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Alex Moffat

Halfback

Inducted 1971

Date of Birth

9/27/1862

Birthplace

Princeton, NJ

School

Princeton University (1881-1883)

Bio

Alex Moffat was collegiate football's first great kicker, an innovator with his foot. Amos Alonzo Stagg said of him, "Moffat invented the spiral punt in 1881 and changed thereby the whole science of punting." His kicking ability was never more in evidence than it was in a 26-7 victory over Harvard in 1883. That day, Moffat kicked five field goals - two with his right foot in drop- kick fashion, two with his left in a similar way, and the last from placement. As captain of the 1883 Tiger team, Moffat led the Orange and Black to seven victories in eight decisions. Only Yale was able to stop the Tigers, 6-0. Moffat finished the season with 16 field goals, seven conversion points and seven touchdowns. He was quite a runner as well. Swift and as slippery, he slithered through opposing defenses. And defensively, Moffat made few mistakes. The practice of selecting All-America teams in those days had not begun, but Moffat would have been an obvious choice. During his three varsity seasons Princeton rolled to a 21-3-2 record. Following graduation, Moffat turned to the business world and became a successful executive in engineering, contracting and building enterprises.