Al Blozis

Al Blozis
Born	(1919-01-05)January 5, 1919 Garfield, New Jersey
Died	January 31, 1945(1945-01-31) (aged 26) Vosges Mountains, France†
Weight	250
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	U.S. Army
Years of service	1943–1945
Rank	Second lieutenant
Unit	28th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War II

Albert Charles "Al" Blozis (January 5, 1919 – January 31, 1945) was an American football player and track and field athlete who died as a soldier while in combat during World War II.

Biography

Early life

Albert Charles Blozis, known as "Al", was born January 5, 1919, in Garfield, New Jersey to Lithuanian immigrants. He attended William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City, New Jersey where he became well known for his skill in the discus throw and shot put. At Georgetown University, he won AAU and NCAA indoor and outdoor shot titles three years in a row, 1940–42. He had a best put of 17.61 meters (57 feet, 3/4 inch). In 2015, Blozis was inducted into the USA National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Professional football career

Blozis was drafted 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.

World War II and death

In a 1991 news story, The New York Times wrote, "Curiously, the very size that made him so intimidating on the football field kept him out of the military until late 1943, when, after repeated attempts, Blozis finally persuaded the Army to waive its size limit and accept him. It took further persuading to get from a desk job to the front lines."

Blozis was inducted into the United States Army 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. On January 21, 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.

Blozis was first listed as missing, but in April of that year his death was confirmed. His remains were buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, Moselle.

Honors

The New York Giants retired the number 32, which Blozis had worn. A second Giants player, Jack Lummus also died in World War II.

In April 1946 True Comics featured a story about Blozis entitled The Human Howitzer.

The United States Army honored him by naming an athletic center in Frankfurt, Germany, after him. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.  

See also

• Pat Tillman —professional football player who enlisted in the US Army and was killed in action in Afghanistan

Further reading

• Victor Mastro and Frank Alkyer, et al., "Al Blozis: Jersey City Giant," The Coffin Corner, vol. 8, no. 6 (1986).
• "Two Giants Were Heroes Far From Playing Field; Al Blozis, a Star Tackle, and Jack Lummus, a Promising Receiver, Died in Combat in World War II", New York Times, Jan. 26, 1991.

External links

• "Al Blozis". Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18922321. Retrieved 2009-12-16.