Ben Agajanian

Benjamin James Agajanian "The Toeless Wonder" (born August 28, 1919) was an American collegiate and Professional Football player. He was born in Santa Ana, California. A placekicker, he played college football at the University of New Mexico. He played professionally in the National Football League from 1945 through 1959, then in the newly formed American Football League for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers in 1960, 1961, and 1964. He also played for the Dallas Texans in 1961 and the Oakland Raiders in 1962. He was one of only two players (the other was Hardy Brown) who played in the All-America Football Conference, the American Football League, and the National Football League.^[1]

Agajanian had four toes of his kicking foot crushed off in a work accident during college, but overcame the injury to become pro football's first kicking specialist, booting field goals for 10 different professional teams in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, including the 1956 World Champion New York Giants and the 1961 World Champion Green Bay Packers . After retiring from the field at age 45,^[2] he was the Dallas Cowboys kicking coach for 20 years. He is the third oldest living former AAFC player.^[3]

See also

• History of the New York Giants (1925-1978)
• Other American Football League players

References

External links

• Agajanian's football card
• Agajanian in Chargers uniform
• Dwyer, Bill (2007-10-27). "Kicking pioneer makes his case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-08-26.