Jim Hardy

Jim Hardy
Hardy circa 1946
No. 21, 22, 1
PositionQuarterback
Personal information
Born(1923-04-24)April 24, 1923
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 16, 2019(2019-08-16) (aged 96)
La Quinta, California, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
CollegeUSC
NFL draft1945: 1st round, 8th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
NFL record
  • Most interceptions thrown in an NFL game: 8 (1950)
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts912
Passing completions423
Completion percentage46.4%
TDINT54–73
Passing yards5,690
Passer rating53.1
Rushing yards72
Rushing touchdowns2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

James Francis Hardy (April 24, 1923 – August 16, 2019)[1] was an American professional football quarterback who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played College Football at USC and was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 1945 NFL draft.

Early life

Hardy attended and played high school football at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.

College career

Hardy played college football at the University of Southern California. He was voted most valuable player of the 1945 Rose Bowl game, won by USC 25–0 over Tennessee.

Professional career

Hardy was selected in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1945 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins. He played in the National Football League between 1946 and 1952. He made the Pro Bowl in 1950. Hardy is perhaps most famous for throwing an NFL-record eight interceptions in a single game, as well as for the worst touchdown pass-interception differential in a single game (−8), in a 45–7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on September 24, 1950.[2][3]

He later served as the general manager of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[4] In September 2016, Hardy was interviewed and reflected upon his career in the NFL. Prior to his death, Hardy was the oldest living member of the inaugural 1946 Los Angeles Rams.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Hardy, oldest USC and Rams player, dies at 96". ABC7 Los Angeles. August 19, 2019.
  2. ^ "NFL Single Game Passes Intercepted Leaders". pro-football-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  3. ^ Katzowitz, Josh (September 20, 2013). "Remember When: 63 years ago, Jim Hardy threw 8 picks in a game". www.cbssports.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  4. ^ "Hardy's Plan for Coliseum Would Have Changed History". Los Angeles Times. December 25, 1994.
  5. ^ Duarte, Michael (September 13, 2016). "Original LA Rams QB, Jim Hardy, is Happy They're Home". NBC Southern California.