Hugh McElhenny began to make his presence known barely than 24 hours after reporting to the 49ers training camp. On Friday he played in the College All Star game, the next day reported to camp and on Sunday he played against the Chicago Cardinals in an exhibition game. He hadn't even had time to learn the names of his teammates when he was in the 49ers backfield. The first time he touched the ball he ran for a 42 yards TD after a short pitch from quarterback Frankie Albert. Albert was involved with McElhenny even before he was a 49ers. In fact Albert was the one who watched McElhenny playing in a Bowl game and called coach Buck Show asking him to pick the running back in the upcoming draft. The 49ers made him the ninth college player picked in 1952.
In the fourth game of his rookie season McElhenny returned a punt for a 96 yards touchdown. In the locker room, after the game, Frankie Albert gave him the game ball and said "You are now the King". That's when the legend was born. "The King" was coronated. In the open field he had no peer, dancing past tacklers with grace and beauty like no one before him.
In 1954 the 49ers were playing very good but McElhenny injured his shoulder and the 49ers lost three straight game finishing the season with a 7-4-1 record, but McElhenny still has good memories of that season, it was the first year the Million Dollar Backfield was together. McElhenny thinks that him, Joe Perry, John Henry Johnson and Y.A.Tittle were the best backfield that ever played.
One of the disappointments of McElhenny's nine years with San Francisco was the team's inability to win a championship despite having such outstanding individual players, the 49ers were competitive throughout the 1950's though.
The best year of that decade was 1957 when the 49ers went to the playoffs.
One of the most important game of that season was against the Baltimore Colts, with two game left the 49ers needed to win it to stay alive in the race for the Division Title. The 49ers were losing 13-10 but driving, when quarterback Y.A.Tittle was hurt. Rookie John Brodie was in the huddle and looking around uncertain on what to do, McElhenny told him to throw him the ball on the sidelines. Under a heavy rush he threw the ball, McElhenny cought it and the 49ers won the game.