Bobby Mitchell is a Hall of Fame football player that has a heart as big as the football fields we once played on. He grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas where in high school he played every sport. Bobby Mitchell loved football and baseball and was offered a contract to play for the St. Louis Cardinals. Instead of choosing to play baseball he went to the University of Illinois to play football. After his senior year he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

Bobby Mitchell’s NFL career started off with a bang. He broke the Browns rookie record for rushing average with 13.36 yards per carry. Bobby Mitchell left Cleveland in 1961 and played for the Washington Redskins for 6 years. He ended his career in 1969 with 14,078 combined net yards, which was second all-time in NFL history at that time.

After Bobby Mitchell retired from football he began donating much if his time helping those with physical and mental health issues. The one aspect of health issues Mitchell has concentrated on is Leukemia. In 1980 Bobby Mitchell created the Bobby Mitchell Hall of Fame Classic, an annual golf tournament that benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Since the first tournament, Bobby Mitchell has raised over $7 million. However, he couldn’t have done it without his fellow Hall of Fame teammates. Over the years the Bobby Mitchell Hall of Fame Classic has seen the likes of Steve Largent, Sonny Jurgensen and the NBA’s Oscar Robinson.

Way to go Bobby!

- John A. Roberts

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Tags | Bobby Mitchell, Cleveland Browns, Football, Hall of Fame, leukemia, leukemia football fundraiser, leukemia fundraiser, nfl, Oscar Robinson, Sonny Jurgensen, Stever Largent