March 15, 1990

Thomas Dudley (Tom) Harmon

March 15, 1990
U of M Football
Player (1938 - 1940)
Heisman Trophy Winner
College Football Hall of Fame
U of M Athletic Hall of Honor
Number "98" retired by the U of M
Sports Broadcaster

Thomas Dudley “Tom” Harmon

University of Michigan Football Player (1938 - 1940)

Broadcaster

Tom Harmon was born in Rensselaer, Indiana and went to Horace Mann High School in Gary, Indiana. Harmon was a star athlete earning 14 athletic letters in football, basketball, baseball and track winning the Indiana state championship in the 100-yard dash and the 220-yard low hurdles. He was recruited by the University of Michigan where he excelled in football and played basketball for two years. His outstanding football career included being named to the All-Conference team all three years and earning All-American in his junior and senior seasons. His senior season was among the best ever at the University of Michigan as he won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Big Ten’s MVP and the Associated Press Athlete of the Year. The University of Michigan retired his number “98” at the end of his career. He was the number one overall pick of the NFL draft by the Chicago Bears but did not sign with them. Harmon was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps and served during World War II earning a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service. After his discharge he signed on to the Los Angeles Rams for two seasons before ending his playing career and embarking on a broadcasting career with both the NBC and ABC broadcasting networks. Tom Harmon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954, the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1974, the inaugural class of the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1978 and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1962. He passed away on March 15, 1990 at 70 years of age.