Baer enrolled at Michigan in 1951. In May 1952, the Associated Press wrote that Baer "sparkled" in spring practice, leading Michigan head coach Bennie Oosterbaan to say, "He's going to be a real football player. I don't know if he'll be ready by fall but he could be."[7] As a sophomore in 1952, Baer started three games at fullback,[8] but was used principally as a backup for Dick Balzhiser and Bob Hurley during the 1952 and 1953 seasons.[1] He started six games at fullback for the 1954 Wolverines.[9][10] Baer's best game for the Wolverines came in a 34-0 win over Minnesota on October 23, 1954, as he gained 94 rushing yards on 17 carries (5.5 yards per carry) and scored two touchdowns. The following week against Indiana, he rushed for 92 yards on 22 carries (4.2 yards per carry) and scored one touchdown. In his final game for Michigan, he gained 75 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry against Ohio State.[11] Baer played for the Wolverines on defense as well as offense and was considered "a vicious tacker and a hard runner."[12] After the 1954 season, Baer was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1954 Michigan football team.[1] He was also selected to play in the Blue-Gray All-Star Football Classic.[13] He scored the winning touchdown for the blue team on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Missouri's Vic Eaton.[14]
Baer graduated from Michigan in 1955 with a bachelor of arts degree in history.[15]
Baer died in March 2007 at age 74; he was a resident of La Grange, Illinois at the time of his death.[19]
References
^ abc"Michigan Names Baer". Chicago Daily Tribune. November 24, 1954.
^"Wolverines Fete Cachey, Baer Tonight". Chicago Daily Tribune. January 26, 1955.
^David Condon (December 1, 1949). "OPPONENTS FIND FENWICK GETS TOUGHER NEAR SEASON'S END"(PDF). Chicago Daily Tribune.("Lattner isn't Fenwick's entire offense. Bob Rigali and Fred Baer are two other backs who helped Fenwich through an undefeated season.")
^"Fenwick and De Paul to Meet Today". Chicago Daily Tribune. November 19, 1950. p. A3. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2017.("Full Back Fred Baer and Quarter Back Tom Harte are expected to spark the Friars' attack. Baer and Harte have been mainstays in the Fenwick back field ...")