Al Lolotai: Difference between revisions
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From 1945 to 1949, Lolotai played professional football, first in the [[National Football League]] for the [[Washington Redskins]] in [[1945 NFL season|1945]] before jumping to the [[Los Angeles Dons]] of the rival [[All-America Football Conference]] in 1946. Lolotai remained with the Dons until the end of the league in 1949. He played in a total of 59 games with 32 starts across the two professional leagues, additionally recording one interception with Washington in 1945.<ref name="pfr">{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LoloAl20.htm|title=Al Lolotai|publisher=Pro Football Reference|accessdate=October 21, 2020}}</ref> |
From 1945 to 1949, Lolotai played professional football, first in the [[National Football League]] for the [[Washington Redskins]] in [[1945 NFL season|1945]] before jumping to the [[Los Angeles Dons]] of the rival [[All-America Football Conference]] in 1946. Lolotai remained with the Dons until the end of the league in 1949. He played in a total of 59 games with 32 starts across the two professional leagues, additionally recording one interception with Washington in 1945.<ref name="pfr">{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LoloAl20.htm|title=Al Lolotai|publisher=Pro Football Reference|accessdate=October 21, 2020}}</ref> |
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===Wrestling career=== |
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After his time in pro football, Lolotai worked as a [[professional wrestling|professional wrestler]] in Australia, New Zealand, [[Fiji]], and Samoa.<ref name=Engle /> He at one time held the title of Hawaiian heavyweight wrestling champion.<ref name=Engle /> |
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===Athletic director=== |
===Athletic director=== |
Revision as of 20:09, 5 July 2024
![]() Lolotai in 1946 | |||||
No. 26, 30 | |||||
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Position: | Guard | ||||
Personal information | |||||
Born: | Western Samoa Trust Territory | June 22, 1920||||
Died: | September 30, 1990 Pago Pago, American Samoa | (aged 70)||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||
Weight: | 224 lb (102 kg) | ||||
Career information | |||||
High school: | ʻIolani School (Honolulu, Hawaii) | ||||
College: | Weber JC Colorado A&M | ||||
Undrafted: | 1945 | ||||
Career history | |||||
Career NFL + AAFC statistics | |||||
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Player stats at PFR |
Albert Lolotai (June 22, 1920 – September 30, 1990) was a Samoa-born American football offensive lineman. He played college football at Weber Junior College. Lolotai was the first Samoan American and Polynesian to play professional American football.[1]
Biography
Early years
Al Lolotai was born in the Western Samoa Trust Territory and came to Hawaii with his family at the age of 10,[2] growing up in the town of Laie.[3] He attended Kahuku High School and graduated from 'Iolani School in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
He then attended Weber Junior College (now Weber State University) in Ogden, Utah, playing on the Weber Wildcats football team from 1941 to 1942, and served in the Hawaii Territorial Guard during World War 2.[4]
Pro football career
From 1945 to 1949, Lolotai played professional football, first in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins in 1945 before jumping to the Los Angeles Dons of the rival All-America Football Conference in 1946. Lolotai remained with the Dons until the end of the league in 1949. He played in a total of 59 games with 32 starts across the two professional leagues, additionally recording one interception with Washington in 1945.[5]
Wrestling career
After his time in pro football, Lolotai worked as a professional wrestler in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Samoa.[2] He at one time held the title of Hawaiian heavyweight wrestling champion.[2]
Athletic director
Lolotai would return to school and graduate with a Masters degree in physical education from Colorado A&M, working his way through school as a line coach for the Rams football team.[2] With the founding of Church College of Hawaii in 1955, serve as its first Athletic Director.[2] He mentored many of the young Samoan football players coming up in the Laie community to keep up with their studies, get into good schools, and helped set them up for their future.
A British citizen from birth, Lolotai renounced his British citizenship in 1961 to become a naturalized American citizen.[2] He was the founder of the American Samoan Community Association and served a term as president of Big Brothers of Hawaii.[2]
Death and legacy
One of his sons, Tiloi, also attended 'Iolani School and then went to play football for Colorado as a defensive tackle, lettering from 1974 to 1976.
References
- ^ Ruck, Rob (February 5, 2016). "Football's Polynesian moment: Samoa's athletic outliers are paying a steep price for their commitment to the game". Salon. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Murry Engle, "Al Lolotai Commanded Respect On and Off the Field," Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Oct. 6, 1990, p. 5.
- ^ "First Tongan in the NFL Champions Education". Polynesian Cultural Center. February 25, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
- ^ "Serving in Hawaii_5". The Signpost. May 27, 1943. p. 6.
- ^ "Al Lolotai". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1920 births
- 1990 deaths
- Samoan players of American football
- American football offensive guards
- Los Angeles Dons players
- Washington Redskins players
- Weber State Wildcats football players
- American sportspeople of Samoan descent
- Players of American football from Hawaii
- Junior college football players in the United States
- Samoan emigrants to the United States