Carroll Hardy
Carroll William Hardy (May 18, 1933 – August 9, 2020) was an American professional athlete who played in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers (1955) and in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians (1958–1960), Boston Red Sox (1960–1962), Houston Colt .45s (1963–1964) and Minnesota Twins (1967). Born in Sturgis, South Dakota, he batted and threw right-handed and was listed as tall and . Amateur career Hardy attended the University of Colorado from 1951 to 1955, where he lettered in football, baseball and track. He was all-Big Seven Conference as a halfback, running from a single-wing formation under head coach Dallas Ward, and All-Conference in baseball under head coach Frank Prentup. Professional football A third-round pick in the 1955 NFL Draft, Hardy chose baseball over football after one year in the National Football League (NFL). He caught 12 passes—four for touchdowns— while he played halfback with the San Francisco 49ers in 1955, but his biggest claim to fame will always be related to baseball, even though he was named the Hula Bowl MVP that year. As a 49er, he shared the field with Pro Football Hall of Famers Y. A. Tittle, Joe Perry and Hugh McElhenny. Major