 Fenimorec. 1947 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 55 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Halfback | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born: | (1925-10-06)October 6, 1925 Woodward, Oklahoma, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Died: | July 28, 2010(2010-07-28) (aged 84) Stillwater, Oklahoma, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school: | Woodward | ||||||||||||||
| College: | Oklahoma A&M (1943–1946) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1947: 1st round,1st pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Robert Dale Fenimore (October 6, 1925[1] – July 28, 2010), nicknamed "the Blonde Bomber" and "Blonde Blizzard", was anAmerican footballhalfback who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for one season with theChicago Bears in 1947. He playedcollege football for theOklahoma A&M Cowboys and was selectedfirst overall by the Bears in the1947 NFL draft.
He was member of the1945 national champion Oklahoma A&M team. He was the first twiceAll-American selection from Oklahoma A&M and finished third in theHeisman Trophy voting in 1945, but still led the nation in rushing with 142 carries for 1,048 yards.
Bob Fenimore was born inWoodward, Oklahoma on October 6, 1925. As a youth, Fenimore was heavily involved with sports. His childhood home had a front yard that resembled a football field, sparking his early interest in the sport. Fenimore's interest in Oklahoma A & M (nowOklahoma State University) started early as well, even though his childhood sweetheart and later wife, Veta Jo, attended theUniversity of Oklahoma.[2]
Fenimore began his attendance at Oklahoma A & M in 1943, working toward a degree in education.
As a player, he set many school records, including the career interception mark of 18 which still stands at Oklahoma State today.[3] He was 195 pounds and could step the 100 yard dash in 9.7 compared with the world record at the time of 9.4. He led the nation in total offense in 1944 and in total offense and rushing in 1945 when he finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting behindArmy'sGlenn Davis andDoc Blanchard. The Aggies were 8-1 in 1944 and 9-0 in 1945—the only unbeaten/untied season in Oklahoma A&M/State football history.[4]
Due to injuries, Fenimore played sparingly in the 1946 season and despite the risk, theChicago Bears made Fenimore the first pick overall in the1947 NFL draft. He would play only the1947 season in Chicago appearing in 10 games.[5][6]
In 1972 Fenimore was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame. In 2007, Fenimore was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Fenimore became the third member to be inducted into Oklahoma State’s ring of honor in 2022.
After his football career, Fenimore returned to Oklahoma and went to work forMassachusetts Mutual Life insurance Company in Oklahoma City. In 1953 Fenimore and his family returned to Stillwater and worked forMass Mutual financial services until he retired. Fenimore died on July 28, 2010.[7][1]