The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 70

2004:01:28:23:15:57 B12 CALIFORNIA LOSANGELESTIMES By Shav Glick Times Staff Writer Elroy Hirsch, who parlayed a Hall of Fame football career with the Los Angeles Rams into a brief movie career, died Wednesday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in Madison, Wis. He was 80. Hirsch, a 6-foot-2-inch, 190- pounder with a trademark crew cut, played halfback and receiver for the Rams from 1949 to 1957 and was one of the most important players on their only NFL championship team, in 1951. His nickname, became one of the most familiar names in sports. It was given to him by a Chicago sportswriter who had seen Hirsch, playing for the University of Wisconsin, run 65 yards for a touchdown against Great Lakes Naval Station in 1942.

crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time; he looked like a demented wrote Francis Powers in the Daily News. The name stuck. was better than being called Hirsch said many times. nickname was good for After All-America years at Wisconsin in 1942 and Michigan in 1943 as a Marine Corps trainee, and three years with the Chicago Rockets, Hirsch joined the Rams in 1949 and played sparingly as a halfback. In 1950, Coach Joe Stydahar installed a three-end offense and Hirsch began to display his spectacular receiving ability as aflanker.

He caught 42 passes for 687 yards and seven touchdowns. That served as only a prelude to 1951. Catching passes from Hall of Fame quarterbacks Bob Waterfield and Norm Van Brocklin, Hirsch had an average touchdown reception of 47.8 yards. The long pass was the hallmark of Rams as Hirsch caught 66 passes for 1,495 yards a 22.7-yard average and 17 touchdowns. He led the NFL in each category and, although it was not chronicled in those days, his feat of catching touchdown passes in 11 consecutive games in 1950-51 was an NFL record.

Hirsch was named Pro Player of the Year after a season in which the Rams defeated the ClevelandBrowns, 24-17, to win the NFL championship. Legs was not only a great Hall of Fame receiver, but also a Hall of Fame Harland Svare said Wednesday after hearing about death. Svare played with Hirsch in 1953-54 and later was coach of the Rams when Hirsch was general manager. was already Crazy Legs when he got here, but his style of catching passes was so unique. He used to swing underneath the pass and take it in over his head.

It made it very difficult for anyone to defend Hirsch loved to explain why his nickname fit his running style. see a woman run? The way they point the toes in and throw the legs wide the way I run in the he said during his Ram career. wobble. I picked it up as a kid. I love to run.

I used to run home from the movies at night and raced my shadow under the streetlight. They thought I was Although he played nine years with the Rams, Hirsch said his greatest athletic thrill came against the Rams. In the 1946 College All-Star game, Hirsch scored both touchdowns and won the Outstanding Player award as the collegians upset the Rams, 16-0. The Rams had won the NFL title in 1945 while in Cleveland, but moved to Los Angeles before the All-Star game. In a widely publicized retirement after the final game in the Coliseum in 1954, Hirsch tore off his uniform, piece by piece, and threw it to an adoring public.

The Rams presented him with a pastel-tinted Oldsmobile. But Hirsch was back in a Rams uniform the next season and played until a second retirement in 1957. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. From 1960 to 1969 he was general manager of the Rams before leaving to become athletic director at Wisconsin. Before he left, however, he dabbled in movies, playing himself in All- and later starring in a 1955 prison movie, and a 1957 airliner disaster movie.

as an actor is both likable and Times reviewer John L. Scott wrote about the does very well in his first film His athletic career began at Wausau (Wis.) High School, where he lettered in basketball, baseball and football and earned a scholarship to Wisconsin. Although he played only one year there, Wisconsin sportswriters in 1969 named him the third best football player in the history. has never been a more loved and admired ambassador for Wisconsin sports than Elroy Wisconsin Athletic Director Pat Richter told the Associated Press. charismatic and charming personality brought smiles to so many Badger At Michigan in 1943-44, he became the first four-sport letterman.

Although he attended two Big Ten schools, Hirsch received his degree from Baldwin-Wallace University in 1951. After leaving college, he played football with the El Toro Marines for Coach Dick Hanley. He was drafted by both the Chicago Rockets of the All- America Conference and the Rams of the NFL, but chose the Rockets because Hanley was the coach. When the AAC folded after the 1948 season, Hirsch joined the Rams. He married his high school sweetheart, Ruth, in 1946.

In addition to his widow, survivors include a son, Winn, of Lake Arrowhead, and a daughter, Patty Malmquist, of Verona, Wis. Services are pending. Associated Press Hirsch, shown in 1998, was the general manager of the Rams from 1960 to 1969 and then the longtime athletic director at the University of Wisconsin. crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions, all at the same time; he looked like a demented Francis Powers a sportswriter whose description of running style in the Chicago Daily News in 1942 led to the nickname Elroy Hirsch, 80; Football Hall of Famer Was an L.A. Rams Star ELROY HIRSCH The running back and flanker played on the Los Angeles Rams team that won its only NFL championship in 1951 and was the Pro Player of the Year.

He also set an NFL record for most consecutive games, 11, with a touchdown catch. Obituaries SAN DIEGO 3Firefighting Copters Advised for County The San Diego region needs three firefighting helicopters, according to a study released Wednesday that shows it lags behind other Southern California counties in aerial fire-suppression power. The city of San Diego commissioned the study by Conklin Decker Associates of Arlington, Texas, after wildfires. San Diego County was the site of the deadliest blaze the Cedar fire which resulted in 15 of the 26 deaths in six Southern California counties and destroyed 2,200 of 3,650 homes. MILL VALLEY City Sued Over Access for the Disabled The state attorney office has sued the city of Mill Valley saying it has failed to enforce state laws requiring that city facilities and businesses be accessible to the disabled.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Marin Superior Court, said the city had failed to investigate and resolve complaints about access to ice cream parlors, restaurants, service stations, banks, drugstores and city facilities. SAN JOSE Mayor Becomes Ill at State of the City Event Mayor Ron Gonzales fell ill Wednesday night during a State of the City program. An ambulance was called to the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, where Vice Mayor Pat Dando told the audience of about 5,000 that the rest of the program was canceled. believe he may be suffering from food Dando said. Gonzales was reported to be alert.

From Times Staff and Wire Reports IN BRIEF Gary Friedman Los Angeles Times Making Feathered Friends Johnny Wyatt throws food to birds that appear to be almost within reach in Redondo Beach on a beautiful sunny day in Southern California. byist and businessman Art M. Gastelum. The article quoted lobbyist Clark Davis as saying that former Airport Commissioner Leland Wong used his position in 2002 to try to pressure Davis to steer a lucrative concession contract to daughter. Wong said he made a suggestion but did not exert any pressure.

Davis represented Atlanta- based concessionaire W.H. Smith, which operated a majority of newsstands and retail shops at LAX. Davis wrapped up his testimony before the grand jury Wednesday and emerged from the courtroom on the 13th floor of the downtown criminal courts building clutching a soda and looking warily at a group of reporters blocking his path to the elevators. think allowed to talk to anybody about he said. Ron Martinez, a business consultant who backed account in the Times article, has also been subpoenaed to testify, asource said.

Davis had enlisted Martinez in 2002 to help him line up a new subcontractor for W.H. Smith. Rick Janisse, former deputy executive director for properties and concessions for the airport agency, appeared before the grand jury this week. Also testifying was Edwards, who manages several city departments, including the harbor and Los Angeles World Airports, which oversees LAX, Ontario International Airport, and Van Nuys and Palmdale airports. Edwards, who was Mayor James K.

campaign finance director during his first run for mayor in 2001, refused to comment on his appearance Wednesday. In another probe that has not made use of the grand jury, prosecutors are making inquiries into questions raised by City Controller Laura Chick as an offshoot of a Dec. 15 audit that was critical of airport contracting practices. Chick asked local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to look into tential illegal that she found while conducting the audit of the airport agency. When she released the audit, the controller said she was concerned about a environment in the city of Los referring to a practice in which contractors make contributions to political campaigns in exchange for preferential treatment.

Times staff writers Jessica Garrison, Patrick McGreevy and Noam Levey contributed to this report. D.A. Probes Possible Corruption at Airport Agency Probe, from Page B1 plained to deputies that the officer had sexually assaulted her during her arrest, Funes said. The information led the professional standards bureau, formerly known as internal affairs, to begin an investigation Aug. 12.

Police staged an undercover investigation Sept. 30. A female undercover officer working for the bureau posed as a victim of domestic violence and pretended to be drunk. While being videotaped, Kapalungan fondled one of the undercover breasts, authorities said. He also was videotaped pushing her down on the bed, kissing her and stroking her body, they said.

officer committed the same kind of act on the undercover as on the previous victim, Funes said. Kapalungan was suspended Oct. 1, he said. In both cases, Kapalungan careful to do it while his partner said district spokeswoman Jane Robison. Funes said investigators are going back over the logs and division records.

are searching for other potential Funes said. The prosecutor said the crimes were very serious because they were allegedly committed by an officer in a position of trust who was responsible for helping people. Nine witnesses, including both women, were called to testify before the Los Angeles County Grand Jury. Grand jurors returned the indictment Tuesday, and Kapalungan surrendered to authorities Wednesday. His family attended the arraignment in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

They declined to comment. Defense attorney Ted Smith, who is representing the officer, said he had not seen any of the evidence. presumed innocent at this Smith said. are no facts of Aenlle-Rocha said the investigation into Kapalungan is continuing. The officer is scheduled to return to court Feb.

10. Officer Accused of Molesting Domestic Violence Victim Indict, from Page B1.