Sam Francis
Harrison Samuel Francis (October 26, 1913 – April 23, 2002) was an American football player and coach, Olympic shot putter, and Army officer.
Francis was born in Dunbar, Nebraska, and graduated from high school in Oberlin, Kansas.
He played college football at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where, in 1936, he was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.[1] Francis was also an exceptional athlete in track and field and placed fourth in the shot put at the 1936 Summer Olympics.[2]
Francis was the first overall selection in the 1937 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. His rights were traded to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Bill Hewitt and $4,000 in cash on February 15, 1937.[3] He played in the NFL for four years with the Bears, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Brooklyn Dodgers before leaving to get a master’s degree at the University of Iowa and serve in the Army during World War II.
After gaining experience serving as head coach for the football team at Camp Lee during World War II, Francis was hired as the head football coach at Kansas State University for the 1947 season. Francis coached at Kansas State for one year, compiling a record of 0–10.
Francis remained in the Army, serving in Korea and Vietnam, and held the rank of lieutenant colonel upon retirement. He is buried in Springfield National Cemetery.
