LENNY MOORE

'Leonard Edward Moore' (born November 25 1933, in Reading, Pennsylvania) is a former American football running back who played for Penn State in college and the Baltimore Colts. He came to the Colts in 1956, and had a productive first pro season and was named the NFL Rookie of The Year. He is the great uncle of Donyell Marshall.

Contents

In His Prime

Nicknames

1964

Legacy

References

External links

In His Prime

Moore was both a great runner and receiver. He lined up both in the backfield as a halfback and split wide as a flanker, and was equally dangerous at both positions in the offense engineered by quarterback Johnny Unitas. Moore averaged at least 7.0 yards a carry in several seasons. He made 40 receptions for 687 yards and seven touchdowns in 1957, the first of five straight years in which he would have 40 or more catches. In 1958, he caught a career-high 50 passes for 938 yards and seven touchdowns in helping the Colts win the NFL championship. Then in 1959, Moore had 47 receptions for 846 yards and six TDs as the Colts repeated as champions.

Nicknames

Moore was tagged with more nicknames than an unpopular schoolboy: "Sputnik," for the fear he incited in opposing defenses; "The Reading Rocket" and "Lightning Lenny," for his unmatched speed; and "Spats," for the way he taped his high-top shoes, making them look like low-tops. While Moore appeared to be an easy target, it was he who toyed with linebackers and defensive ends for 12 NFL seasons — all in a maddeningly un-bully-like fashion.

1964

After being injured in the 1963 season and losing his starting job, Moore had one of his best statistical seasons in 1964 when he scored 20 touchdowns and was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and helped lead the Colts to a 12-2 regular-season record and a trip to the NFL championship game for the third time in seven seasons.
Moore scored a touchdown in an NFL-record 18 consecutive appearances starting in 1963 and continuing through the entire 1964 season, ending in 1965. This record stood for 40 years until being equaled by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005. Because his streak was interrupted by a five-game absence due to injury in 1963^[1], he does not hold the NFL's official record for consecutive ''games'' rushing for a touchdown.

Legacy

Moore retired after the 1967 season. His uniform number 24 was retired by the Colts, and in 1969 a sportswriters' poll named him to the NFL's 50th Anniversary Team. In 1975, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 1999, Moore was ranked number 71 on ''The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. He is also the only player to have at least 40 receiving touchdowns and 40 rushing touchdowns. Football Outsiders in their book Pro Football Prospectus 2007 named 6 of his seasons among the top 500 running back seasons of all time, which was tied for the 5th most seasons among the top 500 of any player.

References

1. http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=1748

External links

★ ''Pro Football Hall of Fame:'' Member profile

★ BaltimoreColtsMania.com - The #1 Baltimore Colts site!

★ The Pennsylvania Football News All-Century Team