Don Hutson
A graceful, revolutionary receiver who single-handedly invented the modern passing game for the Green Bay Packers in the 1930s and 40s.
1913–1997 (age 84)·American football player and coach·Birthday: January 31·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Before there were offensive schemes built around the pass, there was Don Hutson, a slender, swift end from Alabama who changed football forever. When he joined the Green Bay Packers in 1935, the forward pass was a novelty; by the time he retired a decade later, he had defined the position of wide receiver. His combination of precise route-running, deceptive speed, and sure hands made him unstoppable. Hutson didn't just lead the league in receptions, he dominated it to a degree never seen before or since, winning receiving triple crowns (catches, yards, touchdowns) in an era of 10-game seasons. He was the NFL's first true superstar offensive weapon, helping Curly Lambeau's Packers to three championships. His statistical records—like 99 touchdown catches—stood for decades, and his techniques, from the sharp cut to the head fake, became the foundational grammar for every receiver who followed. In an age of leather helmets and two-way players, Hutson was a visionary of aerial attack.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Don was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Don Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Don's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 70
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 80
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1997Died at 84
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
Key Achievements
- Led the NFL in receptions eight times and in receiving touchdowns nine times during his 11-year career.
- Held the NFL record for most career touchdown receptions (99) for 44 years after his retirement.
- Won three NFL championships with the Green Bay Packers (1936, 1939, 1944).
- Was the first player to ever record a 1,000-yard receiving season (1942).
- Inducted as a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.
Did You Know?
He was also the Packers' placekicker and led the NFL in extra points made in 1945.
In college at Alabama, he played on the same team as Bear Bryant, who later became a coaching legend.
He intercepted 23 passes on defense over his career, playing both ways as was common at the time.
His nickname, 'The Alabama Antelope,' referenced his home state and his graceful, long-striding speed.
He once caught six touchdown passes in a single half during a practice game.
“You don't need a playbook if the defender can't find the ball.”
