Bob Fenimore
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Robert Dale Fenimore (October 6, 1925 – July 28, 2010) known as the Blonde Bomber or Blonde Blizard was a halfback for the Oklahoma A&M football team from 1943 to 1946. Member of the 1945 National Championship Oklahoma A&M team. He was the first two-time
All America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...
selection from Oklahoma A&M and finished third in the
Heisman The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and har ...
voting in 1945, but still led the nation in rushing with 142 carries for 1,048 yards.


Early life

Bob Fenimore was born in
Woodward, Oklahoma Woodward is a city in and the county seat of Woodward County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the largest city in a nine-county area. The population was 11,975 at the United States Census. The area was historically occupied by the Kiowa, Coman ...
on October 6, 1925. As a youth, Fenimore was heavily involved with sports. His childhood home had a front yard that resembled a football field, sparking his early interest in the sport. Fenimore's interest in Oklahoma A & M (now
Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
) started early as well, even though his childhood sweetheart and later wife, Veta Jo, attended the
University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two Territories became the state of Oklahom ...
. Fenimore began his attendance at Oklahoma A & M in 1943, working toward a degree in education.


College and professional career

As a player, he set many school records, including the career interception mark of 18 which still stands at Oklahoma State today. He was 195 pounds and could step the 100 yard dash in 9.7 compared with the world record at the time of 9.4. He led the nation in total offense in 1944 and in total offense and rushing in 1945 when he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Army's Glenn Davis and
Doc Blanchard Felix Anthony "Doc" Blanchard (December 11, 1924 – April 19, 2009) was an American football player and serviceman who became the first junior to win the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award, and was the first football player to win the James E. Su ...
. The Aggies were 8-1 in 1944 and 9-0 in 1945—the only unbeaten/untied season in Oklahoma A&M/State football history. Due to injuries, Fenimore played sparingly in the 1946 season and despite the risk, the
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
made Fenimore the first pick overall in the
1947 NFL Draft The 1947 National Football League Draft was held on December 16, 1946, at the Commodore Hotel in New York City, New York. The National Football League in this draft made the first overall pick, a bonus pick determined by lottery. The Chicago B ...
. He would play only the 1947 season in Chicago appearing in 10 games. In 1972 Fenimore was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
. In 2007, Fenimore was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Fenimore became the third member to be inducted into Oklahoma State’s ring of honor in 2022.


Personal life

After his football career, Fenimore returned to Oklahoma and went to work for Massachusetts Mutual Life insurance Company in Oklahoma City. In 1953 Fenimore and his family returned to Stillwater and worked for Mass Mutual financial services until he retired. Fenimore died on July 28, 2010.


See also

*
List of NCAA major college football yearly rushing leaders The list of college football yearly rushing leaders identifies the major college rushing leaders for each season from 1937 to the present. It includes yearly leaders in three statistical categories: (1) rushing yardage; (2) yards per carry; and (3 ...
*
List of NCAA major college football yearly total offense leaders The list of college football yearly total offense leaders identifies the major college leaders for each season from 1937 to the present. It includes yearly leaders in two statistical categories: (1) total offense yards, and (2) total offense yards ...


References


External links


Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Fenimore, Bob

O-State Stories -- OSU Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fenimore, Bob 1925 births 2010 deaths People from Woodward, Oklahoma All-American college football players American football halfbacks Oklahoma State Cowboys football players National Football League first-overall draft picks Chicago Bears players College Football Hall of Fame inductees