On August 23, 1934, legendary quarterback Christian Jurgensen, was born in Wilmington. Known to the world as Sonny, the spirited and redheaded Jurgensen is considered one of the all-time best passers in pro football history.
Jurgensen was a multi-talented athlete in Wilmington during the 1940s and 1950s, playing baseball, basketball, football and tennis. He attended Duke and joined the varsity football squad in 1954 as a defensive back, becoming starting quarterback the next year and leading the team to the Orange Bowl.
He then played seven seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles after signing as a 4th round draft pick in 1957. In 1964, the Eagles traded him to the Washington Redksins, where he spent the rest of his career and helped to change the team’s fortunes and image.
Jurgensen achieved legendary status through strength and pinpoint accuracy in passing. Reluctantly forced into retirement in 1975 at age 41, he had logged more than 32,000 yards in passing, 255 touchdowns and an impressive 57% pass completion rate.
In retirement, Jurgensen began an enduring sports casting career, first with CBS, and since 1980 for Redskins Radio. He was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
Other related resources:
- Sports-related articles on NCpedia
- The N.C. Sports Hall of Fame at the N.C. Museum of History
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