Hank Cook
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 12, 1952 Murfreesboro, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Listed weight | 182 lb (83 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Cabrillo (Lompoc, California) |
| College |
|
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Henry Gray Cook (born January 12, 1952) is an American former college football player who was a wide receiver for the New Mexico State Aggies. Despite being blind in his left eye, he set New Mexico State's career and single-season receiving records in 1973 and received third-team All-America honors from the Associated Press.
Early life
[edit]The son of Aubrey Cook and Mary Cook, Henry "Hank" Gray Cook was born at Rutherford Hospital on January 12, 1952 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.[1][2] He grew up in Lompoc, California. Somewhere between age three and age five, he was blinded in his left eye in "a freak neighborhood accident".[3][4][5] Cook and a cousin were throwing walnuts at each other, and one struck Cook's eye, detaching the retina.[5] He attended Cabrillo High School where he graduated in 1970.[6][7]
College football
[edit]Cook played college football at Allan Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California. In 1971, he won all-league honors and led Hancock's football team to a conference championship.[8]
Cook transferred after his sophomore year and played for the New Mexico State Aggies in 1972 and 1973. As a senior in 1973, he led the Missouri Valley Conference and ranked second nationally with 65 receptions and 1,111 receiving yards.[9] During the 1973 season, he also broke New Mexico State career and season receiving records.[10]
Cook accomplshed these feats despite being blind in one eye.[11][12] Asked whether the blindness hampered his play, Cook responded: "I've learned to compensate for it over the years. I suppose I might turn my head a little more, one way or the other, but it really doesn't bother me."[13]
At the end of the 1973 season, he became the second New Mexico State player to receive All-America honors, as he was selected by the Associated Press (AP) to its third team.[14] Cook was also selected in December 1973 as New Mexico State's most valuable player.[15]
Later life
[edit]Cook was not selected in the 1974 NFL draft.[16] In February 1974, Cook signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Chicago Bears.[17] The Bears placed Cook on waivers on September 13, two days before the team's first regular-season game.[18]
Cook completed his degree at New Mexico State University in the summer of 1976, and was part of the 1977 graduating class.[19] After his football career ended, he had a career in law, real estate development, and sports apparel.[20]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Births". The Rutherford Courier. January 18, 1952. p. 4.
- ↑ Henry Gray Cook in U.S., Newspapers.com™ Birth Index, 1800s-2005
- ↑ "Cook Has One Eye, But It's on Ball". The Pensacola Journal. November 13, 1973. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Hank Cook: Super Receiver; Overcomes Sight Handicap". The Daily News Journal. Murfreesboro, Tennessee. December 13, 1973. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 "Don't Threaten Hank Cook!". The Tampa Tribune. January 5, 1974. pp. C1, C2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "6 Records Set Here In All-Comer Track". Santa Maria Times. July 18, 1970. p. 5.
- ↑ "Cabrillo High School Graduates of 1970". The Lompoc Record. May 30, 1970. p. 5.
- ↑ "Ex-Conq Cook top receiver for N.M. State". The Lompoc Record. September 27, 1972. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Hank Cook". SR/College Football. Sports Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Aggies' Hank Cook Given Mo-Val Nod". Current-Argus (Carlsbad, NM). November 6, 1973. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Aggie Receiver Keeps 'One' Eye On The Ball". Las Cruces Sun-News. September 13, 1972. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Joe Muench (February 6, 1974). "Worth A Muench-ion". Las Cruces Sun-News. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Pat Pence (September 14, 1972). "Partial blindness hasn't kept Cook from catching ball". The Albuquerque Tribune. p. E2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Hank Cook 2nd NM Aggie to be named All-American". The New Mexican. December 4, 1973. p. A9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Aggie Hank Cook Honore: MVP". The El Paso Times. December 6, 1973. p. 1E – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Cook: 'I Just Can't Believe . .'". The El Paso Times. February 1, 1974. p. 2D – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Chicago Bears Ink Hank Cook". The Clarion-Ledger. February 24, 1974. p. 8C – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Abe enjoys 1st meeting with Finks". Chicago Tribune. September 14, 1974. p. 1 (section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Henry Gray Cook Summer Graduate". Santa Ynez Valley News. August 5, 1976. p. 6.
- ↑ "Hank Cook". NMStateSports.com. Retrieved September 20, 2026.