Akron Reporter

Cliff Battles was born in Akron, Ohio, on May 1, 1910. He grew up in a working-class family. He attended Kenmore High School, where he played football. He later enrolled at West Virginia Wesleyan. There, he played five sports and earned 15 letters. He excelled as a tailback. In 1931, he scored 15 touchdowns and had his best game against Salem College with 469 total yards.

Battles joined the NFL in 1932. He signed with the Boston Braves, later known as the Redskins. He led the league in rushing that year. In 1933, he became the first NFL player to rush for more than 200 yards in a game. He repeated as the league’s leading rusher in 1937. That year, he helped the Redskins win their first NFL championship. Battles retired after the 1937 season due to a salary dispute.

He began coaching in 1938. He worked at Columbia University and later coached the Brooklyn Dodgers in the All-America Football Conference. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his coaching career, he worked for General Electric in Washington, D.C.

Battles was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. His hometown honored him with the Cliff Battles Award at Kenmore High School. He died in 1981 and is buried in Maryland. His impact on early professional football remains part of Akron’s sports legacy.