Harry Newman
Encyclopedia
Harry Lawrence Newman was an American football
quarterback
who played for the University of Michigan
Wolverines
(1930–32), the New York Giants
(1933–35), and the Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers
(1936–37).
championship, and had a combined record of 24–1–2. As a senior in 1932, Newman led the team to an undefeated season and national championship, as he played 437 out of 480 minutes of game time in Michigan's eight games. In 1932, Newman was a unanimous first-team All-American
, and the recipient of the Douglas Fairbanks
Trophy as Outstanding College Player of the Year (predecessor of the Heisman Trophy
), and the Helms Athletic Foundation
Player of the Year Award, the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference
.
in 1933, Newman was an All-Pro
and led the NFL in passes completed (53), passing yards (973), touchdown passes (11), and longest pass completion (78 yards). Newman's 973 passing yards stood as the NFL single-season record until 1937 when Arnie Herber
threw for 1,239 yards. He also led the Giants, and was sixth in the NFL, with 437 yards rushing in 1933. With 1,547 yards of total offense
(973 passing, 437 rushing and 137 receiving), Newman personally accounted for more than half of the Giants' total offense in 1933. He was named to the All-Pro team, and led the Giants to the 1933 NFL championship game.
In the 1933 NFL Championship Game
against the Chicago Bears
, Newman threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Red Badgro
to give the Giants a 7–6 halftime lead. Newman's touchdown throw to Badgro was the first touchdown pass thrown in an NFL championship game. After the Bears went ahead 16–14 in the third quarter, Newman threw a second touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to give the Giants the lead, but the Bears scored the winning touchdown with less than one minute left to win the championship game, 23–21.
for the second consecutive season. The Giants went on to win their first NFL championship in 1934, but Newman's season was cut short after he broke two bones in his back during the tenth game of the season against the Chicago Bears
. Newman complained after the 1934 season that the new football adopted by the NFL in 1934 was "harder to pass" than the old one which had greater girth. He set the NFL single-game carries record of 38 which was tied in 1966 by Jim Nance
and broken in 1973 by O.J. Simpson.
, losing to the Detroit Lions
, 26–7. With the clock ticking off the final seconds of the championship game, Newman threw an interception that was run back 36 yards and resulted in a final score by the Lions.
In November 1935, Newman wrote a guest column for the New York Post
on the difference between the college and professional game. Newman wrote: "Among the Giants we kid a lot about how we feel Monday morning. Sometimes it's not too good. That's when the aches and pains begin to creep up on you. Boys, how you hate to get out of bed! The only difference between pro and amateur in that respect is that you ache all over a day later in pro football."
After the 1935 season, Newman credited his disappointing performance in 1935 to skating: "Skating is the best thing I know of to develop hip-swinging, judgment of distance, suppleness, dexterity, pivot and angle terms. I was off form in 1935 and the main reason was because I did no skating last winter. I did a lot in 1932–33 and followed it up with a great season on the gridiron."
In 1936, Giants's president John V. Mara said that the club had paid Newman $10,000 in 1935. Mara said that the owners had found out that it did not work out to pay one star $800 a game while the rest of the team was paid $100 per game, and the resentment sometimes showed. The owners reacted by trying to more evenly distributed money over the squad, such that Mara believed that the highest paid player in 1936 was paid only $500 per game.
and signed with the Brooklyn Tigers. Newman reportedly made the move "because he got a contract calling for a big increase in salary." Newman was one of the first established stars to switch to the new league, and sports writer Harry Grayson
reported on Newman's move: "Harry Newman, the former Michigan quarterback who has been the highest paid pro athlete of the last three campaigns, has left the Giants flat to perform with and be the business manager of the American League entry which plans to stage its games at the Yankee Stadium."
Even before the new league got started, it was reported to be tottering on the brink and a "big flop." As one report noted: "That in spite of the fact such outstanding players as Ken Strong
,Harry Newman and Gomer Jones
are slated to compete for the new clubs."
On October 19, 1936, Newman scored the Tigers' only touchdown in a loss to Pittsburgh at Forbes Field
.
On November 1, 1936, Newman made a "sensational 45-yard run" that "brought the crowd to its feet" just before the first quarter ended. Newman also kicked a field goal to give the Tigers a 3–0 lead over the New York Yankees, but the Yankees tied it with a field goal. Later in the game, Newman ran 75 yards for what appeared to be the winning touchdown, but the play was called back on a clipping penalty. In response to the penalty call, the crowd at Yankee Stadium "booed lustily."
On November 8, 1936, Newman lateraled for both of Brooklyn's touchdowns and kicked both extra points in a 15–14 loss to the Cleveland Rams.
, where they played the final two games of the 1936 season. In announcing the move, one report focused on Newman as one of the best players in the new league: "Headlining the Rochester cast is Harry Newman, football's greatest passer . . . Newman is the leading ground gainer in the American League, despite the fact that he is with a second division club."
The Rochester Tigers lost to the Rams again in late November by a score of 7–6 on "a snow-swept gridiron." Newman put the Tigers ahead with two 35-yard field goals in the fourth quarter, but the Rams recovered a fumble behind the Tigers' goal line to win the game.
The Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers finished the 1936 season in last place in the new league with a record of 0–6–1, and were outscored 82–58.
Newman closed the season on December 20, 1936 playing for the New York Yankees against the Boston Shamrocks. The Yankees won, 25–19, and Newman "booted a perfect kick from placement on the 30-yard line."
Newman and Mike Palm owned the Tigers franchise and moved it to Rochester for two games at the end of 1936. However, in March 1937, Newman and Palm said they expected to move the franchise out of Rochester unless a minimum of $25,000 in cash subscriptions could be raised.
On September 14, 1937, a group of 30 men announced the formation of the Rochester Professional Football Team, Inc. to continue operation of the Rochester Tigers. Newman and Mike Palm were named as the coaches. Newman drew a salary of $250 per game for Rochester in 1937, higher than the professional average of $100, but less than the $425 paid to Sammy Baugh
. The Tigers opened with a 16–0 loss to the Boston Shamrocks, followed by a 17–14 win over the Cincinnati Red Legs. They followed with a 6–0 win over the Boston Shamrocks, as Newman kicked a field goal in the win. On October 24, 1937, Newman and Bill O'Neill led the Tigers to a 24–0 victory over the New York Yankees, as the Tigers moved into second place with a 3–2 record behind the Los Angeles Bulldogs. In the season's sixth game, Newman led the Tigers to a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, throwing three passes to account for a touchdown and then kicking the extra point in the final minute and a half. Newman and former Pitt halfback Mike Sebastian
were the mainstays of the 1937 Tigers.
On November 14, 1937, the Tigers played the first place Los Angeles Bulldogs. The Bulldogs took a 35–0 lead before Newman launched a comeback attempt. Newman ran 25 yards for a touchdown and threw two touchdown passes, but the Bulldogs won, 48–21.
After the 1937, season the American Professional Football League folded, and Newman retired from football.
and owned Ford dealerships in Detroit and Denver.
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...
who played for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
(1930–32), 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...
(1933–35), and the Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers
Rochester Tigers
The Rochester Tigers were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Owned by Mike Palm and Harry Newman, the Tigers were originally awarded to Rochester as a charter member of the AFL, but were shifted to Brooklyn two weeks...
(1936–37).
College career
In Newman's three years at Michigan, the Wolverines lost only one game, won three Big Ten ConferenceBig Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship, and had a combined record of 24–1–2. As a senior in 1932, Newman led the team to an undefeated season and national championship, as he played 437 out of 480 minutes of game time in Michigan's eight games. In 1932, Newman was a unanimous first-team All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, and the recipient of the Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro....
Trophy as Outstanding College Player of the Year (predecessor of the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
), and the Helms Athletic Foundation
Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
Player of the Year Award, the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
.
1933 season
As a rookie with the New York GiantsNew 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...
in 1933, Newman was an All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
and led the NFL in passes completed (53), passing yards (973), touchdown passes (11), and longest pass completion (78 yards). Newman's 973 passing yards stood as the NFL single-season record until 1937 when Arnie Herber
Arnie Herber
Arnold "Arnie" Charles Herber 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...
threw for 1,239 yards. He also led the Giants, and was sixth in the NFL, with 437 yards rushing in 1933. With 1,547 yards of total offense
Total offense
Total offense is an American football and Canadian football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player...
(973 passing, 437 rushing and 137 receiving), Newman personally accounted for more than half of the Giants' total offense in 1933. He was named to the All-Pro team, and led the Giants to the 1933 NFL championship game.
In the 1933 NFL Championship Game
NFL Championship Game, 1933
The 1933 National Football League Championship game was held on December 17, 1933 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The attendance was estimated at 26,000. This was the first scheduled championship game since the NFL's founding in 1920...
against 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...
, Newman threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Red Badgro
Red Badgro
Morris Hiram "Red" Badgro was a professional American football end in the National Football League for the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and the Brooklyn Dodgers...
to give the Giants a 7–6 halftime lead. Newman's touchdown throw to Badgro was the first touchdown pass thrown in an NFL championship game. After the Bears went ahead 16–14 in the third quarter, Newman threw a second touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to give the Giants the lead, but the Bears scored the winning touchdown with less than one minute left to win the championship game, 23–21.
1934 season
In 1934, Newman was the Giant's leading rusher and passer, and was an All-ProAll-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
for the second consecutive season. The Giants went on to win their first NFL championship in 1934, but Newman's season was cut short after he broke two bones in his back during the tenth game of the season against 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...
. Newman complained after the 1934 season that the new football adopted by the NFL in 1934 was "harder to pass" than the old one which had greater girth. He set the NFL single-game carries record of 38 which was tied in 1966 by Jim Nance
Jim Nance
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance was an American collegiate and Professional Football fullback with the Boston Patriots during their days in the American Football League...
and broken in 1973 by O.J. Simpson.
1935 season
In early September 1935, there were reports that Newman might not return to the Giants' backfield, because he did not want to leave his Detroit liquor business. Newman announced he was quitting professional football and did not play the first few weeks of the season. Then, on October 15, 1935, Newman announced that he had changed his mind and signed a contract to play with the Giants beginning the following Saturday. After his return, Newman wrote: "Football still is fun. If it weren't it wouldn't be worth while, regardless of how much they paid you for it. Believe me, I've missed it the few weeks I was out and I was mighty glad to get back into action." Newman played in eight games (four as a starter) for a Giants team that once again advanced to the NFL Championship GameNFL Championship Game, 1935
The 1935 National Football League Championship game was held on December 15, 1935 at University of Detroit Stadium in Detroit. It was the 3rd annual title game for the NFL...
, losing to the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, 26–7. With the clock ticking off the final seconds of the championship game, Newman threw an interception that was run back 36 yards and resulted in a final score by the Lions.
In November 1935, Newman wrote a guest column for the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
on the difference between the college and professional game. Newman wrote: "Among the Giants we kid a lot about how we feel Monday morning. Sometimes it's not too good. That's when the aches and pains begin to creep up on you. Boys, how you hate to get out of bed! The only difference between pro and amateur in that respect is that you ache all over a day later in pro football."
After the 1935 season, Newman credited his disappointing performance in 1935 to skating: "Skating is the best thing I know of to develop hip-swinging, judgment of distance, suppleness, dexterity, pivot and angle terms. I was off form in 1935 and the main reason was because I did no skating last winter. I did a lot in 1932–33 and followed it up with a great season on the gridiron."
In 1936, Giants's president John V. Mara said that the club had paid Newman $10,000 in 1935. Mara said that the owners had found out that it did not work out to pay one star $800 a game while the rest of the team was paid $100 per game, and the resentment sometimes showed. The owners reacted by trying to more evenly distributed money over the squad, such that Mara believed that the highest paid player in 1936 was paid only $500 per game.
Brooklyn Tigers (1936)
In 1936, Newman jumped to the new American Football LeagueAmerican Football League (1936)
Sometimes called AFL II, the second American Football League was a professional American football league that operated in 1936 and 1937. The AFL operated in direct competition with the more established National Football League throughout its existence...
and signed with the Brooklyn Tigers. Newman reportedly made the move "because he got a contract calling for a big increase in salary." Newman was one of the first established stars to switch to the new league, and sports writer Harry Grayson
Harry Grayson
Harry Markey Grayson was an American sportswriter. He was the sports editor of the Newspaper Enterprise Association from 1934 to 1963.-Baseball:* , February 5, 1936*, March 18, 1938...
reported on Newman's move: "Harry Newman, the former Michigan quarterback who has been the highest paid pro athlete of the last three campaigns, has left the Giants flat to perform with and be the business manager of the American League entry which plans to stage its games at the Yankee Stadium."
Even before the new league got started, it was reported to be tottering on the brink and a "big flop." As one report noted: "That in spite of the fact such outstanding players as Ken Strong
Ken Strong
Elmer Kenneth Strong, Jr. was a college and professional American football player. After a college career as multi-year All-American at New York University, he went on to play professional football. As a halfback with a 14-year career he played from 1929–1937, 1939, 1944-1947...
,Harry Newman and Gomer Jones
Gomer Jones
-External links:...
are slated to compete for the new clubs."
On October 19, 1936, Newman scored the Tigers' only touchdown in a loss to Pittsburgh at Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
.
On November 1, 1936, Newman made a "sensational 45-yard run" that "brought the crowd to its feet" just before the first quarter ended. Newman also kicked a field goal to give the Tigers a 3–0 lead over the New York Yankees, but the Yankees tied it with a field goal. Later in the game, Newman ran 75 yards for what appeared to be the winning touchdown, but the play was called back on a clipping penalty. In response to the penalty call, the crowd at Yankee Stadium "booed lustily."
On November 8, 1936, Newman lateraled for both of Brooklyn's touchdowns and kicked both extra points in a 15–14 loss to the Cleveland Rams.
Rochester Tigers (1936–37)
In mid-November 1936, the Tigers franchise moved to Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, where they played the final two games of the 1936 season. In announcing the move, one report focused on Newman as one of the best players in the new league: "Headlining the Rochester cast is Harry Newman, football's greatest passer . . . Newman is the leading ground gainer in the American League, despite the fact that he is with a second division club."
The Rochester Tigers lost to the Rams again in late November by a score of 7–6 on "a snow-swept gridiron." Newman put the Tigers ahead with two 35-yard field goals in the fourth quarter, but the Rams recovered a fumble behind the Tigers' goal line to win the game.
The Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers finished the 1936 season in last place in the new league with a record of 0–6–1, and were outscored 82–58.
Newman closed the season on December 20, 1936 playing for the New York Yankees against the Boston Shamrocks. The Yankees won, 25–19, and Newman "booted a perfect kick from placement on the 30-yard line."
Newman and Mike Palm owned the Tigers franchise and moved it to Rochester for two games at the end of 1936. However, in March 1937, Newman and Palm said they expected to move the franchise out of Rochester unless a minimum of $25,000 in cash subscriptions could be raised.
On September 14, 1937, a group of 30 men announced the formation of the Rochester Professional Football Team, Inc. to continue operation of the Rochester Tigers. Newman and Mike Palm were named as the coaches. Newman drew a salary of $250 per game for Rochester in 1937, higher than the professional average of $100, but less than the $425 paid to 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...
. The Tigers opened with a 16–0 loss to the Boston Shamrocks, followed by a 17–14 win over the Cincinnati Red Legs. They followed with a 6–0 win over the Boston Shamrocks, as Newman kicked a field goal in the win. On October 24, 1937, Newman and Bill O'Neill led the Tigers to a 24–0 victory over the New York Yankees, as the Tigers moved into second place with a 3–2 record behind the Los Angeles Bulldogs. In the season's sixth game, Newman led the Tigers to a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, throwing three passes to account for a touchdown and then kicking the extra point in the final minute and a half. Newman and former Pitt halfback Mike Sebastian
Mike Sebastian
Michael John "Lefty" Sebastian, aka Rose of Sharon was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Cleveland Rams...
were the mainstays of the 1937 Tigers.
On November 14, 1937, the Tigers played the first place Los Angeles Bulldogs. The Bulldogs took a 35–0 lead before Newman launched a comeback attempt. Newman ran 25 yards for a touchdown and threw two touchdown passes, but the Bulldogs won, 48–21.
After the 1937, season the American Professional Football League folded, and Newman retired from football.
Later years
Newman later became an executive with Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and owned Ford dealerships in Detroit and Denver.
Honors and accolades
Newman received numerous honors and accolades, including the following:- Recipient of the Chicago Tribune Silver FootballChicago Tribune Silver FootballThe Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference in 1932. - Unanimous choice as an All-AmericanCollege Football All-America TeamThe College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
in 1932. - Douglas FairbanksDouglas FairbanksDouglas Fairbanks, Sr. was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro....
Trophy as Outstanding College Player of the Year (predecessor of the Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
), Douglas Fairbanks Trophy, 1932. - Helms Athletic FoundationHelms Athletic FoundationThe Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...
Player of the Year Award, 1932 and 1933. - Inducted into the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1975. - Inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in 1983.
- Inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of FameInternational Jewish Sports Hall of FameThe International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
in 1992. - Selected in 2005 as one of the 100 greatest Michigan football players of all time by the "Motown Sports Revival," ranking 12th on the all-time team.
See also
- List of Michigan Wolverines football All-Americans
- History of the New York Giants (1925-1978)
- University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorUniversity of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorThe University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor, founded in 1978, recognizes University of Michigan athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made significant contributions to the university's athletic programs...
- List of select Jewish football players