From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Albert Alexander "Ox"[4] Wistert (born December 28, 1920) is a former All-Pro American football offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles. He played his entire nine-year NFL career for the Eagles and became their team captain. He was named to play in the NFL's first Pro Bowl as an Eagle. During most of Wistert's career there were no football All-star games although he was named to the league All-Pro team eight times.
He played college football for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He is one of the three Wistert brothers (Alvin, Francis) who were named All-American Tackles at Michigan and later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He was the first Michigan Alum to be selected to the National Football League Pro Bowl.[5] He and his brothers are three of the seven players who have had their numbers retired by the Michigan Wolverines football program.
[edit] Early life
Wistert, who was born in Chicago, Illinois,[6] was from a Lithuanian family.[7] His father was a Spanish-American War veteran who was later killed in the line of duty while working for the Chicago Police Department.[7] The story of the Wistert brothers at Michigan began when Whitey's Carl Schurz High School classmate John Kowalik was invited to visit the University of Michigan. At the time, Whitey Wistert had a factory job where he was involved with building Majestic radios. Kowalik took Whitey with him on his visit to Ann Arbor, and according to Alvin, "that's how it started: the Wisterts of Michigan."[8]
[edit] College football
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And if I'm not mistaken I think this is unprecedented in the annals of college football: that three brothers all would go to the same school, all played football. All played tackle, all wore the same number 11, all made All-American. Two of us played on four national championship teams. And all were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[8] - Alvin Wistert |
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After graduating from Foreman High School,[9] Wistert became the second of the Wistert brothers to play for Michigan where he wore number 11 like his brothers and played from 1940-1942. He was a consensus All-American and team MVP in 1942.[10] He played in the 1943 East-West Shrine Game.[4] He is well remembered, among other things, for his exploits in a 1942 game against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team,[4] and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968, one year after his brother Francis.[10] In 1981, he was named to the University of Michigan Hall of Honor in the fourth class of inductees alongside his brothers. Only five Michigan football players earned this honor before him.[11]
Michigan posted a 20-5-1 record during Al's three years on the team. In 1940, the team's only loss in its eight game season was to National Champion University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. They followed that season with 6-1-1 and 7-3 seasons. Al served as captain of the College All-star team that beat the National Football League Champion Washington Redskins 27-7 in Chicago.[9] Al was the only one of the three brothers not to play on a National Champion at Michigan.
[edit] Professional football
After being drafted in the 5th round by the Philadelphia Eagles he earned All-Pro honors in eight (five by consensus)[12] of his nine seasons.[7] As a two-way player,[12] he played his entire nine-year career for the Philadelphia Eagles (who operated as a merged team with the Pittsburgh Steelers for one season during World War II.[6] The National Football League had no All-Star games between 1943 and 1950. Thus, although Wistert was a perennial All-Pro selection, it is difficult to compare him to more modern players who are often measured by Pro Bowl invitations. He served as Eagles captain for five consecutive seasons, from 1946 to 1950,[13] and was named All-Pro in each season.[9] In Wistert's next to last season he was selected to the first Pro Bowl. In his final season, he recovered 3 fumbles.[6] The Eagles won the 1948 and 1949 National Football League Championships with Wistert. These were the only consecutive National Football League champions to win by shutout.[7] His number 70 was retired by the Eagles in 1952.[9] According to his College football hall of fame biography, during his career he started every game the Eagles played except for the 1950 season opener against the Cleveland Browns.[9] However, according to other statistical databases he only started about 2/3rds of his career games.[6] His is one of only 7 retired Eagles Jerseys.[13] Wistert laments not having been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and on Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll:
| “ |
The two things that would really make my career complete is to be inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll.[13] |
” |
[edit] Non-football life
After football Al became a very successful life insurance salesman. He sold insurance for 40 years.[13] Among the places he has lived since retirement are California and Grants Pass, Oregon.[4][13] He was married to his late wife Ellie for 61 years and has three daughters (Pam, Dianna and Kathy) and three grandchildren.[13] At one point he was both coaching football at Riverside High School in Riverside Township, New Jersey and playing professionally.[13] According to brother Alvin Wistert, their father "was born Casmir Vistertus and he Anglicized it when he came to America to Wistert."[8]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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Michigan Wolverines football |
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All Time Record |
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868–286–36 (.745)
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Important Figures (1898-1968)
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Important Figures (1969-1989)
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Important Figures (1990-2008)
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| Persondata |
| NAME |
Wistert, Albert |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES |
Albert |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION |
Professional American Football Player |
| DATE OF BIRTH |
1920-12-28 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH |
Chicago, IL |
| DATE OF DEATH |
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| PLACE OF DEATH |
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