Santa Rosa Duck No. 1 Share Posted June 24, 2022 A bit of ancient history here. Hugh McElhenny was a top running back for University of Washington and starred for the San Francisco 49'rs throughout the 1950's. The joke of the day was that he took a pay cut leaving Washington and going to the 49'rs. In 2004 he confirmed in an interview that it was true. The niners had a backfield of YA Tittle handing off the ball to Hugh, Joe Perry and John Henry Johnson. Rest in Peace Hugh. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck 1972 No. 2 Share Posted June 24, 2022 Condolences and memories. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washington Waddler Moderator No. 3 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Adios Hurryin Hugh 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Dawg No. 4 Share Posted June 25, 2022 That early 49er team was my first love as a kid. Hugh had folks on a swivel, Joe (Jet) Perry outran defenders, and John Henry Johnson could absolutely truck them. It would have been an awesome team if the defense was anywhere near as good as the offense. I didn't know Hurryin Hugh was still alive, so adios partner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Axel No. 5 Share Posted June 25, 2022 Hugh McElhenny did indeed play football at the University of Washington—and he was illegally paid for it—in 1949, 1950, and 1951. I wouldn’t make any comment at all, if not for the fact that the news of his death made its way onto Our Beloved Ducks forum. My antipathy for the Huskies is well documented in this community, and I do take pleasure in roasting that third-rate, anti-Ducks institution whenever possible. It’s not hyperbole to say that Husky fans hate us, but I consider that a good thing, because it means that Washington’s deranged fan base realizes that our football program is now superior to theirs. During years past, like during the Don James era, when the Huskies were blatantly cheating and giving the Ducks an annual pummeling, Husky fans didn’t hate us. No. Back then, they treated us with derision, mockery, and without a nanoliter of respect. One of their favorite pastimes was laughing at us. When Hugh McElhenny was a senior in 1951, the Huskies embarrassed the Ducks 63-6 in Portland. McElhenny pocketed around $10,000 that season, equivalent to more than $120,000 today. The joke goes that McElhenny made more money in his last year with the Huskies than he did in his first year in the NFL. Except that McElhenny’s cheating is not a joke, even 71 years later. It’s one more piece of a larger puzzle that establishes that for much of its history the University of Washington football program has been largely a pretentious fraud. Dan Raley, a reporter with Husky FanNation, interviewed McElhenny in 2004. In an article dated June 23, just two days ago, Raley wrote: "What they did with me was illegal," McElhenny said 18 years ago. "I know it was illegal for me to receive cash, and every month I received cash. I know it was illegal to receive clothing, and I got clothing all the time from stores. I got a check every month, and it was never signed by the same person, so we never really knew who it was coming from.” For a moment, let’s consider Reggie Bush at USC. When he was caught cheating, the Trojans were stripped of their 2004 national championship and all of their 2005 wins. Bush also lost his Heisman Trophy. Bush is rightly considered a pariah by his alma mater. USC disassociated itself from the disgraced running back in 2010. Meanwhile, up in dismal Seattle, McElhenny is widely acclaimed as a great Husky. The Huskies’ perverse logic goes like this: let’s call a cheater a king. Yes, it’s true. Those water-logged lunatics revere McElhenny as “The King.” When Raley asked McElhenny permission to reveal the truth of his sordid college career, he answered, “I’m too old to give a shit.” Sadly, that was McElhenny’s attitude during his playing days. “When I look back, it was funny,” he said. “I was a movie star up there (in Seattle.)” Did McElhenny ever share his ill-gotten gains with his offensive linemen or with other team members? It’s highly doubtful. McElhenny said that all the attention got to his head. He admitted, “I don’t know if I took advantage of it or didn’t take advantage of it enough.” I am sure that McElhenny had admirable qualities and that he did his share of good things. My focus here is admittedly narrow. But I believe that McElhenny did himself and the Huskies a gross disservice by confessing his many illegalities. He obviously didn’t care that his dirty shenanigans damaged the fortunes and broke the hearts of countless opposing coaches, players, and fans. That says volumes about McElhenny and the low-class university that collaborated with him to scam the system. Husky Athletic Director Jen Cohen tweeted that McElhenny “was one of the all-time great Huskies.” This is a mark of a fetid institution, when you prop up a swindler as a hero. But that’s the way it is at Washington. Describing the Huskies with adjectives like depraved, debauched, and delusional is not comic—it is accurate; it is rooted in truth. For those who say I’m kicking a dawg when he’s down for the count, I get it. But I sincerely wish that McElhenny had lived to be 100. In fact, I hope that all Huskies and Husky fans live well past 100. That way they can experience decades and decades and decades of losses to our wonderful Ducks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 6 Share Posted June 25, 2022 On 6/25/2022 at 3:13 PM, Axel said: This is a mark of a fetid institution, when you prop up a swindler as a hero. But that’s the way it is at Washington. Describing the Huskies with adjectives like depraved, debauched, and delusional is not comic—it is accurate; it is rooted in truth. It does not stop there; they celebrate their mythical national championship, even creating a trophy and awarding it to themselves in a halftime ceremony a few years ago. The year of the "championship" was 1991, and what happened in 1992? The Pac-8 and the NCAA penalized the heck out of them for all the dirty-dealings that I will not detail again. The point is--they won their championship by cheating...and celebrate it! Who does that? Only the Huskies... Their "championship" was declared by a newspaper poll, and thus they don't go back later and correct those. Hence why USC lost their BCS championship, but Washington has not been held accountable and had their championship removed as they should have. Husky fans know this and celebrate their dishonest winning regardless. These really are terrible, loathsome people. 1 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Axel No. 7 Share Posted June 25, 2022 On 6/25/2022 at 3:31 PM, Charles Fischer said: they won their championship by cheating...and celebrate it! Who does that? Only the Huskies... The Huskies lead the all-time series versus the Ducks, 60-48-5. However, based on what I've learned this weekend, the Huskies' wins in 1949, 1950, and 1951 should be vacated, since Hugh McElhenny was an illegal player. That would narrow Washington's lead to 57-48-5. In a decade, the Ducks could hold the all-time edge over those detestable, damnable dogs. Don James was one of the most corrupt coaches in the annals of college sports, and you're right--only the depraved, debauched, and delusional Husky fans would claim that James' dirty 1991 team is a national champion. My earlier point bears repeating: the history of the University of Washington shows that its football program is largely a sleazy and pretentious fraud. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Santa Rosa Duck Author No. 8 Share Posted June 26, 2022 Axel, USC has in fact retired OJ Simpsons jersey #32. Now there is a truly despicable character. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
