Marv Hubbard
A bruising, old-school fullback whose punishing running style was the physical heartbeat of the Oakland Raiders' dominant 1970s offense.
1946–2015 (age 69)·American football player·Birthday: May 7·Baby Boomers
Biography
Marv Hubbard was the embodiment of the Raiders' swaggering, physical identity during their 1970s heyday. In an era before specialization, the fullback from Colgate University was a pure battering ram. He didn't dance around defenders; he ran through them, earning a reputation as one of the toughest short-yardage runners in the game. As a key component of the Raiders' vertical offense, his brutal efficiency between the tackles—leading the NFL in yards per carry in 1972—set up the deep passing threats that defined the team. Hubbard’s style took a toll on his body, limiting his career to seven seasons, but his contributions were vital to the Raiders' success, including their victory in Super Bowl XI. He remains a favorite among fans who cherish football's more visceral, ground-and-pound traditions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Marv was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marv Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Marv's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Died at 69
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Led the NFL in yards per carry in 1972, averaging 5.0 yards per attempt.
- Was a key offensive weapon for the Oakland Raiders team that won Super Bowl XI.
- Rushed for over 4,000 career yards and 21 touchdowns during his seven-year NFL tenure.
- Played in the Pro Bowl following the 1972 and 1973 seasons.
Did You Know?
He was a three-sport star in college at Colgate, also playing lacrosse and wrestling.
He was selected by the Raiders in the 11th round of the 1968 NFL Draft.
His nickname was 'Marvelous Marv.'
“My job was simple: take the ball and move the pile forward.”
