Bobby Grayson Bobby Grayson ( December 8 , 1914 – September 22 , 1981 ) was an American football player . He was a two - time consensus All - America n player who led the Stanford University football team to three consecutive Rose Bowl Games from 1933 to 1935 . At Stanford , Grayson played for the varsity football team in the 1933 , 1934 and 1935 seasons . He was recruited to Stanford by Coach Glenn " Pop " Warner and helped lead Stanford to a Pacific Coast Conference title in 1934 and co - championships in 1933 and 1935 . He was a consensus All - American in both 1934 and 1935 . Early life . Born in Portland , Oregon , Grayson was a football , track and baseball star at Jefferson High School . He was state 100 - yard dash champion in 1931 at 10 . 1 seconds , and again in 1932 in 9 . 9 seconds with a career best of 9 . 8 seconds . Grayson also won the 220 - yard low hurdles state championship twice , in 1931 he won in 26 . 6 seconds , and again in 1931 in 25 . 5 seconds . In football he was a four year letterman playing fullback and defense while leading Jefferson to the 1931 City title and allowed no scores by opponents . In 1932 , he was recruited to play football at Stanford by their legendary coach Pop Warner . College career . Grayson ' s 1932 freshman team also included Bob Reynolds , Monk Moscrip and Bones Hamilton , and came to be known as the " Vow Boys . " The 1932 Stanford varsity team was soundly defeated by the USC Trojans ( USC ) . After watching the defeat , the freshmen players got together and vowed that they would never lose to the Trojans . In November 1933 , Stanford defeated USC , and Grayson scored the Reskins ' only touchdown . " Time " magazine reported that " Stanford ' s speedy Fullback Bobby Grayson slashed and passed through the Trojan line , punched over a touchdown , " resulting in a " resounding crash " for " the fattest Humpty Dumpty of 1933 football . " The Stanford team proceeded to beat USC three straight years from 1933 – 1935 — making good on the vow . Stanford was the dominant team on the Pacific Coast , appearing in the New Year ' s Day Rose Bowl game in each of those three years . In three seasons , Grayson was part of a Stanford team that compiled a 25 – 4 – 2 record and became the first team to play in three consecutive Rose Bowls . In the 1934 Rose Bowl , Grayson rushed for 152 yards , a Rose Bowl record . Ernie Nevers said Grayson was " the best back I ' ve ever seen . " Grayson set numerous Stanford records . He set the record for most interceptions in a single game with four ( two of which he returned for touchdowns ) in a 1934 game against the University of Washington . His career total of 1 , 547 rushing yards in 405 carries established a Stanford record that stood for 20 years . A historical account of Grayson ' s accomplishments published by the LA84 Foundation notes : " Bobby Grayson had the looks of a matinee idol ; and he remains as one of the most publicized players in Pacific Coast football history . A member of the legendary ' Vow Boys ' of Stanford , Grayson starred from 1933 – 1935 in an era that is regarded as the greatest in the school ' s gridiron history . A workhorse ball carrier from the fullback spot , Grayson combined speed and power in piling up the school ' s career reusing record that stood for nearly two decades . Grayson used sprinter - class speed in sweeping the ends , and his swivel - hipped moves eluded tacklers in the open field . ; while he was as adept at battering up the middle and punishing opposing defensive lines . " Sportswriter Grantland Rice wrote of Grayson : " Here is a big , fast back who can run an end , hit a line , kick , pass , block and handle any assignment given him . " Grayson was the 21st player drafted in the 1936 NFL Draft — the inaugural NFL draft . He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates but did not play professional football . Military service . Grayson served as commanding officer of the minesweeper USS Loyalty ( AMc - 88 ) in the Pacific during World War II . Legacy . Grayson died of a heart ailment in 1981 at age 66 in Bellevue , Washington . He was survived by his wife , Sue Grayson , and a son , Dan Grayson . In 2003 , the " Oakland Tribune " ranked Grayson as one Stanford ' s top ten players of all time , ranking him at number five behind Ernie Nevers , Jim Plunkett , Frankie Albert , and John Elway .