Hal Bledsoe (2001) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Hal Bledsoe

Induction:
2001
Class:
1963

One of the original “big” (6-5, 221 pounds) wide receivers in college football, Hal Bedsole was a consensus All-American on USC’s 1962 national championship team. A 3-year letterman (1961-63) and 2-time All-Conference first teamer (1961-62), his had 82 career catches. He set the USC career record for highest average per catch (30 or more) at 20.94. Nicknamed “Prince Hal” because of his self-assured, outspoken ways, he led the Trojans in receiving and scoring in 1961 (27 catches, 38 points) and 1962 (33 catches, 68 points). He was the first Trojan to have 200 receiving yards in a game (201 yards versus California in 1962, a school record which stood for 21 years). He caught 2 touchdown passes in USC’s win over Wisconsin in the 1963 Rose Bowl. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012. A second round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings, he played there for 3 seasons (1964-66), then was a radio broadcast sales manager and was in business marketing. He died on Dec. 22, 2017, at age 76