Bob Masterson

Bob Masterson

File:Masterson-Bob-1942.jpg Masterson in 1942
No. 28, 55
Position	End
Personal information
Born	(1915-07-23)July 23, 1915 North Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	June 29, 1994(1994-06-29) (aged 78) Broward County, Florida, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	213 lb (97 kg)
Career information
High school	Roselle (NJ)
College	Miami (FL)
NFL draft	1938: 6th round, 50th overall pick
Career history
Washington Redskins (1938–1943) Brooklyn Tigers (1944) Boston Yanks (1945) New York Yankees (1946)
Awards and highlights
NFL champion (1942) Pro Bowl (1942)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions 136 Receiving yards 1,816 Receiving touchdowns 13 Stats at Pro Football Reference
Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference

Robert Patrick Masterson (July 23, 1915 – June 29, 1994) was an American professional football end in the National Football League (NFL). He played six seasons for the Washington Redskins (1938–1943).

Playing

Masterson was born in North Branch, New Jersey. He attended Roselle High School, where he was an all-state baseball player and also played basketball and track and field. He did not play football until his senior year. He was an all-state selection at tackle and helped RHS to an undefeated season and a state title. After a couple of seasons of semipro baseball, Masterson enrolled in the University of Miami, where he was converted from tackle to end by coach Irl Tubbs.

Masterson selected in the sixth round of the 1938 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. He did not believe he was good enough to play professional football and did not sign with the Bears, who traded his rights to the Washington Redskins for a draft pick. Washington coach Ray Flaherty gave Masterson $300 to sign his contract, which he accepted to help his large family during the Great Depression. Masterson played for Washington from 1938 to 1943 and was a second team All-Pro selection in 1942 and 1943. He sought a raise in 1944, but owner George Preston Marshall refused. He was instead traded to the Brooklyn Tigers as part of a six-player swap. He did not receive the raise he sought, so in 1946, he jumped to the All-America Football Conference.

Coaching

Masterson was a player-coach during his last two seasons in Washington and with the New York Yankees. In 1947, he was hired to coach University of Toronto's Varsity Blues football team. He was an assistant coach for one season to learn Canadian football, then took over as head coach the following year. In eight seasons, he compiled a 45-21-6 record and won the Yates Cup three times (1948, 1951, 1954). He was also the head men's basketball coach from 1947 to 1955 and amassed a 38–24 record.

Executive

In 1956, Masterson was named general manager of the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders. Following the Stampeders' October 26, 1957 game against Saskatchewan Roughriders, Masterson punched kick returner Harvey Wylie while the team was boarding its train back to Calgary. Masterson resigned four days later and was replaced by Jim Finks.

Later life

After leaving Calgary, Masterson and his family settled in Clearwater, Florida. After his divorce, he moved to New York City and worked an assistant supervisor of Yankee Stadium. He eventually returned to Miami, where he was a mutual clerk at the Tropical Park Race Track and a part time teacher. He died on June 29, 1994 in Broward County, Florida.

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Won the NFL Championship
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Receiving
		GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
1938	WAS	11	1	10	213	21.3	1
1939	WAS	10	3	10	114	11.4	1
1940	WAS	11	1	18	283	15.7	4
1941	WAS	11	9	11	135	12.3	1
1942	WAS	11	11	22	308	14.0	2
1943	WAS	10	8	16	200	12.5	3
1944	BKN	10	9	24	258	10.8	1
1945	BOS	10	5	15	186	12.4	0
		84	47	126	1,697	13.5	13

Playoffs

Year	Team	Games		Receiving
		GP	GS	Rec	Yds	Avg	TD
1940	WAS	1	1	3	33	11.0	0
1942	WAS	1	1	1	8	8.0	0
1943	WAS	2	2	6	86	14.3	0
		4	4	10	127	12.7	0