Moomaw, Donn

Sons of Westwood: Bruin Legends

DONN MOOMAW

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Starting linebacker and center in 1950,51,52.
• Served as team captain in 1952.
• First round NFL Draft choice of Los Angeles Rams (1953).

ACCOLADES

• Charter member of UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame (1984).
• Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame in 1973.
• Was fourth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1952.
• Number 80 jersey retired.
• Two-time All-American 1950 and 52 (Consensus in 1952) [UCLA's first two-time All-American].
• Also a three-time All-Coast selection 1950,51,52.
• UCLA's MVP in 1950 and 1952.

MEMOIRS OF A FAN

You're probably aware that Donn Moomaw became a prominent Presbyterian Minister and served in that capacity for many years.

If memory serves, he came from Santa Ana H.S., and was a solid if not a blue chip recruit. When he arrived at UCLA, Red Sanders saw a budding linebacker even though that wasn't Donn's high school position, and to say Moomaw wasn't thrilled with the change, was putting it mildly. But he began attracting attention immediately. In those days a pair of good linebackers could cover up serious shortcomings in your front 5.

We played Purdue back there in 1950, and Donn seemed to stuff every other play the Boilermakers had. A UCLA spotter in the broadcast booth had fun with the announcer. Whenever he was asked who made the stop, our spotter told him Moomaw, whether he actually did or not. It sounded to those hearing the broadcast that Donn made every stop, when in fact he only made most of them. Anyhow, that game vaulted him onto the national stage. Subsequently, whenever there was a hard stop near the line of scrimmage during our home games, and Moomaw's hits often sounded like a train wreck, even without the cheerleaders urging, our fans would bellow a drawn out "MOOOO MAAAAH".

When we began whacking the snot out of USC shortly thereafter, the Trojan HC or AD commented that USC didn't recruit all the top players, UCLA got some also. He specifically mentioned Moomaw as someone USC really wanted but couldn't get. Now nobody knew how much truth there was to that, but conventional wisdom suggests it's doubtful USC would have pursued the 2nd. team All CIF tight end when they wre buying...err recruiting, the best players from the rest of the 48 (at that time), and bringing in half of the All America J.C. team annually.

- DocJock