Russ Letlow

Russ Letlow
No. 46
Position:Guard, tackle
Personal information
Born:(1913-10-05)October 5, 1913
Dinuba, California, U.S.
Died:October 12, 1987(1987-10-12) (aged 74)
San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:214 lb (97 kg)
Career information
High school:Taft (CA) Union[1]
College:San Francisco
NFL draft:1936 / round: 1 / pick: 7
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:71
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Willard Russell Letlow (October 5, 1913 – October 12, 1987) was an American football guard and tackle who played professionally for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL).

Letlow played his college career at the University of San Francisco. Prior to the 1936 NFL draft, college players were free agents that could sign with an NFL team; Letlow had signed with the Chicago Cardinals prior to the draft. Subsequently, he was chosen by the Green Bay Packers as their first-round draft pick in the inaugural 1936 NFL draft.[2] After being drafted by Green Bay, he was released by the Cardinals.[3]

In Letlow's rookie season, the Packers won their fourth NFL Championship (and first championship game). Letlow played for the Packers from 1936 to 42, and again in 1946. He was selected as an All-Pro for four straight seasons from 1937 to 1940. He played in 71 career games while starting in 30 of them. He was named to the All-Star game, the predecessor to the Pro Bowl in 1938 and 1939. He went into the Navy in 1943, being named to the All-Service team in 1943 and 1944. He returned to the Packers for one more season in 1946.

Letlow was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1972.[4] Letlow is one of ten players that were named to the National Football League 1930s All-Decade Team that have not been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Personal Life and Controversy

Letlow married Santa Fe artist Ruth Chaban in 1968. Several months after, Chaban was hospitalized when Letlow beat her so badly she could barely speak. Chaban took a restraining order out on Letlow, but he returned two weeks later and attempted to break into their home on Calle La Peña. The two never reconciled, although Letlow attempted to regain contact with Chaban through her children. Author Jillian St. Jacques published an essay about the topic in 2003 in the popular culture journal, SF Camerawork.

References

  1. ^ "Taft Union High School Hall of Fame". Taft Union High School Hall of Fame.
  2. ^ "1936 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  3. ^ Rivard, Raymond (July 4, 2014). "62 days to Packers football: Russ Letlow – first-ever draft choice". FanSided. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  4. ^ Christl, Cliff. "Russ Letlow". Packers.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.


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