Elmer Kenneth Strong (April 21, 1906 – October 5, 1979) was an American professional football player who was a halfback and fullback.
A native of West Haven, Connecticut, Strong played college baseball and football for the NYU Violets.
[3][4] Strong attended West Haven High School where he was a star baseball and football player.
In baseball, he was NYU's center fielder for three years and drew attention for his fielding and power hitting.
[9] Strong gained widespread fame when he led NYU to a 27–13 upset victory over undefeated Carnegie Tech.
Today he was George Gipp, Red Grange and Chris Cagle rolled into one human form and there was nothing Carnegie Tech had that could stop his march.
He earned a reputation as a triple-threat man and a versatile athlete who played on offense and defense and in the kicking game.
"[12] Unable to reach terms with the New York Giants, Strong signed instead with the Staten Island Stapletons.
[15] At the end of the 1929 season, Strong was selected by Collyer's Eye and the Green Bay Press-Gazette as a second-team All-Pro.
[16] In December 1930, he led the Stapletons to a 16–7 victory over the New York Giants for the pro football championship of New York City; Strong accounted for all 16 Stapleton points, running 98 yards for a touchdown, passing for a second touchdown, and kicking a field goal and an extra point.
[17] He was selected as a first-team player on the 1930 All-Pro Team by Collyer's Eye and the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
[18] At the end of the 1931 season, Strong was selected as an All-Pro for the second year in a row, receiving first-team honors from the United Press (UP) and Collyer's Eye.
[citation needed] After the 1933 season, Strong received first-team All-Pro honors from the United Press, Collyer's Eye, and the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
In a 10–7 victory over the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was only able to play a few minutes due to injury, but he still managed to score all of the Giants' points on a 24-yard touchdown run and a 24-yard field goal.
[20] Slowed by injury in 1935, he was described as "a celebrated invalid" who "hobbled" from the bench to kick a field goal for the Giants in a 3–0 victory over the Bears on November 17.
[30] In the summer of 1940, Strong became ill with stomach ulcers, underwent emergency surgery, and was hospitalized for four weeks.
[28] In 1944, with talent in the NFL depleted by wartime military service, Strong returned for a third stint with the New York Giants.
"[11] In 1939, Grantland Rice rated Strong and Jim Thorpe as the greatest players in football history.
[11] Harry Grayson wrote: "An amazing runner, blocker, passer, kicker, and defensive man, Strong was, in the opinion of many who saw him, the greatest football player of them all.
He was signed by the New York Yankees before graduating from NYU and spent the summer of 1929 with the New Haven Profs of the Eastern League.
He was an outfielder for New Haven, appearing in 104 games and compiling a .283 batting average with 21 home runs and 43 extra-base hits.
He was considered a tremendous major league prospect, but a wrist injury sustained late in the 1931 season when he ran into the outfield fence proved to be a fracture.
[2] In December 1929, Strong married Amelie Hunneman, a New York actress known by the stage name Rella Harrison.
[2][37] After retiring from football, Strong lived with his wife and son in Bayside, Queens, and worked as a liquor salesman.