Warren Alfson
Encyclopedia
Warren Alfson was an American football
guard
and linebacker
for the Nebraska Cornhuskers
, as well as the Brooklyn Dodgers
of the National Football League
.
. Alfson graduated from Wisner High School in 1933, where he was a halfback
on the school's single wing football team.
, a Cornhusker quarterback
), but as a lineman. After one year on the freshman squad, he asked the school's permission to continue practicing, but to not play, so that he could get himself into proper condition as well as to wait for the upperclassmen ahead of him to graduate. This made Alfson the first recorded redshirt
in Cornhusker history, and likely the first in collegiate history.
Alfson's year of conditioning would pay off well, as he returned to become a three-year starter
for Nebraska. In the era of single platoon football, he was a guard on offense
, and a linebacker on defense, and he wore jersey number
#22 throughout his Cornhusker career. He would ultimately become recognized as first team All Big Six Conference in 1939 and 1940, second team All-America
in 1939, and he would earn first team All-America status in 1940, the year the Nebraska Cornhuskers went 8-2 and played Stanford
in the 1941 Rose Bowl
under coach Biff Jones.
due to his age (Alfson was twenty-five in 1940, and was nicknamed "Pops" and "Dad" by his younger teammates). However, World War II
cut his career short, and Alfson (who had enlisted in the Navy
in a special ceremony at the College All-Star Game
) married and served in the war.
.
Alfson died in 2001. He had two daughters and one granddaughter.
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...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
, as well as the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
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...
.
Early years
He was born and raised in Wisner, NebraskaWisner, Nebraska
Wisner is a city in Cuming County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,270 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wisner is located at ....
. Alfson graduated from Wisner High School in 1933, where he was a halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
on the school's single wing football team.
College career
After graduating high school, Alfson worked and farmed for several years until earning enough money to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Class of 1941, where he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. When he attended school, he decided to tryout for the Cornhusker football team (at the urging of fellow Wisner native Jerry LaNoueJerry LaNoue
Gerald "Jerry" LaNoue was a three-year starting quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and earned All Big Six Conference recognition in 1935, while playing for coach Dana X...
, a Cornhusker quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
), but as a lineman. After one year on the freshman squad, he asked the school's permission to continue practicing, but to not play, so that he could get himself into proper condition as well as to wait for the upperclassmen ahead of him to graduate. This made Alfson the first recorded redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
in Cornhusker history, and likely the first in collegiate history.
Alfson's year of conditioning would pay off well, as he returned to become a three-year starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
for Nebraska. In the era of single platoon football, he was a guard on offense
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
, and a linebacker on defense, and he wore jersey number
Uniform number (American football)
The uniform numbers in American football are unusual compared to those in any other sport. They are displayed in more locations on the uniform than in those of other sports , and on the front of the jersey, they are displayed very large, taking up almost the entire front of the jersey...
#22 throughout his Cornhusker career. He would ultimately become recognized as first team All Big Six Conference in 1939 and 1940, second team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
in 1939, and he would earn first team All-America status in 1940, the year the Nebraska Cornhuskers went 8-2 and played Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
in the 1941 Rose Bowl
1941 Rose Bowl
The 1941 Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1941, was an American football bowl game. It was the 27th Rose Bowl Game with the #7 ranked Cornhuskers taking on the #2 ranked Stanford Indians. At the end of the 2009 college football season, this game stands as the only meeting between these two...
under coach Biff Jones.
NFL career
Alfson would play one year with the NFL's Brooklyn Dodgers, and earned NFL All-Rookie status, despite being drafted in the sixteenth round1941 NFL Draft
The 1941 National Football League Draft was held on December 10, 1940.Despite having three picks in the first round, only Norm Standlee ever played for the Chicago Bears.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
due to his age (Alfson was twenty-five in 1940, and was nicknamed "Pops" and "Dad" by his younger teammates). However, 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...
cut his career short, and Alfson (who had enlisted in the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in a special ceremony at the College All-Star Game
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year...
) married and served in the war.
Post-war
After the war he returned to Wisner and farmed, and he also served on the Wisner school board as well as other organizations, and also briefly served as Wisner's mayor. He also took great pride in his Cornhusker connections, and attended many Nebraska games. In 1975 he was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame. In 2005, Alfson was recognized with 'honorable mention' recognition for the state of Nebraska's "Our Top 100" athletes of all time, as selected by the Omaha World-HeraldOmaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...
.
Alfson died in 2001. He had two daughters and one granddaughter.