. Herber was said to hold the ball with his thumb on the laces, a peculiarity shared by Sammy Baugh. It was his work with Don Hutson, however, that made him a legend and assured his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
External links
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: Member biography