Herber, "Arnie" (Arnold)
Football
b. April 2, 1910, Green Bay, WI
d. Oct. 14, 1969
The first great long passer in pro football history, Herber teamed with Don Hutson to give the Green Bay Packers the most dangerous passing combination in the NFL during the late 1930s.
While starring as a high school basketball and football player, Herber sold programs at Packer games. He went to the University of Wisconsin as a freshman, then transferred to Regis College in Colorado, but was forced to drop out of school because of the depression.
Herber joined his hometown Packers in 1930 and played for championship teams in his first two seasons. He was named All-Pro tailback in 1932, when he threw 9 touchdown passes.
When the Packers beat the Boston Redskins 21-6 in the 1936 championship game, Herber threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Hutson, and his 52-yard pass to Johnny "Blood" McNally set up another touchdown. He also threw a touchdown pass in the Packers' 27-0 victory over New York Giants in the 1939 title game.
Herber retired after the 1940 season, but he joined the Giants in 1944 because of the World War II manpower shortage and threw 15 touchdown passes in 2 seasons before retiring permanently.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Herber had unusually small hands and used an unorthodox grip, putting his thumb rather than his fingers on the laces of the football. Nevertheless, he could throw accurately at ranges of up to 60 yards.
Herber was the NFL passing leader in 1932, 1934, and 1936.