June 23, 2014

Highlighted Year: Ockie Anderson, 1921

Back, Buffalo All-Americans



Age: 27 (Oct. 15)
2nd season in pro football & with All-Americans
College: Colgate
Height: 5’9”   Weight: 165

Prelude:
Anderson was a three-sport star in college (basketball and track were the others) and, in football, a first-team Walter Camp All-American in 1916. He served two years in the military during World War I and then returned to his native Erie, Pennsylvania where he became athletic director in the city’s school system. He joined the new Buffalo team of the APFA (later NFL) in 1920. With several other former college stars on the squad, the team became known as the All-Americans and the fast and elusive Anderson was the featured back. Unofficially, since individual statistics weren’t yet being compiled by the new league, he led the team in touchdowns (11) and scoring (69 points) in ’20.

1921 Season Summary
Appeared in all 11 games
[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Scoring
Rushing TDs – 5 [2, tied with Frank Bacon & Jim Laird]
Receiving TDs – 1 [8, tied with many]
Punt Ret. TDs – 1 [1, tied with Paddy Driscoll]
Total TDs – 7 [1, tied with Fritz Pollard]
Points – 42 [2, tied with Fritz Pollard]

All-Americans went 9-1-2 to finish second in the APFA while leading the league in scoring (211 points).

Aftermath:
Anderson’s pro career came to an end during the 1922 season due to a knee injury. Over the course of three seasons and 29 games, he officially scored 8 touchdowns for a total of 48 points, but adding in the unofficial numbers from 1920, it comes to 19 TDs and 117 points.

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Highlighted Years features players who were first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating
Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)
Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)
All-Purpose: Total Yards
Defense: Interceptions, Sacks
Kickoff Returns: Average
Punt Returns: Average
Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970