Al Blozis
Encyclopedia
Albert Charles Blozis was an American football
player who died in World War II
.
. He attended William L. Dickinson High School
in Jersey City, New Jersey
where he became well known for throwing the discus
and shot put
. At Georgetown University
, he was the national indoor and outdoor shotput champion in both 1942 and 1943. He set the world indoor record for the shotput, throwing it 56 feet 4.5 inches in 1941 at a meet in Cleveland
.
in the fifth round of the 1942 NFL Draft
and played offensive tackle for the New York Giants
of the National Football League
. He played for the Giants in 1942 and 1943 before entering the military. He was also able to play three games in 1944 while on furlough
.
on December 9, 1943. He was first assigned to duty as a physical instructor at Walter Reed General Hospital
and then went through Officers' training at Fort Benning
. At Fort Benning, he set the Army's hand grenade
throwing record with a toss of 94 yards, 2 feet 6.5 inches. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 28th Infantry Division. In January 1945, his platoon
was in the Vosges Mountains
of France
scouting enemy lines. When two of his men, a Sergeant and a private
, failed to return from a patrol, he went in search of them alone. He never returned. He was first listed as missing, but in April his death was confirmed.
retired the number he wore, 32. A second Giants player, Jack Lummus
also died in World War II.
In April 1946 True Comics featured a story about Al Blozis entitled The Human Howitzer.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who died in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life
Blozis was born in Garfield, New JerseyGarfield, New Jersey
Garfield is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of...
. He attended William L. Dickinson High School
William L. Dickinson High School
William L. Dickinson High School is a four-year public high school located in Jersey City, New Jersey, as part of the Jersey City Public Schools...
in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
where he became well known for throwing the discus
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
and shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
. At Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, he was the national indoor and outdoor shotput champion in both 1942 and 1943. He set the world indoor record for the shotput, throwing it 56 feet 4.5 inches in 1941 at a meet in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
Professional football career
Blozis was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the fifth round of the 1942 NFL Draft
1942 NFL Draft
The 1942 National Football League Draft was held on December 22, 1941.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
and played offensive tackle for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He played for the Giants in 1942 and 1943 before entering the military. He was also able to play three games in 1944 while on furlough
Furlough
In the United States a furlough is a temporary unpaid leave of some employees due to special needs of a company, which may be due to economic conditions at the specific employer or in the economy as a whole...
.
World War II and death
Blozis was inducted into the ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
on December 9, 1943. He was first assigned to duty as a physical instructor at Walter Reed General Hospital
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
and then went through Officers' training at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
. At Fort Benning, he set the Army's hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
throwing record with a toss of 94 yards, 2 feet 6.5 inches. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 28th Infantry Division. In January 1945, his platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
was in the Vosges Mountains
Vosges mountains
For the department of France of the same name, see Vosges.The Vosges are a range of low mountains in eastern France, near its border with Germany. They extend along the west side of the Rhine valley in a northnortheast direction, mainly from Belfort to Saverne...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
scouting enemy lines. When two of his men, a Sergeant and a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, failed to return from a patrol, he went in search of them alone. He never returned. He was first listed as missing, but in April his death was confirmed.
Honors
The New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
retired the number he wore, 32. A second Giants player, Jack Lummus
Jack Lummus
Andrew Jackson Lummus, Jr. was a two-sport athlete at Baylor University, a professional football player with the New York Giants, and an officer in the United States Marine Corps...
also died in World War II.
In April 1946 True Comics featured a story about Al Blozis entitled The Human Howitzer.