Albie Booth

Bio

Albie Booth has been described as "the most exciting and crowd pleasing of all Yale football players." At 5-6, and 144-pounds, the Yale halfback was appropriately known as "Little Boy Blue." Despite playing well in the first three games of his 1929 sophomore season, Booth was not yet a starter when Yale met Army. Trailing 13-0 in the second quarter, Booth entered the game and delivered perhaps the greatest single game performance in Yale history. Scoring two touchdowns and drop-kicking both extra points, Booth put Yale into a 14-13 lead. Later he clinched the victory with a 70-yard punt return and again added the extra point. On the day Booth scored all of Yale's 21 points, and gained 223 yards on 33 carries. Leg and hip injuries slowed Booth during his junior season. Returning to form in 1931 he played in one of the most exciting games in Yale history. Against Dartmouth, he scored three touchdowns. His first score was a 94-yard kickoff return, followed by a 22-yard pass reception and a 53-yard run from scrimmage. The contest ended in a 33-33 tie. At the time it was the highest scoring tie in college football history. Football historian Parke Davis called Booth, "A football genius, one of the greatest broken-field runners of our time." In 1931, Booth beat Harvard 3-0 with a drop-kicked field goal. The following spring he beat Harvard in a baseball game 4-3 by hitting a home run with the bases loaded. Booth served as assistant football coach at Yale and New York University and was a high-ranked football official. The Albie Booth Memorial Boys Club, in New Haven, Connecticut is named for him.

Career Highlights

• 1931 Second Team All-America
• 1930 Second Team All-America
• 1929 Second Team All-America