Buckeye Nation has lost a legend, as Howard ‘Hopalong’ Cassady has passed away at the age of 85 according to his family.
Cassady played halfback and defensive back for the Buckeyes from 1952 to 1955, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior.
He rushed for 2,466 yards in his career, which is still good for 19th all-time in school history.
In fact, to turn the pages of Ohio State’s record book is to see Cassady’s contributions to the entirety of Ohio State’s success in the early 1950s.
Cassady is still fifth in Ohio State history in career all-purpose yards with 4,403 and third all-time in all-purpose yards per game in a career, with 122.3. His 37 touchdowns are tied for 7th all-time.
Not all of those touchdowns came on the offensive side of the ball, however, as Cassady was also an outstanding defensive back who has been said to have never allowed a completion in his OSU playing days. Until last week, Cassady’s 88-yard interception return for a touchdown against Wisconsin in 1954 was the fifth-longest in school history.
His 230 yards of interception returns in a career is still second, just 18 yards behind Mike Sensibaugh.
Cassady’s all-around game was definitely unique, which is why he is still seventh in school history in kickoff return yards (981), just behind Ted Ginn’ 1,012.
When Cassady won the Heisman in 1955, he averaged 31.3 yards per kickoff return on his 10 attepmts, which is the second-best mark in school history. He also rushed for 958 yards and 14 touchdowns in nine games, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
Ohio State plans to honor Cassady tomorrow during their game against Miami (OH).
Here is the press release from the Ohio State University.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, the 1955 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time All-American for the Ohio State Buckeyes, died early Friday morning, Sept. 20, in Tampa, Fla., where he has lived since 1974 with his wife, Barb. He was 85 years old.
Cassady was the third of Ohio State’s seven Heisman Trophy winners, with Les Horvath (1944) and Vic Janowicz (1950) preceding him as recipients of the award that recognizes college football’s most outstanding player. Cassady rushed for 958 yards and 15 touchdowns in 1955 and was also the Associated Press Athlete of the Year and an All-American. He earned All-America honors in 1954 as well.
“He was a Heisman Trophy dad as well,” said son, Craig Cassady, Friday morning from his home in Chautauqua Lake, N.Y. Another son, David, lives in Dublin, Ohio, and daughter, Rayne, resides in Columbus.
“We’ve lost not only a legendary Buckeye, but also a wonderful person in Hop Cassady,” Director of Athletics Gene Smith said. “He was an all-time great Buckeye in every way. We will have the Cassady family in our thoughts and in our prayers.”
He finished his career with 2,466 rushing yards which, at the time, was an Ohio State record. The total still ranks 19th in school history. He scored 37 touchdowns in 36 games.
Cassady earned his nickname of Hopalong from Columbus, Ohio, sportswriters during his first game, when he scored three touchdowns in a 33-13 win over Indiana and “hopped all over the field like the performing cowboy,” a reference to the fictional, clean-cut hero, Hopalong Cassidy.
Cassady, who also started at shortstop for the Buckeye baseball team for three years, had his Ohio State football jersey No. 40 retired in 2000. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame (enshrined in 1979), the Ohio State Sports Hall of Fame (1997) and the Columbus Baseball Hall of Fame (2005).
A Columbus native, Cassady prepped at the now closed Central High School. He was a first-round NFL draft pick of the Detroit Lions after graduating from Ohio State, and he also played with Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Cassady spent more than 40 years working for George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees organization, primarily with the Yankees’ Triple-A Columbus Clippers baseball organization.
Cassady will be honored at Ohio Stadium tomorrow during Ohio State’s game against Miami.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
The New York Yankees also sent out a release expressing their condolences.
I was 8 years old going to baseball practice on the field down near the Stadium, when one of my buddies said “Hey, that’s Hoopalong Cassidy, lets get his autograph. I picked up an empty cigaret package on the ground, it must have been spring 56, and people were still smoking like chimneys and off we went. To this day I remember him saying ‘Hey there boys, what can I do for you?” and of course we held out our scraps of garbage which he dutifully signed with a big smile on his face. As he walked away he said “See ya later fellas.” That’s the day I became a buckeye fan.
Rest in Peace, Hopalong!
What Longtime said. Im pace requiescat.
No memory would be complete if it didn’t include Cassady’s star turn at Central High School . The kid from the Irish bottoms of Columbus arrived at Ohio State much like Chic Harley from East High School did. His Thrilling running style was that of a swiviled hip tap dancer who sheded tacklers with his wiry toughness. At Ohio State he was physically not very big. But a huge heart. The 88 yard interception against Wisconsin in 1954 was probably the singe greatest play in Ohio State history and the key to Woody Hayes great success. Three players stand out in the entire history of Ohio State football. All were Columbus high school products. Chic Harley, Howard Hoppalong Casady and Archie Griffen.
A true OSU and Columbus sports legend!
One of my favorite OSU football players of all time. He was and is a Buckeye legend. Our prayers are for his wife and family! God bless the Cassidy family!