Lou Baldacci
Encyclopedia
Louis Granville Baldacci (born December 17, 1934 in Richmond, Virginia
) is a former American football
player. He played college football
for the University of Michigan
from 1953 to 1955 and was the starting quarterback
for the 1953
and 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
s. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the 1956 NFL Draft
and played ten games as a halfback
in the 1956 NFL season
.
in 1934. He attended St. Vincent High School in Akron, Ohio
.
in 1952 and played for the Michigan Wolverines football
team from 1953 to 1955.
er in a 14-13 victory over Iowa
on October 10, 1953. He completed 7 of 11 passes for 100 yards, including a 31-yard completion to Ed Hickey. Baldacci also kicked a 38-yard field goal against Illinois in 1953, breaking the prior record set by Tom Harmon
in 1940; Baldacci's record was broken in 1961 by Doug Bickle.
. In November 1954, Baldacci led Michigan to a 33-7 win over the defending 1954 Rose Bowl
champions from Michigan State
. Baldacci scored Michigan's first touchdown on a four-yard run and later caught a 63-yard pass from Dan Cline to set up another touchdown.
in November 1955.
After the 1955 season, Baldacci was invited to play in two post-season all-star games. He played in the 1955 Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic and the 1956 Senior Bowl
. He scored the first touchdown for the Blue team in a 20-19 loss to the Gray team.
in the 1956 NFL Draft
and signed with the Steelers in July 1956. Baldacci played in ten games as a halfback
for the Steelers during the 1956 NFL season
. He was part of an all-Michigan backfield for Pittsburgh, joining former Michigan teammate Lowell Perry, University of Detroit star Ted Marchibroda
and Michigan State star Lynn Chandnois
. In November 1956, Baldacci's "hard-hitting" play was credited with powering the Steelers to a 14-7 upset victory over the Chicago Cardinals.
in 1957. He played with an Air Force football team at Hamilton Air Force Base
and was selected to the 1958 All-Air Force Football Team.
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
) is a former American football
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...
player. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
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...
from 1953 to 1955 and was the starting 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...
for the 1953
1953 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1953 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1953 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
and 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1954 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
s. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 1956 NFL Draft
1956 NFL Draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was held on November 29, 1955.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
and played ten games as a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
in the 1956 NFL season
1956 NFL season
The 1956 NFL season was the 37th regular season of the National Football League. CBS became the first network to televise some regular season games across the nation...
.
Early years
Baldacci was born in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in 1934. He attended St. Vincent High School in Akron, Ohio
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
.
University of Michigan
Baldacci enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity 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...
in 1952 and played for the Michigan Wolverines football
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...
team from 1953 to 1955.
1953 season
As a sophomore in 1953, Baldacci was the starting quarterback for all nine games played by Michigan. The 1953 team finished with a record of 6-3 and was ranked No. 19 in the final UPI poll and No. 20 in the final AP poll. Baldacci had his best game as a forward passForward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
er in a 14-13 victory over Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
on October 10, 1953. He completed 7 of 11 passes for 100 yards, including a 31-yard completion to Ed Hickey. Baldacci also kicked a 38-yard field goal against Illinois in 1953, breaking the prior record set by Tom Harmon
Tom Harmon
Thomas Dudley Harmon was a star player in American college football, a sports broadcaster, and patriarch of a family of American actors...
in 1940; Baldacci's record was broken in 1961 by Doug Bickle.
1954 season
As a junior in 1954, Baldacci split his time between the quarterback and fullback positions, playing in 309 of 540 minutes over the course of the nine-game season. He started five games at quarterback and one game at fullback for a Michigan team that again finished with a 6-3 record. The 1954 team was ranked No. 15 in the both the final UPI and AP polls. In the 1954 season opener, Baldacci scored both of Michigan's touchdowns in a 14-0 win over WashingtonWashington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
. In November 1954, Baldacci led Michigan to a 33-7 win over the defending 1954 Rose Bowl
1954 Rose Bowl
The 1954 Rose Bowl game, played on January 1, 1954 was the 40th Rose Bowl game. The Michigan State Spartans defeated the UCLA Bruins, 28–20. Michigan State halfback Billy Wells was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. This was the first year that Michigan State University was counted in...
champions from Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
. Baldacci scored Michigan's first touchdown on a four-yard run and later caught a 63-yard pass from Dan Cline to set up another touchdown.
1955 season
As a senior in 1955, Baldacci moved to the fullback position, starting seven of nine games for the Wolverines. The 1955 team improved to 7-2 and were ranked No. 12 in the final AP poll and No. 13 in the final UPI poll. In a 42-7 win over Missouri in September 1955, Baldacci had one of the best games of his career. He had two rushing touchdowns and also threw two passes, both of them completed for touchdowns. His best rushing total was 65 yards on 13 carries against IndianaIndiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
in November 1955.
After the 1955 season, Baldacci was invited to play in two post-season all-star games. He played in the 1955 Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic and the 1956 Senior Bowl
Senior Bowl
The Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
. He scored the first touchdown for the Blue team in a 20-19 loss to the Gray team.
Career statistics
During his three years playing with the Wolverines, Baldacci completed 31 of 69 passes for 398 yards, 3 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He also gained 352 yards rushing on 134 carries and 10 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes for 269 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns.Pittsburgh Steelers
Baldacci was selected by the Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 1956 NFL Draft
1956 NFL Draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was held on November 29, 1955.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
and signed with the Steelers in July 1956. Baldacci played in ten games as a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
for the Steelers during the 1956 NFL season
1956 NFL season
The 1956 NFL season was the 37th regular season of the National Football League. CBS became the first network to televise some regular season games across the nation...
. He was part of an all-Michigan backfield for Pittsburgh, joining former Michigan teammate Lowell Perry, University of Detroit star Ted Marchibroda
Ted Marchibroda
Theodore "Ted" Joseph Marchibroda is a former American football quarterback and head coach in the National Football League.-Player:...
and Michigan State star Lynn Chandnois
Lynn Chandnois
Lynn Chandnois was a former standout professional American football player who earned All-American honors for the Michigan State Spartans in 1949, the NFL Player Of The Year award for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1952 and twice made it to the Pro Bowl.After both his parents died, Lynn, who was born...
. In November 1956, Baldacci's "hard-hitting" play was credited with powering the Steelers to a 14-7 upset victory over the Chicago Cardinals.
Later years
Baldacci entered the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in 1957. He played with an Air Force football team at Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base
Hamilton Air Force Base was a United States Air Force base located along the western shore of San Pablo Bay, south of Novato, California.-History:...
and was selected to the 1958 All-Air Force Football Team.