Elroy Hirsch Elroy " Crazylegs " Hirsch ( June 17 , 1923 – January 28 , 2004 ) was an American football running back and receiver for the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Rockets , nicknamed for his unusual running style . Early life . Hirsch was born in Wausau , Wisconsin . He developed his running style running cross legged over four square cement sidewalk blocks in his home town . Hirsch played for legendary coach Win Brockmeyer during his time at Wausau High School . Hirsch played his first college season with the University of Wisconsin Badgers in 1942 . His nickname was permanently affixed to him by " Chicago Daily News " sportswriter Francis Powers who , upon witnessing him play for the Badgers against the Great Lakes Naval Station in 1942 , wrote " His crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions , all at the same time ; he looked like a demented duck . " His commitment to the United States Navy V - 12 program in United States Marine Corps required him to transfer to the University of Michigan . He played two intercollegiate football seasons for the Michigan Wolverines where during the 1943 - 44 year he earned the distinction of being the only athlete at the school to letter in four sports ( football , basketball , track and baseball ) in a single year . He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1974 . Professional football career . Hirsch was drafted by the Chicago Rockets of the All - America Football Conference , where he played from 1946 to 1948 , in three injury - prone seasons . After the Rockets and the AAFC merged with the NFL , he joined the Los Angeles Rams through 1957 , where he gained his fame . Coach Clark Shaughnessy made Hirsch the first full - time " flanker " in NFL history , splitting the talented receiver outside from his previous halfback position . Additionally , he was one of the first to sport the molded plastic helmet that is the industry standard today in the NFL , which Coach Shaughnessy fitted for him as a precaution , as he was injured when first joining the Rams . When playing for Chicago in an All - America game against the Cleveland Browns , Hirsch was tackled so badly that his right knee ligaments were torn . He also suffered a fractured skull above his right ear . He was key to the Rams victory in the 1951 NFL championship with a NFL record 1 , 495 yards receiving , a record that stood for 19 years . He also had 66 catches , and 17 touchdowns that same year . He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968 with a career 387 receptions , 7 , 029 yards , and 60 touchdowns . Later years . He served as the Director of Athletics for the University of Wisconsin – Madison from 1969 to 1987 . Within four years , he had raised home attendance at football games from 43 , 000 to 70 , 000 . During his tenure as athletic director , the number of sports offered by the UW athletics department doubled and the Badgers won national titles in hockey , men ' s , and women ' s crew , and men ' s and women ' s cross country . Hirsch died of natural causes at an assisted living home in Madison , Wisconsin on January 28 , 2004 . An annual run , the " Crazylegs Classic " , is held in Madison in his honor , with proceeds benefiting the UW Athletics Department . In popular culture . He starred in the eponymous film of his life in 1953 , " Crazylegs " . He also starred in the movies " Unchained " and " Zero Hour ! " , a 1957 airline disaster movie .