Open Announce

Chuck Hill

The balance, grace and sheer artistry of his broken field running made Chuck Hill one of Albuquerque’s and UNM’s finest football athletes of the 40s and 50s. After starring at Albuquerque High, Hill enrolled at UNM and quickly established himself as one of the nation’s premier kickoff return specialists.

Hill led the NCAA in kickoff return average in 1950 (27.0) and 1951 (29.6). In 1950, he scored a school-record five touchdowns against Northern Arizona. Perhaps the greatest accolade given to Hill came from famed sportscaster Ted Husing afer Hill returned six kickoffs for 150 yards in a game at No. 1-ranked Army: “Hill is by far the best back on the field today.”

Many of Hill’s return records remained intact past the turn of the current century, including 215 yards on kickoffs against West Texas State in 1950. He accounted for 3,347 all-purpose yards from 1949-51.

Hill’s athletic prowess extended to baseball where he played third base and catcher for head coach George Petrol.

Chuck Hill died in Missouri in 1969. He was posthumously inducted into the Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.