Hubbard, Cal

▪ American baseball umpire

byname of  Robert Calvin Hubbard  

born Oct. 31, 1900, Keytesville, Mo., U.S.

died Oct. 17, 1977, St. Petersburg, Fla.

      professional American League baseball umpire and collegiate and professional U.S. football player who is the only person elected to both the Baseball Hall of Fame (1976) and the collegiate and professional football halls of fame (1962, 1963).

      Hubbard was an admirer of coach Bo McMillin and played football for him at Centenary College (Shreveport, La.) and Geneva College (Beaver Falls, Pa.); he was named All-American at tackle (1926–27). McMillin called him the best football player, collegiate or professional, he had ever seen. From 1927 until 1936 Hubbard played in the National Football League (NFL) with the New York Giants, the Green Bay Packers, and the Pittsburgh Pirates (later the Steelers). He was named to the NFL All-Time team in 1969.

      Hubbard umpired in baseball minor leagues from 1925 through 1935. In 1936 he moved up to the American League and retired from the field in 1951 after being struck in the eye by a shotgun pellet in a hunting accident. Thereafter he was supervisor of American League umpires until 1968. He also served on the Official Playing Rules Committee (1959–69).

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