Ex-Jayhawk McCormack To Be Added To KU Football Ring Of Honor
Aug. 7, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Former Kansas great and NFL Hall of Famer Mike McCormack will be added to the Kansas Football Ring of Honor at halftime of the Jayhawks’ football game against Louisiana Tech Sept. 6.
McCormack will become the 16th former Jayhawk to have his name added to the ring on the north end of Kivisto Field at Memorial Stadium. Last year, KU added John Riggins and Willie Pless to the ring.
McCormack, who lettered at KU from 1948-50, was an All-Big Seven selection as a tackle in 1950. He played in the College All-Star game in Chicago in 1951 before being drafted by the NFL’s New York Yankees later that year. As a rookie, he made the Pro Bowl team.
After a two-year stint in the U.S. Army he was traded to the Cleveland Browns, where he played from 1954-62. He was named to five more Pro Bowls and played a key role in the 1954 NFL title game, which the Browns won 56-10 against Detroit. In that game, he stole the ball from Lions quarterback Bobby Layne to set up an early touchdown.
The Chicago, Ill. native was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1985.
Others in the KU Ring of Honor include Nolan Cromwell, Bobby Douglass, Ray Evans, John Hadl, David Jaynes, Bruce Kallmeyer, Curtis McClinton, George Mrkonic, Willie Pless, Gil Reich, John Riggins, Gale Sayers, Otto Schnellbacher, Oliver Spencer, and John Zook.
