Eddie Erdelatz
Encyclopedia
Eddie Erdelatz was an American collegiate and Professional Football
player and coach who was the head football coach of the U.S. Naval Academy for nine years, as well as holding the distinction of being the first head coach of the American Football League
's Oakland Raiders
.
Erdelatz's mother died two weeks after his birth. He played three years at end for St. Mary's College
in California
beginning in 1932 under the Slip Madigan
. In one case, a scraped leg that led to infection (and possible amputation) failed to keep him off the field, while his senior season was not stopped, despite a shoulder separation and twisted knee.
In 1936, Erdelatz became St. Mary's line coach under Madigan, leaving for a similar position with the University of San Francisco
two years later. By 1940, he found himself back at St. Mary's for yet another two year stint that was followed by service in the U.S. Navy during World War II
. Having risen to the rank of lieutenant commander in 1945, Erdelatz began the first of three years as a Navy assistant coach at the academy in Annapolis, Maryland
. During this time, he helped develop end Dick Duden
into an All-American.
Looking to return to California, Erdelatz accepted the defensive coordinator's position with the San Francisco 49ers
, then of the All-America Football Conference
, in 1948. Two years later, he returned to Navy to take over a football program that was in disarray, having won just four games over the previous five campaigns. The stress of rebuilding the program took its toll that first year with Erdelatz, who lost 50 pounds to drop to 195 on the scale.
However, he led an upset of arch-rival Army. The Black Knights had entered the game with an 8-0 record, having won 17 straight games and not having lost in 28 contests, while also having defeated Navy five times in the last six games. Those marks were in sharp contrast to Navy's 2-6 record, but an outstanding defensive effort resulted in a 14-2 victory for the Midshipmen.
After two years at Navy, Erdelatz's record stood at 5-12-1, but he would never again have a losing season in his final seven seasons and would finish 5-3-1 in his games against Army. In 1954, the team finished 8-2, losing close games to Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. Erdelatz labeled this squad, "A Team Called Desire" and then went on to shut out the University of Mississippi
in the 1955 Sugar Bowl. Three years later, the Midshipmen competed in the Cotton Bowl Classic, where they knocked off Rice University
, 20-7. The latter win came one year after the first major conflict of Erdelatz's tenure, when his bid to play in a bowl game was rejected, despite having only one loss on the year.
After the bowl victory over Rice, Erdelatz was courted by other schools and nearly accepted the task of replacing Bear Bryant
at Texas A&M University
. After the 1958 season, he was also seen as a candidate for the 49ers' head coaching job, but instead, began spring practice the following year at Navy. On April 8, 1959, Erdelatz resigned as head coach of the Midshipmen, citing a number of factors, including the desire for an easier schedule.
After rejecting an assistant coaching position with the National Football League
's Washington Redskins
, Erdelatz sat out the 1959 season, waiting for the inevitable job offers and worked as a volunteer swim instructor for the handicapped. Indicating interest in the top job at Boston College
, Erdelatz was also seen as a candidate for the New York Giants
' position, as well as at the University of Southern California
and the University of California, Berkeley
. The latter position was given to Marv Levy
, with questions about Erdelatz's departure from Navy given as the reason.
Having rejected the AFL's Los Angeles Chargers
the year before, Erdelatz raised eyebrows when he accepted the head coaching position with the new league's Oakland Raiders
on February 9, 1960. The team, which was originally scheduled to play in Minnesota, was the last squad to select players, and thus, got limited help from the talent available.
During his first season, the team struggled to a 6-8 record, due primarily to a weak defense, while off the field, Erdelatz battled an ulcer
caused by numerous problems with the team's front office. When ownership conflicts kept the team from signing any top draft picks the next season, Erdelatz watched the Raiders outscored 99-0 in their first two games, resulting in his dismissal on September 18, 1961.
After the year had ended, Erdelatz applied for the head coaching job with Army and the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals
, but came up empty. He then announced his retirement from football on May 9, 1962, saying he would be working as an executive with a California financial company.
On October 27, 1966, shortly after he had undergone a routine physical, Erdelatz had surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his stomach. His cancer
had metastisized and caused his death two weeks later. His funeral was attended by more than three hundred people.
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
player and coach who was the head football coach of the U.S. Naval Academy for nine years, as well as holding the distinction of being the first head coach of the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Erdelatz's mother died two weeks after his birth. He played three years at end for St. Mary's College
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
beginning in 1932 under the Slip Madigan
Slip Madigan
Edward Patrick "Slip" Madigan was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head coach at Saint Mary's College of California from 1921 to 1939 and at the University of Iowa from 1943 to 1944, compiling a career college football record of...
. In one case, a scraped leg that led to infection (and possible amputation) failed to keep him off the field, while his senior season was not stopped, despite a shoulder separation and twisted knee.
In 1936, Erdelatz became St. Mary's line coach under Madigan, leaving for a similar position with the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
two years later. By 1940, he found himself back at St. Mary's for yet another two year stint that was followed by service in the U.S. Navy during 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...
. Having risen to the rank of lieutenant commander in 1945, Erdelatz began the first of three years as a Navy assistant coach at the academy in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
. During this time, he helped develop end Dick Duden
Dick Duden
Henry Richard Duden, Jr. is a former American football end in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001 after a stellar college football career at the United States Naval Academy....
into an All-American.
Looking to return to California, Erdelatz accepted the defensive coordinator's position with the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, then of the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
, in 1948. Two years later, he returned to Navy to take over a football program that was in disarray, having won just four games over the previous five campaigns. The stress of rebuilding the program took its toll that first year with Erdelatz, who lost 50 pounds to drop to 195 on the scale.
However, he led an upset of arch-rival Army. The Black Knights had entered the game with an 8-0 record, having won 17 straight games and not having lost in 28 contests, while also having defeated Navy five times in the last six games. Those marks were in sharp contrast to Navy's 2-6 record, but an outstanding defensive effort resulted in a 14-2 victory for the Midshipmen.
After two years at Navy, Erdelatz's record stood at 5-12-1, but he would never again have a losing season in his final seven seasons and would finish 5-3-1 in his games against Army. In 1954, the team finished 8-2, losing close games to Pittsburgh and Notre Dame. Erdelatz labeled this squad, "A Team Called Desire" and then went on to shut out the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
in the 1955 Sugar Bowl. Three years later, the Midshipmen competed in the Cotton Bowl Classic, where they knocked off Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, 20-7. The latter win came one year after the first major conflict of Erdelatz's tenure, when his bid to play in a bowl game was rejected, despite having only one loss on the year.
After the bowl victory over Rice, Erdelatz was courted by other schools and nearly accepted the task of replacing Bear Bryant
Bear Bryant
Paul William "Bear" Bryant was an American college football player and coach. He was best known as the longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team. During his 25-year tenure as Alabama's head coach, he amassed six national championships and thirteen conference championships...
at Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
. After the 1958 season, he was also seen as a candidate for the 49ers' head coaching job, but instead, began spring practice the following year at Navy. On April 8, 1959, Erdelatz resigned as head coach of the Midshipmen, citing a number of factors, including the desire for an easier schedule.
After rejecting an assistant coaching position with 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...
's Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, Erdelatz sat out the 1959 season, waiting for the inevitable job offers and worked as a volunteer swim instructor for the handicapped. Indicating interest in the top job at Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, Erdelatz was also seen as a candidate 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...
' position, as well as at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. The latter position was given to Marv Levy
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
, with questions about Erdelatz's departure from Navy given as the reason.
Having rejected the AFL's Los Angeles Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
the year before, Erdelatz raised eyebrows when he accepted the head coaching position with the new league's Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on February 9, 1960. The team, which was originally scheduled to play in Minnesota, was the last squad to select players, and thus, got limited help from the talent available.
During his first season, the team struggled to a 6-8 record, due primarily to a weak defense, while off the field, Erdelatz battled an ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
caused by numerous problems with the team's front office. When ownership conflicts kept the team from signing any top draft picks the next season, Erdelatz watched the Raiders outscored 99-0 in their first two games, resulting in his dismissal on September 18, 1961.
After the year had ended, Erdelatz applied for the head coaching job with Army and the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but came up empty. He then announced his retirement from football on May 9, 1962, saying he would be working as an executive with a California financial company.
On October 27, 1966, shortly after he had undergone a routine physical, Erdelatz had surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his stomach. His cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
had metastisized and caused his death two weeks later. His funeral was attended by more than three hundred people.