Geneva alumnus listed in Top 25 All-Time Best Athletes from Christian Colleges - Geneva College
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Geneva alumnus listed in Top 25 All-Time Best Athletes from Christian Colleges

Picture of Geneva alumnus listed in Top 25 All-Time Best Athletes from Christian Colleges

Cal Hubbard, a 1927 graduate of Geneva College, was named by Christian Universities Online as one of the “Top 25 All-Time Best Athletes from Christian Colleges.” Hubbard is the only athlete in history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. 

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Hubbard was noted for remarkable speed for a player of his size: 6’ 4” and 250 pounds. He starred as tackle and end, playing off the line in the style similar to that of a modern linebacker. After playing football for Contenary College and Geneva College, Hubbard began his professional career by signing to the New York Giants in 1927. In his first season he helped the Giants defense allow opponents to score only twenty total points all season as they won the league championship.College Football Hall of Fame.

cal-football-inductionThroughout his career, Hubbard also played football for the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Pirates (soon to be renamed the Steelers). Hubbard even returned to Geneva College from 1941 to 1942 to coach the school’s football team.

Even while he played football, Hubbard had a second career officiating baseball. He started umpiring minor league baseball during his off-season in 1928. His skill at officiating eventually led him to umpire for the American League.  Later on, Hubbard umpired for the 1938, 1942, 1946 and 1949 World Series games.

Hubbard found the then-common practice of officials moving to different positions on the field during a game to be confusing and hampered accuracy when making calls. Applying his football experience to baseball, he devised a system where each official had clearly defined duties and also added an additional official to the crew. This was the foundation on which MLB established new officiating standards in 1952.

A lifelong hunter and fisrman, Hubbard moved to rural Milan, Missouri in 1944. He remained involved in community affairs, such as children’s sports, well into his retirement. Regrettably, Hubbard passed away from cancer in 1977. 

Geneva College invites students to step forward and leap ahead with an academically excellent, Christ-centered and affordable education. Offering nearly 40 undergraduate majors, Adult Degree Programs with fully online and campus-based options, and high-demand advanced graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality. U.S. News & World Report ranks Geneva as a Top 10 Best Value with one of the Top 100 engineering programs in the nation. Adhering to the inerrancy of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God’s word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today’s world.

Mar 2, 2015