Leon Hardeman (June 6, 1932 – December 9, 2019) was an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

player. Hardeman played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

at the halfback position for the

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Football Program represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in the NCAA Division 1 Collegiate Competitors in the sport of American football. The Yellow Jackets college football team competes in the NCAA Div ...

team from 1951 to 1953. At five feet, six inches and 175 pounds, Hardeman was known for his "squat, wiry" running style.

Career

Hardeman was selected by the All-America Board, the

International News Service The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.

and the ''

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'' as a first-team player on their respective

1952 College Football All-America Team The 1952 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1952. The eight selectors recognized by the ...

s. He was chosen by the

United Press United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th c ...

as a third-team player in 1953. Hardeman was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the City of Chattanooga, Baylor School, Georgia Tech and the state of Georgia. The number 50 jersey was retired at LaFayette High School in his honor.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardeman, Leon 1932 births 2019 deaths People from Fort Payne, Alabama American football halfbacks Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football players Players of American football from Alabama Players of American football from Georgia (U.S. state) Military personnel from Alabama Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state) United States Army officers