The Story And Significance Of Cal Hubbard - Only Person To Be Elected In The NFL And MLB HOF

Robert Calvin Hubbard was an American professional football player and Major League Baseball umpire. After playing college football at Centenary College and Geneva College, Hubbard played in the National Football League between 1927 and 1936 for the New York Giants, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Pirates, playing the bulk of his career with the Packers. Hubbard is credited as being one of the inventors of the football position of linebacker.

He was also an umpire in the American League (AL) from 1936 to 1951, then worked as an umpire supervisor until 1969. George Halas affectionately called Hubbard the "Big Umpire."
To date, Hubbard is the only person to be enshrined in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Baseball Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Hubbard moved on to the National Football League in 1927, signing with the New York Giants for a salary of  $150 per game. Playing alongside Steve Owen his rookie year, he helped the Giants defense allow opponents to score just 20 total points all season as they won the league championship. For his efforts Hubbard won all-league honors by the press the following year. But with a lifelong dislike for big cities, he didn't feel comfortable in New York and a 1928 road game in Green Bay led him to request a trade to the Packers, threatening to retire otherwise.

Under Packers coach Curly Lambeau, Hubbard and the team won the NFL title in each of his first three years there (1929–1931). The 1929 team surrendered just 22 points. Lambeau had Hubbard play in the line, ending his "linebacker" days. The NFL named its first official All-League team in 1931 with Cal Hubbard being one of that inaugural list. He was chosen for the honor again in 1932 and 1933. Mel Hein said Hubbard was "probably the greatest tackle I ever played against."

Once while playing the Chicago Bears with Ukrainian fullback Bronko Nagurski, the Bears prepared to punt. Hubbard went to the halfback Red Grange and said: "I promise not to try to block the kick, Red, but get out of the way so I can get a shot at that Polack." Grange, glad not to try to block Hubbard for once, obliged. Cal tore through the line, slammed into Nagurski and bounced off. Rising slowly, he turned to Grange and said: "Hey, Red, don't do me any more favors."

Hubbard stepped away from professional football following the 1933 season, taking a job as the line coach at Texas A&M in 1934. However, he was persuaded to return to play after that one year on the sidelines, returning to Green Bay in 1935. The Giants wooed him back to start 1936 with them, but he played only six games the entire season, five for the Giants and a final game for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the future Steelers. Hubbard returned to football coaching briefly, serving as head coach of his alma mater Geneva College in 1941 and 1942. He was among the initial class of inductees to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. In a 1969 poll by the Hall of Fame committee, Hubbard was voted the NFL's greatest tackle of all time.