Alex Rado Explained

Alex Rado
Number:12
Position:Back
Birth Date:July 19, 1911
Birth Place:Dayton, Ohio
Death Place:Dayton, Ohio
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:200
High School:Roosevelt (Dayton, Ohio)
College:New River State (1931–1933)
Pastteams:
Pastcoaching:
  • Dayton Bombers (1939)
    Assistant coach
  • Dakota Streeters (1940–1942)
    Head coach
  • Dayton Rockets / John Stanko Barons / Wiedemann Buds (1946–1949)
    Head coach
Pfr:RadoAl20

Alexander Rado (July 19, 1911 – August 30, 1995) was an American football player and coach. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Football League (NFL) in 1934.

Early years

Rado was born on July 19, 1911, in Dayton, Ohio, to Louis and Mary Rado. Rado graduated from Roosevelt High School in Dayton, Ohio,[1] in 1929.[2] He played with the Lakeside Maroons, a semi-professional football team, during high school. He played college football for New River State College from 1931 through 1933.[3] [4] He was named captain for the 1933 team.[4] Rado was inducted into his college's hall of fame and the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference named him to their "All Time Star" 50th anniversary team in 1974.[5]

Professional career

Rado joined the Kiefer Drugs, a semi-professional football team in Ohio, for the 1933 season.[6] He also played for the Dakota Streeters, a sandlot football team.[7] He signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Football League on August 9, 1934.[8] He played in eight games for the Pirates in 1934, rushing for 210 yards.[9] His salary was $100 per game,[10] and he missed one month of the season due to a broken collarbone suffered during a tackle of Bronko Nagurski.[11] [12] [13] He was released before the start of the 1935 season on September 6, 1935.[14] He and Basilio Marchi filed workers' compensation claims in Pennsylvania against the Steelers, asserting that they should receive salaries despite their injuries during the 1934 season.[11] A judge ruled in their favor in January 1936.[11]

Rado played for the semi-pro Dayton Kesslers for the 1935 season.[15] He joined the Los Angeles Bulldogs in 1936,[16] and signed with the Dayton Rosies of the Midwest Football League in December 1936.[17] He stayed on with the Rosies through the 1937 and 1938 seasons.[18] [19] The team became the Dayton Bombers in 1939, with Rado shifting to a role as a player-coach.[20] Rado was a player-coach for the Dakotas Athletic Club semi-professional football team in 1940.[21] [22] His team went undefeated on the season.[23] [24] Rado and the Dakotas joined the Ohio Professional Football League for the 1941 season.[25] [26] He was a player-coach again in 1942 for the Dakotas.[27]

Rado founded the Dayton Rockets in 1946,[28] [29] with his role again as a player-coach.[30] The team won the Dayton semi-pro city over the Dayton Bombers, 18–12, on December 1, 1946.[31] He announced his retirement from playing after 1946,[31] but returned as a player during the 1947 season.[32] The team joined the Inter-State Semipro Football League in 1947,[33] [34] but left the league during the season.[35] They won the city championship over the Bombers again by a score of 47–0.[36]

The team became the John Stanko Barons for the 1948 season, with Rado playing quarterback.[37] They went 7–1–1 in 1948 before playing in the city championship again opposite the Bombers,[38] which they won for the third year in a row with a score of 30–6.[39] Renamed the Wiedemann Buds,[40] they played for the city championship against the Dayton Bombers again in 1949[41] and won their fourth title, 25–6.[42]

Post-football

Rado played in a Dayton softball league in 1963.[2] He also officiated high school football games and played bowling.[43] He worked for Delco Products as a tool process engineer after moving back to Dayton in 1936.[44] Rado had two children with his wife Stella,[44] and remarried to Marge after his first wife's death.[45] He died on August 30, 1995.[46]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Rado Is Well Liked By Pittsburghers . . Newspapers.com . September 21, 1934 . May 5, 2021.
  2. News: Carroll, Tom . Time Marches On; So Does Rado . . Newspapers.com . June 30, 1963 . May 7, 2021.
  3. News: Rado is Star at New River . . Newspapers.com . October 3, 1931 . May 5, 2021.
  4. News: New River wins by 19 to 0 score . . Newspapers.com . October 29, 1933 . May 5, 2021.
  5. News: Collett, Ritter . Journal of Sports . . Newspapers.com . February 25, 1975 . May 7, 2021.
  6. News: Joe Dankworth is named captain for Kiefer Drug football team this year . . Newspapers.com . September 9, 1933 . May 5, 2021.
  7. News: Dakotas Down Kesslers, 8–6 . . Newspapers.com . December 4, 1933 . May 5, 2021.
  8. News: New River Halfback Signed by Rooney . . Newspapers.com . August 10, 1934 . May 5, 2021.
  9. Web site: Alex Rado Stats. Pro-Football-Reference.com . May 5, 2021.
  10. News: Compensation Case May Hit Colleges . . Newspapers.com . January 21, 1936 . May 5, 2021.
  11. News: Disabled of Pro Football Compensated . . Newspapers.com . January 22, 1936 . May 5, 2021.
  12. News: Rado May Enter Pirate Pro Game . . Newspapers.com . November 10, 1934 . May 5, 2021.
  13. News: Marchi Gets Payment For Grid Hurts . . Newspapers.com . January 22, 1936 . May 5, 2021.
  14. News: Pirates Battle Portage Eleven . . Newspapers.com . September 6, 1935 . May 5, 2021.
  15. News: Kesslers Top Kiefer Drugs Sunday 12–6 . . Newspapers.com . September 30, 1935 . May 5, 2021.
  16. News: Burick, Si . Si-ings . . Newspapers.com . October 13, 1936 . May 5, 2021.
  17. News: Grid Tilt Shifted To Westwood Field . . Newspapers.com . December 12, 1936 . May 5, 2021.
  18. News: Rosies Have Ball Carriers . . Newspapers.com . October 2, 1937 . May 5, 2021.
  19. News: Rosies May Try Passes . . Newspapers.com . September 24, 1938 . May 5, 2021.
  20. News: Round the camps . . Newspapers.com . September 19, 1939 . May 5, 2021.
  21. News: Dakota Eleven To Work Out . . Newspapers.com . September 15, 1940 . May 5, 2021.
  22. News: Dakotas Put Their Record On The Block . . Newspapers.com . November 15, 1940 . May 5, 2021.
  23. News: Dakotas Beat All-Stars 19–0 . . Newspapers.com . December 9, 1940 . May 5, 2021.
  24. News: Sakal, Mike . Dakota Streeters played football mainly for fun . . Newspapers.com . January 1, 1992 . May 7, 2021.
  25. News: 2 Dayton Teams In New Pro Football Circuit . . Newspapers.com . September 21, 1941 . May 5, 2021.
  26. News: Dakotas to Stand Pat On Lineup . . Newspapers.com . October 10, 1941 . May 5, 2021.
  27. News: Merchants Vs. Dakota 11 At Victory Park . . Newspapers.com . October 18, 1942 . May 5, 2021.
  28. News: 30 Candidates Working Out For Pro "11" . . Newspapers.com . September 4, 1946 . May 5, 2021.
  29. News: Galion Vet-Cubs Ready For Dayton Rockets Sunday Aft. . . Newspapers.com . October 12, 1946 . April 19, 2021.
  30. News: Sandlot Grid Rockets Wear Mickey's Label . . Newspapers.com . October 30, 1946 . May 5, 2021.
  31. News: Rocket Rado Makes Exit In Blaze Of Glory . . Newspapers.com . December 2, 1946 . May 5, 2021.
  32. News: Rado, Rockets Set To Battle Indianapolis . . Newspapers.com . November 1, 1947 . May 5, 2021.
  33. News: Grid Angels To Play Mendon Tomorrow . . Newspapers.com . September 26, 1947 . April 19, 2021.
  34. News: Sheridan Gridders Win 14th Straight . . Newspapers.com . October 13, 1947 . April 19, 2021.
  35. News: Rockets Meet Dakotas; Title Game Not Dead . . Newspapers.com . November 22, 1947 . May 5, 2021.
  36. News: Rado Sparks 47–0 Lacing Of Bombers . . Newspapers.com . December 1, 1947 . May 5, 2021.
  37. News: Title At Stake In Bombers, Barons Fray . . Newspapers.com . November 27, 1948 . April 19, 2021.
  38. News: Barons, Bombers Play For Semipro Grid Title . . Newspapers.com . November 28, 1948 . April 19, 2021.
  39. News: Rado Carries Baron Eleven To Third Straight Title . . Newspapers.com . December 6, 1948 . April 19, 2021.
  40. News: Buds Battle Columbus "11" Here Today . . Newspapers.com . October 16, 1949 . April 19, 2021.
  41. News: Radomen, Bombers In Title Grid Tilt Today . . Newspapers.com . November 13, 1949 . April 19, 2021.
  42. News: Buds-'Rocks Tilt Is Hinted . . Newspapers.com . November 20, 1949 . April 19, 2021.
  43. News: Taylor-Made Pin Scores For Packer . . Newspapers.com . October 15, 1964 . May 7, 2021.
  44. News: Nichols, Jim . Rugged Daytonian Alex Rado: 1934 Steelers Cover Boy . . Newspapers.com . September 10, 1972 . May 7, 2021.
  45. News: Katz, Marc . Where are they now?: Alex Rado . . Newspapers.com . December 23, 1989 . May 7, 2021.
  46. News: Rado dies; ex-Steeler, local star . . Newspapers.com . August 31, 1995 . May 7, 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Alex Rado".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.