DAMON ALLEN
Football / Inducted Oct. 10, 2009
Allen was a four-year quarterback (1981-84) and three-year pitcher (1983-85) at Cal State Fullerton. He led the football team to its only two conference (Pacific Coast Athletic Association) championships in 1983 and 1984, earning votes as a senior for the Heisman Trophy and setting an NCAA record for fewest pass interceptions in a season (.009 intercepted). He ranks No. 1 at CSF in passes attempted (629) and total offense (4,653 yards). He is No. 2 in passing yards (4,218) and pass completions (322) and No. 4 in TD passes (27).
Allen went on to become the most prolific passer in professional football history with 72,381 total yards in 23 seasons (1985 to 2007) in the Canadian Football League, surpassing Warren Moon's 70,553 yards (21,228 in the CFL and 49,325 in the NFL). Allen also rushed for 11,920 yards to rank No. 3 in CFL history. He won four Grey Cup Championships and won the league's MVP Award as a 41-year-old grandfather in 2005.
Allen also was a member of the Titans' 1984 national championship baseball team as a spot starter and relief pitcher with a record of 3-2 with 4 saves in 50 innings. He was drafted in 1984 by the Detroit Tigers, who pursued him until the first day of Fall classes. In 1994 he had a brief tryout with the Pittsburgh Pirates.