John Kimbrough


John Alec Kimbrough was a college athlete, a member of the Texas Legislature, the star of two western movies and a rancher. His older brother Frank Kimbrough served as head football coach for the Baylor Bears and the West Texas State Buffaloes.

Football

Kimbrough, an alumnus of Texas A&M University, was known as the "Haskell Hurricane" when he played Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played fullback on the Aggie's undefeated 1939 national championship team. In 1940 he finished second to the University of Michigan's Tom Harmon in Heisman Trophy balloting. According to his College Football Hall of Fame biography, Jarrin' John was a punishing 6 ft 2 in tall 210 lb running back known for breaking tackles with his high knee action who was honored with induction into that organization in 1954.
Kimbrough was drafted in the first round with the second overall pick in the 1941 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals. He made his professional football debut on October 19, 1941, playing for the New York Americans against the Columbus Bullies, the same game that also marked the professional debut of Tom Harmon. In 1941, he started alongside Harmon in the Americans backfield in the third American Football League and became the team's primary running threat after Harmon left the team for military service.

Acting

After the AFL folded in response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Kimbrough parlayed his gridiron fame and athletic good looks into a Hollywood contract, though he only appeared in two western motion pictures, Sundown Jim and The Lone Star Ranger, both released in 1942.

Military

He later served as an Army pilot in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II.

Return to football

Returning from military service, Kimbrough played for the Los Angeles Dons of the All-America Football Conference; his second run at a professional football career was cut short by a series of heart attacks that started when he was only 30 years old. He was forced to leave the game in 1948 after three seasons with the Dons.

Politics

Kimbrough was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1953 as a Democrat.

Death

Kimbrough died May 8, 2006, in Haskell, Texas. The cause of death was pneumonia.