Line 44: | Line 44: | ||
He later joined the Army Air Force during [[World War II]] and become a [[Flight Officer]] stationed in [[Shamshernagar]], India flying resupply mission on [[the Hump]]. In June of 1945, the Army Air Force announced plans to form 7 football teams and in August, Martin was selected to ship out to [[Berry Field Air National Guard Base|Berry Field]] in Nashville to play for the [[Air Transport Command]] Rockets that year. Playing in an all-service league, the Rockets went 2-3-2 and finished ranked #11 in the Williamson Service Rankings.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fraley|first1=Oscar|title=Fraleys Follies Or the Winnahs?|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/15456408/|accessdate=18 March 2015|work=Amarillo Daily News|date=28 September 1945}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Wilbur D.|title=Football! Navy! War!: How Military Lend-lease Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II|date=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0786454164|pages=131, 187|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0EkyXxoyJcoC|accessdate=18 March 2015}}</ref> |
He later joined the Army Air Force during [[World War II]] and become a [[Flight Officer]] stationed in [[Shamshernagar]], India flying resupply mission on [[the Hump]]. In June of 1945, the Army Air Force announced plans to form 7 football teams and in August, Martin was selected to ship out to [[Berry Field Air National Guard Base|Berry Field]] in Nashville to play for the [[Air Transport Command]] Rockets that year. Playing in an all-service league, the Rockets went 2-3-2 and finished ranked #11 in the Williamson Service Rankings.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fraley|first1=Oscar|title=Fraleys Follies Or the Winnahs?|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/15456408/|accessdate=18 March 2015|work=Amarillo Daily News|date=28 September 1945}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Wilbur D.|title=Football! Navy! War!: How Military Lend-lease Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II|date=2009|publisher=McFarland|isbn=0786454164|pages=131, 187|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0EkyXxoyJcoC|accessdate=18 March 2015}}</ref> |
||
Martin died in 1949 in a car crash in Memphis.<ref>{{cite news|title=FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER |FOR STEELERS DIES|url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper%2018/Lockport%20NY%20Union%20Sun%20Journal/Lockport%20NY%20Union%20Sun%20Journal%201949/Lockport%20NY%20Union%20Sun%20Journal%201949%20-%201666.pdf|accessdate=18 March 2015|work=LOCKPORT. N. Y.. UNION-SUN & JOURNAL.|date=11 May 1949}}</ref> |
|||
Martin died in 1949 in a car crash in Memphis. |
|||
==References== |
==References== |
Revision as of 19:58, 18 March 2015
Vernon Martin | |
---|---|
College | Texas |
Conference | Southwest Conference |
Sport | Football |
Position | QB |
Jersey # | 27, 15 |
Class | 1942 |
Career | 1940–1941 |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
Born | 2 May 1920 Amarillo, TX |
Died | 9 May 1949 Memphis, TN |
High school | Amarillo High School |
Career highlights | |
Honors | |
|
Vernon Lewis Martin (May 2, 1920 - May 9, 1949) was a college and professional football player. He was the starting quarterback for the University of Texas in 1941, leading them to the school's first ever #1 ranking and the cover of the Nov 17, 1941 Life Magazine. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1942 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played one year of professional football.
Early Life
Vernon Martin was born in Amarillo on May 2, 1920. He played football at Amarillo High School and was a part of the 1936 undefeated State Championship team there.[1]
College Football
Martin started college at the University of Texas in 1938 and spent much of the 1939 season injured. He idn't play enough for Texas to letter until 1940.[2]
Martin was the starting quarterback, also known as the blocking back at the time, of the 1941 Texas Longhorns. The team had finished the 1940 season by upsetting undefeated, and defending National Champion, #2 Texas A&M and came into 1941 a highly regarded team. Pete Layden was the fullback, who in the offense of the time did most of the passing and ball-handling, but Martin called most of the plays. The 1941 team was perhaps the most impactful squad in the history of the program. It was the first Longhorn team to reach #1 in the rankings, produced the first consensus All-American, won the first Golden Hat as part of the annual game with Oklahoma, and was the team that inspired the red candle hex rally prior to Texas A&M games.[3] The 1941 Longhorns won their first six games, by lopsided margins, to earn the #1 ranking and then graced the cover of Life magazine. They immediately suffered a 7-7 tie to Baylor and a 14-7 loss to TCU, mostly due to four injured starters, to drop to #10 before again upsetting Texas A&M who was again ranked #2 at the time. They finished the season with a 71-7 drumming of Oregon and at the end of the game, Martin caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Layden for Martin's only touchdown of the year.[4] Texas finished the season ranked #4, the first time Texas ever finished the season ranked, and Martin was named second team All-Conference.[5][6] The 1941 Longhorns were considered the greatest Texas team ever at the time.
Pro Football
Following the season, Martin was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2nd game of the 1942 NFL Draft. He played blocking back for the Steelers in 1942, catching several passes and scoring two touchdowns.
He later joined the Army Air Force during World War II and become a Flight Officer stationed in Shamshernagar, India flying resupply mission on the Hump. In June of 1945, the Army Air Force announced plans to form 7 football teams and in August, Martin was selected to ship out to Berry Field in Nashville to play for the Air Transport Command Rockets that year. Playing in an all-service league, the Rockets went 2-3-2 and finished ranked #11 in the Williamson Service Rankings.[7][8]
Martin died in 1949 in a car crash in Memphis.[9]
References
- ^ "Sandies Made Clean Sweep to Take State Grid Crown" (PDF). Interscholastic Leaguer. No. 3. November 1961. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ "These Are Squads That Get the Nods To Make Best Bid On Season's Grid". The Evening Independent. 18 September 1941. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Halliburton, Suzanne (19 January 2012). "The last of the '41 Horns is gone, but magazine cover keeps players, season timeless". Austin American Statesman. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ "Texas Piles Up 71-7 Victory Over Oregon". Chicago Tribune. 7 December 1941. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (13 November 2009). "The Heart of Texas". Sports Illustrated.
- ^ "All Southwest Football Eleven". Corsicana Daily Sun. 10 December 1941. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
- ^ Fraley, Oscar (28 September 1945). "Fraleys Follies Or the Winnahs?". Amarillo Daily News. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ Jones, Wilbur D. (2009). Football! Navy! War!: How Military Lend-lease Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II. McFarland. pp. 131, 187. ISBN 0786454164. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ "FORMER FOOTBALL PLAYER" (PDF). LOCKPORT. N. Y.. UNION-SUN & JOURNAL. 11 May 1949. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
{{cite news}}
: Text "FOR STEELERS DIES" ignored (help)