Eddie Erdelatz
Erdelatz in 1960
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| Sport(s) | Football |
|---|---|
| Biographical details | |
| Born |
April 21, 1913 San Francisco |
| Died | November 10, 1966 (aged 53) Burlingame, California |
| Alma mater | St. Mary's College |
| Playing career | |
| 1932–1934 | Saint Mary's (CA) |
| Position(s) | End |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1936–1937 | Saint Mary's (CA) (line) |
| 1938–1930 | San Francisco (line) |
| 1940–1941 | Saint Mary's (CA) (line) |
| 1945–1947 | Navy (assistant) |
| 1948–1948 | San Francisco 49ers (DC) |
| 1950–1958 | Navy |
| 1960–1961 | Oakland Raiders |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 50–26–8 (college) 6–10 (AFL) |
Edward J. Erdelatz (April 21, 1913 – November 10, 1966) was an American collegiate and professional football player and coach who served as head football coach of the U.S. Naval Academy for nine years.
Erdelatz was also 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 head coach Slip Madigan. Erdelatz suffered a scraped leg that led to infection (and possible amputation)but failed to keep him off the field. He also shoulder separation and twisted knee his knee, but again the injuries failed to keep him from playing.
In 1936, Erdelatz became St. Mary's line coach under Madigan but left St. Mary's for a similar position with the University of San Francisco two years later.
In 1940, he returned to St. Mary's for another two-year stint that was followed by service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Erdelatz rose to the rank of lieutenant commander in 1945 and 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-America.
Looking to return to California, Erdelatz accepted the defensive coordinator's position with the San Francisco 49ers of the All-America Football Conference in 1948. Two years later, he returned to Navy to take over a football program that had won just four games over the previous five seasons. The stress of rebuilding the program took its toll. The first year as Navy's head coach, Erdeletz lost 50 pounds to drop to 195.
In 1950, Erdelatz led an upset of arch-rival Army. The Black Knights entered the game with an 8–0 record which had not lost in 28 contests. Army also had defeated Navy five times in the last six games. Although Navy had only a 2–6 record, an outstanding defensive effort resulted in a 14–2 victory for the Midshipmen.
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