Cal Rossi

Calvin "Cal" Rossi (March 1924 – January 23, 2013) was an American football running back who played at the University of California, Los Angeles.

College career

Rossi played college football at the University of California, Los Angeles as a halfback and defensive back. During his career, he rushed for 1,490 yards on 255 carries, which put him third on the all-time list. His career rushing average of 5.85 yards per carry was the highest in school history at the time. In addition, Rossi's 169 rushing yards against the University of Oregon in 1945 stood as a school record for 15 years. He ended his career with seven interceptions, including a team-leading three picks in 1947.

Rossi was the second leading rusher in the nation before being transferred to the Naval Corps Supply School at Harvard University as part of his military service requirements.

Rossi also played baseball in college. He hit .456 in 1945 and won All-Coast honors and hit above .300 in two other seasons.

He was the first football player to be selected twice in the NFL Draft. He was first drafted in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1946 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.^[1] This is considered to be one of the biggest blunders in NFL Draft history because Rossi was a junior, and was not draft eligible.^[2] He was again chosen in the first round of the 1947 NFL Draft by the Redskins,^[1] but he never played football professionally.^[2]

Rossi was inducted into the UCLA Bruins Hall of Fame in 1997.^[3]

Coaching and Teaching Career

Rossi's first teaching and coaching assignment was at Visalia High School. Next, he moved to Redondo Beach, where he taught business classes and coached at Redondo Beach High School. It was there that he eventually became an advocate for teachers' rights through his work with the California Teachers Association.

In 1971, Rossi moved his family to Los Altos Hills, California, where he continued working for CTA, and his work focused on higher education. He retired from his position as Deputy Executive Director of CTA in 1984.

Death

In later life, Rossi suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He died on January 23, 2013 at the age of 88.^[4] Team members of the Visalia Union High School football team Rossi coached in 1949 created a Cal Rossi Memorial Scholarship in his honor.^[5]

References

1 2 Richman, Michael (2007). The Redskins Encyclopedia. Temple University Press. p. 399. ISBN 1-59213-542-0.
1 2 Mosley, Matt; Clayton, John; Pasquarelli, Len (April 18, 2007). "NFL draft can take wacky turns". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
↑ "UCLA Hall of Fame to Induct Eight New Members". The official website of UCLA Athletics. December 11, 1997. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
↑ "UCLA Hall of Famer Cal Rossi Passes Away". UCLABruins.com. February 8, 2013.
↑ "Cal Rossi Memorial Scholarship".

1946 NFL draft first-round selections

Frank Dancewicz Dub Jones Doc Blanchard Johnny Lujack George Connor Johnny Strzykalski Leo Riggs Bill Dellastatious Cal Rossi Emil Sitko

Washington Redskins 1946 NFL Draft selections

Cal Rossi Stan Kozlowski Gay Adelt Walt Trojanowski Bob Hendren George Callahan Bob Skoglund Jake Leicht Chick Maggioli Monte Moncrief Joe Tereshinski Stan Sprague Harry Adelman Bob Butchofsky Mike Prashaw Ed Robnett LeMar Dykstra Bob Ward John Pehar Roger Robinson Charley Cadenhead Bob Rados Charlie Webb Marion Flanagan Roland Phillips Jim Hallmark Fay Mills William Ritter Sarkis Takesain Mike Campbell

Draft years 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1950 AAFC 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

1947 NFL draft first-round selections

Bob Fenimore Glenn Davis Fritz Barzilauskas Cal Rossi Hub Bechtol Ernie Case Tex Coulter Neill Armstrong Herman Wedemeyer Vic Schwall Don Kindt

Washington Redskins 1947 NFL Draft selections

Cal Rossi Red Knight Hank Foldberg Mike Garzoni Bill Gray Hank Harris Roy Kurrasch Ernie Williamson L.G. Carmody U.S. Savage Bob Steckroth Weldon Edwards Earl Wheeler Bill Gold Jack Hart Tom Nichols Harry Dowda Charlie Webb Elmo Bond Jim Hefti Tom Dudley Bob Smith Hal Mullins Francis Bocoka Otis Sacrinty Milt Dropo Lynn Brownson Joe Colone Herb Shoener Bo Pievo

Draft years 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1950 AAFC 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Boston / Washington Redskins first-round draft picks

R. Smith Baugh Farkas Hale Boell Evashevski Sanders Jenkins Micka Hardy Rossi Gilmer Tew Goode G. Thomas Heath Isbell Scarbath Meilinger Guglielmi Vereb Bosseler Allard Lucas Snead Rutgens E. Davis Richter C. Taylor Gogolak R. McDonald J. Smith Monk May D. Green B. Wilson D. Howard T. Carter Shuler Westbrook A. Johnson Lang Bailey Arrington Samuels Gardner Ramsey S. Taylor C. Rogers Campbell Landry Orakpo Williams Kerrigan Griffin III Scherff

AFC East BUF MIA NE NYJ North BAL CIN CLE PIT South HOU IND JAX TEN West DEN KC OAK SD NFC East DAL NYG PHI WAS North CHI DET GB MIN South ATL CAR NO TB West ARI LA SF SEA

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