History Day 2014

Yesterday, the boys finished their National History Day project, and we are quite proud of how it turned out. The theme this year is Legends and Legacy, and the boys chose to do their project on Slingin' Sammy Baugh, a TCU and Washington Redskins football player. I realize this may not exactly be the kind of "impact on our country's history" that History Day folks are looking for, but we gave the boys a choice and this is who they chose. No matter what, they had a great time researching, reading, and learning about this fascinating man. You can read the essay we wrote together below:

Sammy Baugh was an All American football player at TCU. He played quarterback, and helped the Horned Frogs win the 1936 Sugar Bowl and 1937 Cotton Bowl.

He also played third base for the TCU baseball team. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, but thought he would be better at football.

Sammy Baugh was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1937. He was paid $4,000 his first year as a professional football player.

Known for his ability to pass the ball, Sammy Baugh led the NFL in passing 6 seasons. Most teams liked to run the football, but Slingin’ Sammy Baugh liked to throw it.

Many people believe this changed the way football was played forever.

Besides playing quarterback, he played defense and punter. In 1943, he got 4 interceptions and 4 touchdowns in one game.

Sammy Baugh played in the NFL for 16 seasons. He set 13 NFL records. Some people think he was the best football player who ever lived.

After playing football, he tried to be an actor in Hollywood. He lived on a ranch with his wife and 5 children.

Sammy Baugh was entered into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on September 7, 1963. He was one of the first 17 in all football history.

UPDATE!! As Gina and I entered their hallway at school today to see a performance in Sam's class, we noticed a blue ribbon on the boys' poster. Yes that's right, their poster won FIRST PLACE! We are very proud of them for working on this project and doing such a great job on it. The victory photo is below.