J. R. Boone (July 29, 1925 – January 21, 2012) was an
American football player and coach. He played professionally as an
end and
halfback for six seasons in the
National Football League (NFL) with 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 ...
,
San Francisco 49ers, and
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
. Boone was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 22nd round of the
1948 NFL draft
The 1948 National Football League Draft was held on December 19, 1947, at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Pittsburgh. This was the second year that the first overall pick was a bonus pick determined by lottery, with the previous year's winner Chicago Bea ...
. He served as the head football coach at
California State University, Fresno from 1973 to 1975, compiling a record of 10–24.
Born in
Clinton, Oklahoma, was a star athlete at the
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa (TU) is a private research university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It has a historic affiliation with the Presbyterian Church and the campus architectural style is predominantly Collegiate Gothic. The school traces its origin to ...
, earned nine letters and graduating with a degree in physical education and social science. A captain of the Tulsa football team, Boone was also a star athlete in basketball, track, baseball. He was a versatile athlete, he played football as a back, safety, and punt and kick returner. He was also drafted by the
New York Yankees baseball organization.
Boone was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in 1952, and then to the Green Bay Packers in 1953. His six-year pro career statistics included 497 rushing yards in 130 carries and five touchdowns in 63 games. He also caught 69 passes for 1,251 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 18.1 yards per catch), and returned seventy-two punt returns for 725 yards (10.1 average).
In 1972, Boone was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame. He died in his sleep on January 21, 2012, at his home in
Selma, California.
Former Bulldog Coach JR Boone Passes - Fresno State Athletics
Retrieved November 23, 2016.
Head coaching record
College
Junior college
References
External links
*
1925 births
2012 deaths
American football ends
American football halfbacks
Fresno State Bulldogs football coaches
Chicago Bears players
Green Bay Packers players
Reedley Tigers football coaches
San Francisco 49ers players
Tulsa Golden Hurricane football players
High school football coaches in California
People from Clinton, Oklahoma
People from Selma, California
Players of American football from Fresno County, California
Players of American football from Oklahoma
{{runningback-1920s-stub