Santa Clara Athletics Hall of Fame
A star Bay Area footballer, Lee Artoe became an All-American in 1939. Despite being too busy working in the oil fields to regularly attend practice, Artoe found success in his post-SCU football career. He was drafted in the 9th round of the NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, after a stellar performance at the 1939 Collegiate All-Star Game in Chicago. He is also well-known for his offensive skills as a kicker and defensive skills as a tackler from 1940-42 and 1945, garnering unanimous All-Pro Honors before entering the service. Artoe held the Bears record for longest field goal (52 yards) for 35 years. He was a key member of the ’41 Bears, considered one of the most dominant pro football teams of all time. Artoe won an NFL Championship Title when the Chicago Bears beat the Washington Redskins in 1940 (73-0) and then went on to play in the NFL for seven years with the Los Angeles Dons and Baltimore Colts.
