William W. Austin
Class of 1959
A first-team All-American in 1958, Austin, though diminutive at 5-11, 170, amassed 2,073 yards and scored 204 points as he led the Scarlet in rushing for three years from his single-wing tailback spot. His 32 touchdowns ranked second among the all-time scorers and he had 13 interceptions. Austin was also a two-time honorable mention lacrosse All-American at Rutgers.
Homer H. Hazel
Class of 1925
Hazel was elected to the National Football Hall of Fame in 1951. He won All-America honors in 1923 as an end and repeated in 1924 as a fullback. The father of three children, “Pop” was an honor society member, President of his class and performed Bunyan-esque feats on the field. Hazel was elected posthumously and the Rutgers Team MVP is named in his honor.
Alexander Kroll
Class of 1962
An All-American at center and linebacker in 1961, Kroll led the Scarlet to its first undefeated season in 1961 (9-0) and spearheaded a two-season mark of 17-1. He was known for his smarts, toughness and savvy in the trenches. A Henry Rutgers Scholar with a perfect grade-point average, Kroll was the president and CEO of Young and Rubicam, the world's largest advertising agency.
George E. Little
Director of Athletics (1932-53)
Little was inducted into the coaching ranks of the National Football Hall of Fame in 1955. He coached at four colleges, including Michigan and Wisconsin, before coming to Rutgers where he was the dynamic force in the construction of the original Rutgers Stadium. Little was elected posthumously.
Robert A. Nash
Class of 1916
Known as “Nasty,” Nash was named to Walter Camp’s 1914 second-team All-America list during his junior season and went on to a superb, 10-year professional career. In 1921, he was traded by Akron to Buffalo in the first such NFL transaction and later had the distinction of being the first captain of the New York Giants in 1925. Nash was elected posthumously.
William Pellington
Class of 1952
A versatile player for the Scarlet for two years, Pellington earned major acclaim as a 12-year member of the Baltimore Colts. Pellington was the Colts’ starting inside linebacker in the famous 1958 NFL Championship game, which saw Baltimore defeat the Giants in overtime at Yankee Stadium. Also a member of the 1959 World Champion Colt squad, he played through the 1964 season, when the Colts again went to the title game, however, losing to Cleveland.
Paul L. Robeson
Class of 1919
A 12-time letterwinner at Rutgers, Robeson was chosen an All-American in 1918 by Walter Camp, who called him the greatest end to “ever trod the gridiron.” The second-highest ranking student in his graduating class, he was the first Rutgers player chosen a first-team All-American. After receiving a law degree from Columbia, Robeson went on to become a world reknown singer, athlete and social leader.
Nathaniel Toran
Class of 1977
A third-team All-American in 1975, Toran was a second team choice in 1976 and a Kodak first-team All-American when he led the Scarlet to an undefeated season. He captained a defensive unit that topped the nation in three defensive categories and his 52 sacks in three seasons is still a school record.
David A. “Sonny” Werblin
Class of 1931
The former president of the Rutgers Foundation, Werblin launched his business career as a freelance newspaper reporter while still a student and went on to become president of the Music Corporation of America from 1952 until 1965. After serving as president of the New York Jets until 1968, he was the guiding light of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority for seven years and then took over the leadership of Madison Square Garden in 1978. |
