Morris Hiram “Red” Badgro was born on December 1, 1902, in Orillia, Washington. His father was a farmer. He grew up in Kent and attended Kent High School. He played baseball and basketball there, and was a team captain in both sports.
He earned a scholarship to the University of Southern California. At USC, he played football, basketball, and baseball. In 1926, he made the All-Pacific Coast football team. In 1927, he made the All-Pacific Coast basketball team and led the baseball team in batting.
He began his pro career in 1927 with the NFL’s New York Yankees. He also played baseball in the minors and later for the St. Louis Browns in the majors. He returned to football in 1930 and joined the New York Giants.
He played for the Giants from 1930 to 1935. He made the All-Pro team three times. In 1933, he scored the first touchdown in the first NFL Championship Game. In 1934, he helped the Giants win the title.
He ended his football career in 1936 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He later coached at Columbia and the University of Washington.
In 1981, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was one of the few athletes to play in both the NFL and MLB.
He died on July 13, 1998, at age 95. He was born in Orillia and never forgot his start in the small Washington town.
