NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players: No. 33 - Jack Beynon, Rockford

The No. 33 player on our list was a Rockford newsmaker from his his high school days to his death.

John T. "Jack" Beynon played tennis and basketball for Rockford High School and was the star quarterback of the 1930 Rockford football team that many considered the finest Rockford high school team before the 1973-1974 undefeated east E-Rabs.

The 1930 Rabs lost their season opener, 6-0, to Chicago Bowen but then ran off eight straight wins, outscoring its opponents 279-18. That included 59-0 romps over Joliet, 40-0 over West Aurora and 52-0 over Freeport to end the season.

Beynon was the unquestioned star of the team, running for 20 touchdowns and passing for four more, including three to team captain Barton Cummings.

Barton and Cummings earned scholarships to the University of Illinois to play for legendary coach Robert Zuppke. Zuppke had coached Illinois to four national titles, but his Illini struggled to records of 3-5 and 2-6-1 in the two years before Beynon took the field.

Illinois no longer has statistics on its teams from the 1930s. The NIC-10 History Book looked up game accounts from Beynon's three seasons. Playing in the old single-wing under Zuppke's entertaining flea-flicker offense, Beynon was a throwing and receiving threat.

Beynon's touchdown totals are modest by today's standards. He threw nine touchdown passes and caught three. But in Illinois' three seasons with Beynon, the Illini averaged 11 points per game. Beynon threw or caught the only touchdown in four games for Illinois.

In 1933, Beynon's best season statistically, he was named honorable mention All-American by Liberty Magazine and Collier's Magazine. In 1934, which Beynon was named team captain, he was named second-team All-America by Red Grange Universal Service, third-team by Hearst and the Newspaper Enterprise Association, and honorable mention by Liberty Magazine.

Beynon played in the 1935 College All-Star Game, along with future President Gerald Ford of Michigan. Beynon later said that Bears owner George Halas offered him a contract for $150 per game, but Beynon would have to pay his own expenses.

Beynon turned it down, and instead worked his way through law school at Illinois by assisting Zuppke as a backfield coach and working as a radio sports announcer. He served for four years in World War II before resuming his law career.

In 1966, Beynon became Winnebago County's first public defender. In 1971, he was named an associate judge and became a circuit judge in 1981. Beynon died in 1989.

No. 33 - Jack Beynon, Rockford
Year	Level	School	Accomplishments	Points
1930	High School	Rockford	First Team All-Conference	2
			Winning Team	1
			Conference Champion	1
			League Leader (rushing TDs)	1
			All-State	1
1931	College	Illinois	Player on Power 5 Freshman Team	2
1932	College	Illinois	Letter Winner on Power Team	4
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
1933	College	Illinois	Letter Winner on Power 5 Team	4
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
			All-Conference	1
			Honorable Mention All-America	0.5
1934	College	Illinois	Letter Winner on Power 5 Team	4
			Starter	1
			Winning Team	1
			All-Conference	1
			Honorable Mention All-America	0.5
Total				29

NIC-10's 100 Greatest Football Players