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Harold Warren Moon (twitter: @WMoon1)
Position: QB Height: 6-3 Weight: 218 lbs. Throws: Right Born: November 18 , 1956 in Los Angeles, CA High School: Alexander Hamilton College: Washington Weighted Career AV (100-95) (33rd overall since 1950) 9-time Pro Bowler Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2006 |
Charity
Warren Moon has been involved with many charitable organizations, including the United Negro College Fund, the Ronald McDonald House, the Special Olympics, the March of Dimes, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. While playing for the Houston Oilers, Moon also started the Crescent Moon Foundation (1989), which has provided college scholarships to economically disadvantaged students in the Houston area.
The Crescent Moon Foundation is associated to the Urban Youth Scholarship Fund which provides between twelve and fifteen scholarships annually. As a businessman and as an individual, Moon is absolutely dedicated to his charities and charitable work.
According to Moon, “I think it’s a choice to give back but it’s a choice that they (current athletes) should make. They (the fans) helped us out so much and so much is done for us to help us get to where we are and when we get paid our big salaries it’s all thanks to the fans.”
Being one of the first successful African American quarterbacks to break the color line for quarterbacks in the NFL, and become the only African American to reach the NFL Hall of Fame as a quarterback, Warren Moon is currently working as a mentor to Cam Newton, an African American quarterback who was the Number One draft choice for the Carolina Panthers in 2011.
Warren Moon has been involved with many charitable organizations, including the United Negro College Fund, the Ronald McDonald House, the Special Olympics, the March of Dimes, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the American Heart Association, and the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. While playing for the Houston Oilers, Moon also started the Crescent Moon Foundation (1989), which has provided college scholarships to economically disadvantaged students in the Houston area.
The Crescent Moon Foundation is associated to the Urban Youth Scholarship Fund which provides between twelve and fifteen scholarships annually. As a businessman and as an individual, Moon is absolutely dedicated to his charities and charitable work.
According to Moon, “I think it’s a choice to give back but it’s a choice that they (current athletes) should make. They (the fans) helped us out so much and so much is done for us to help us get to where we are and when we get paid our big salaries it’s all thanks to the fans.”
Being one of the first successful African American quarterbacks to break the color line for quarterbacks in the NFL, and become the only African American to reach the NFL Hall of Fame as a quarterback, Warren Moon is currently working as a mentor to Cam Newton, an African American quarterback who was the Number One draft choice for the Carolina Panthers in 2011.
Warren Moon personifies the unique character and personality that makes up one who has fulfilled the “American Dream.” His life has been marked by both trial and adversity; however, each time he has faced seemingly insurmountable odds, he has found a way to achieve his goals. Whether living the life of a student, an athlete, or a businessman, he has always found a way to ride the train to success.
Although few men have been able to rise to the pinnacle of their given endeavors in sport, Warren Moon in the sport of football was able to accomplish two things that no other quarterback was ever able to do. He is the only African American quarterback to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, and he is the only player to be inducted into both the NFL Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Born as Harold Warren Moon on November 18, 1956 in Los Angeles, California, Moon was the middle child with six sisters. His father, Harold, was a laborer, and his mother was a nurse. When he was seven years old his father died of liver disease. Due to the unforeseen circumstances involved in his father’s death, Moon was forced to take on household responsibilities like ironing, sewing and cooking.
As a student, Moon attended Alexander Hamilton High School. He played only one sport in high school: football. He led the varsity team in his senior year to the city playoffs and was selected to the all-city team, which improved upon his notoriety and caused many college scouts to take notice of him.
Though he was recruited by many colleges, most of the colleges wanted him to change from quarterback to another position, which was common for African American quarterbacks entering into the college ranks of that day. In lieu of changing positions, Moon opted to attend West Los Angeles College in 1974 and 1975. Having exhibited his phenomenal talents at the quarterback position, he earned a scholarship to play for the University of Washington.
Though he did not post stellar statistics in his short two year career at Washington, Moon was able to help his team get to the 1978 Rose Bowl game. His team was a double-digit underdog playing against the University of Michigan Wolverines; however, the Washington Huskies pulled off a stunning upset, winning the game 27-20. Moon was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Warren Moon did not start out his professional football career in the National Football League; instead, he signed a contract to play quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In his first season playing for the Eskimos, he helped the team to advance all the way to the championship game, where they were able to win the first of five consecutive Grey Cups. While in Canada, playing for the Eskimos, Moon was able to compile some magnificent numbers. In his six seasons he was able to pass for 21,228 yards, completing 57 percent of his throws, while scoring 144 touchdowns. In two of his seasons he passed for at least 5,000 yards. In his final season playing in Canada, he passed for a league record 5,648 yards.
Moon’s accolades, while playing for the Edmonton Eskimos, include: 1980 and 1982 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award, 1983 Most Outstanding Player Award, the Edmonton Eskimos Wall of Honor, and the 2001 Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Entering into the NFL, Moon was highly sought after in a bidding war, which was finally won by the Houston Oilers. In his first year working for the Oilers he passed for a team record 3,338 yards, though the team saw little success. In 1987 the Oilers being lead by Warren Moon went to the playoffs. Thought they were eventually eliminated, Moon was able to win his first-ever playoff game, beating the Seattle Seahawks 23-20 in a wild-card game. The 1987 season was the first winning season that the Oilers had had since 1980.
Eventually Moon would become the NFL’s highest paid player, for in 1989 he was given a contract extension by the Oilers for $10,000,000. To say that Moon’s tenure with the Oilers was merely spectacular would be an understatement. Moon would eventually go on to play for several other NFL teams, but his time spent in Houston saw his greatest success.
The statistics he compiled for a career are staggering. As a quarterback he passed for 70,553 yards and 435 touchdowns, with 5,357 pass completions. For just the years playing in the NFL, Moon completed 3,988 passes for 49,325 yards. Though Warren Moon never won a Super Bowl game, he was selected to play in nine Pro Bowl games throughout his career. In 2006 Warren Moon was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.
Although few men have been able to rise to the pinnacle of their given endeavors in sport, Warren Moon in the sport of football was able to accomplish two things that no other quarterback was ever able to do. He is the only African American quarterback to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, and he is the only player to be inducted into both the NFL Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Born as Harold Warren Moon on November 18, 1956 in Los Angeles, California, Moon was the middle child with six sisters. His father, Harold, was a laborer, and his mother was a nurse. When he was seven years old his father died of liver disease. Due to the unforeseen circumstances involved in his father’s death, Moon was forced to take on household responsibilities like ironing, sewing and cooking.
As a student, Moon attended Alexander Hamilton High School. He played only one sport in high school: football. He led the varsity team in his senior year to the city playoffs and was selected to the all-city team, which improved upon his notoriety and caused many college scouts to take notice of him.
Though he was recruited by many colleges, most of the colleges wanted him to change from quarterback to another position, which was common for African American quarterbacks entering into the college ranks of that day. In lieu of changing positions, Moon opted to attend West Los Angeles College in 1974 and 1975. Having exhibited his phenomenal talents at the quarterback position, he earned a scholarship to play for the University of Washington.
Though he did not post stellar statistics in his short two year career at Washington, Moon was able to help his team get to the 1978 Rose Bowl game. His team was a double-digit underdog playing against the University of Michigan Wolverines; however, the Washington Huskies pulled off a stunning upset, winning the game 27-20. Moon was selected as the game’s Most Valuable Player.
Warren Moon did not start out his professional football career in the National Football League; instead, he signed a contract to play quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. In his first season playing for the Eskimos, he helped the team to advance all the way to the championship game, where they were able to win the first of five consecutive Grey Cups. While in Canada, playing for the Eskimos, Moon was able to compile some magnificent numbers. In his six seasons he was able to pass for 21,228 yards, completing 57 percent of his throws, while scoring 144 touchdowns. In two of his seasons he passed for at least 5,000 yards. In his final season playing in Canada, he passed for a league record 5,648 yards.
Moon’s accolades, while playing for the Edmonton Eskimos, include: 1980 and 1982 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award, 1983 Most Outstanding Player Award, the Edmonton Eskimos Wall of Honor, and the 2001 Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Entering into the NFL, Moon was highly sought after in a bidding war, which was finally won by the Houston Oilers. In his first year working for the Oilers he passed for a team record 3,338 yards, though the team saw little success. In 1987 the Oilers being lead by Warren Moon went to the playoffs. Thought they were eventually eliminated, Moon was able to win his first-ever playoff game, beating the Seattle Seahawks 23-20 in a wild-card game. The 1987 season was the first winning season that the Oilers had had since 1980.
Eventually Moon would become the NFL’s highest paid player, for in 1989 he was given a contract extension by the Oilers for $10,000,000. To say that Moon’s tenure with the Oilers was merely spectacular would be an understatement. Moon would eventually go on to play for several other NFL teams, but his time spent in Houston saw his greatest success.
The statistics he compiled for a career are staggering. As a quarterback he passed for 70,553 yards and 435 touchdowns, with 5,357 pass completions. For just the years playing in the NFL, Moon completed 3,988 passes for 49,325 yards. Though Warren Moon never won a Super Bowl game, he was selected to play in nine Pro Bowl games throughout his career. In 2006 Warren Moon was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.