Professional Football Player and Track & Field Star. USA Track & Field Hall of Fame. He held the World Indoor Record in shot put. A 1942 graduate of Georgetown University, he was a standout athlete at Georgetown on the football team as well as in track and field. He was the NCAA and AAU champion in shot put in 1940, 1941, and 1942 and also led the Hoya football team to a record of 20-6-1 and the 1941 Orange Bowl in his three year career. He was selected as an All American in 1941. He broke the world indoor record in shot put at Madison Square Garden, setting the new record at 55’ 1” on April 10, 1940, which he later raised to 57’3/4”. He also competed in the discus. After college, he tried to join the Army but was rejected due to his exceeding the size limits at 6’6” and 205 pounds. He then was drafted by and joined the New York Giants of the NFL in 1942, where he played three seasons at tackle and was selected to the All Pro team in 1943. A second try in 1944 saw him accepted. He went to Officer Candidates’ School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. During training he broke the Army record for grenade throw with a toss of almost 95 yards. At first assigned to desk duty, he pushed for a combat assignment and was assigned to the 28th Infantry Division in France. While on scouting duty in the Vosges Mountains in France in January 1945, he went on a solo mission to find two missing soldiers in his unit and never came back. His body was found in April. His number 32 was retired by the Giants. He was chosen for the 1940-1949 All Decade NFL team. In 2015, he was selected to the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame, and was honored by selection to the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. The Al Blozis Award is given to the most valuable Hoya player each year. In 1941, UPI selected him as one of the three outstanding athletes of the year, along with Ben Hogan and Joe Louis. A 1946 comic book, "The Human Howitzer", told his story.
Professional Football Player and Track & Field Star. USA Track & Field Hall of Fame. He held the World Indoor Record in shot put. A 1942 graduate of Georgetown University, he was a standout athlete at Georgetown on the football team as well as in track and field. He was the NCAA and AAU champion in shot put in 1940, 1941, and 1942 and also led the Hoya football team to a record of 20-6-1 and the 1941 Orange Bowl in his three year career. He was selected as an All American in 1941. He broke the world indoor record in shot put at Madison Square Garden, setting the new record at 55’ 1” on April 10, 1940, which he later raised to 57’3/4”. He also competed in the discus. After college, he tried to join the Army but was rejected due to his exceeding the size limits at 6’6” and 205 pounds. He then was drafted by and joined the New York Giants of the NFL in 1942, where he played three seasons at tackle and was selected to the All Pro team in 1943. A second try in 1944 saw him accepted. He went to Officer Candidates’ School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. During training he broke the Army record for grenade throw with a toss of almost 95 yards. At first assigned to desk duty, he pushed for a combat assignment and was assigned to the 28th Infantry Division in France. While on scouting duty in the Vosges Mountains in France in January 1945, he went on a solo mission to find two missing soldiers in his unit and never came back. His body was found in April. His number 32 was retired by the Giants. He was chosen for the 1940-1949 All Decade NFL team. In 2015, he was selected to the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame, and was honored by selection to the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. The Al Blozis Award is given to the most valuable Hoya player each year. In 1941, UPI selected him as one of the three outstanding athletes of the year, along with Ben Hogan and Joe Louis. A 1946 comic book, "The Human Howitzer", told his story.
Bio by: Kenneth Gilbert
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from New Jersey.
Family Members
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