Friedman, Benny

▪ American athlete

byname of  Benjamin Friedman  

born March 18, 1905, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

died November 23, 1982, New York, New York

      American collegiate and professional gridiron football quarterback who combined passing, kicking, and running skills. Friedman was an outstanding passer in the National Football League (NFL) during an era when few statistics were recorded. As the son of a Jewish immigrant, Friedman was also part of the ethnic transformation of college football in the 1920s, a period of intense anti-immigrant feeling in the country.

      At the University of Michigan (1924–26), Friedman and pass-catching end Benny Oosterbaan constituted a formidable scoring threat. His coach, Fielding Yost, praised Friedman as “one of the greatest passers and smartest quarterbacks in history.” In the 1925 game against Indiana University, Friedman threw five touchdown passes and returned a 60-yard punt for a score. He also kicked 22 extra points during the 1925 season. He was named All-American in 1925 and 1926.

      As a professional, Friedman played in the NFL for the Cleveland Bulldogs (1927), the Detroit Wolverines (1928), the New York Giants (1929–31), and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1932–34). Though no official statistics were kept during his first four years as a professional, records indicate that he led the league in touchdown passes each season. He is in the College Football Hall of Fame.

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