Fred Baer
Encyclopedia
Frederick N. Baer was an American football
player. He played at the fullback
position for the University of Michigan
from 1952 to 1954. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player
on the 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
.
. He played fullback for the Fenwick Friars in the Chicago Catholic League
during the 1949 and 1950 football seasons; in 1949, he played in the same backfield with 1953 Heisman Trophy
winner Johnny Lattner
. Baer and Lattner were both later inducted in the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame.
wrote that Baer "sparkled" in spring practice, leading Michigan head coach Bennie Oosterbaan
to say, "He's going to be a real football player. I don't know if he'll be ready by fall but he could be." As a sophomore in 1952, Baer started three games at fullback, but was used principally as a backup for Dick Balzhiser and Bob Hurley during the 1952 and 1953 seasons. He started six games at fullback for the 1954 Wolverines. Baer's best game for the Wolverines came in a 34-0 win over Minnesota
on October 23, 1954, as he gained 94 rush
ing yards on 17 carries (5.5 yards per carry) and scored two touchdown
s. The following week against Indiana
, he rushed for 92 yards on 22 carries (4.2 yards per carry) and scored one touchdown. In his final game for Michigan, he gained 75 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry against Ohio State
. Baer played for the Wolverines on defense as well as offense and was considered "a vicious tacker and a hard runner." After the 1954 season, Baer was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1954 Michigan football team. He was also selected to play in the Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic. He scored the winning touchdown for the blue team on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Missouri
's Vic Eaton.
Baer graduated from Michigan in 1955 with a bachelor of arts degree in history.
in the 14th round (161st overall pick) of the 1955 NFL Draft. He signed with the Packers in February 1955.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played at the fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
position for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1952 to 1954. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
on the 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1954 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan...
.
Early years
Baer's home town was LaGrange, Illinois. He attended Fenwick High School in Oak Park, IllinoisOak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
. He played fullback for the Fenwick Friars in the Chicago Catholic League
Chicago Catholic League
The Chicago Catholic League is a high school athletic conference based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. All of the schools are currently part of the Illinois High School Association, the governing body for Illinois scholastic sports...
during the 1949 and 1950 football seasons; in 1949, he played in the same backfield with 1953 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Johnny Lattner
Johnny Lattner
John Joseph "Johnny" Lattner is a former American football player in the United States. He was a halfback for the University of Notre Dame where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1953, and won the Maxwell Award twice, in 1952 and 1953....
. Baer and Lattner were both later inducted in the Chicago Catholic League Hall of Fame.
University of Michigan
Baer enrolled at Michigan in 1951. In May 1952, the Associated PressAssociated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
wrote that Baer "sparkled" in spring practice, leading Michigan head coach Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
to say, "He's going to be a real football player. I don't know if he'll be ready by fall but he could be." As a sophomore in 1952, Baer started three games at fullback, but was used principally as a backup for Dick Balzhiser and Bob Hurley during the 1952 and 1953 seasons. He started six games at fullback for the 1954 Wolverines. Baer's best game for the Wolverines came in a 34-0 win over Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
on October 23, 1954, as he gained 94 rush
Rush (American football)
Rushing has two different meanings in gridiron football .-Offense:The first is an action taken by the offensive team that means to advance the ball by running, as opposed to passing. A run is technically any play that does not involve a forward pass...
ing yards on 17 carries (5.5 yards per carry) and scored two touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s. The following week against Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
, he rushed for 92 yards on 22 carries (4.2 yards per carry) and scored one touchdown. In his final game for Michigan, he gained 75 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry against Ohio State
1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was led by QB Dave Leggett and captains John Borton and Dick Brubaker. They were the second national title team in Ohio State football history. They were coached by Hall of Fame coach Woody Hayes...
. Baer played for the Wolverines on defense as well as offense and was considered "a vicious tacker and a hard runner." After the 1954 season, Baer was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1954 Michigan football team. He was also selected to play in the Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic. He scored the winning touchdown for the blue team on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Missouri
Missouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
's Vic Eaton.
Baer graduated from Michigan in 1955 with a bachelor of arts degree in history.
Professional football
He was selected by the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the 14th round (161st overall pick) of the 1955 NFL Draft. He signed with the Packers in February 1955.