Professional Football Player. For twelve seasons (1962 to 1973), he played at the guard and center positions in the American and National Football Leagues with the San Diego Chargers and Houston Oilers. Born Samuel Kenneth Gruneisen, he attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky and played collegiate football at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. While with the Wildcats, he distinguished himself as a two-way force who played tight-end and linebacker, in addition to providing key blocking. He experienced a bowl game title, when Villanova defeated Wichita in the Sun Bowl in 1961. Selected by the Chargers during the 1962 AFL Draft, he appeared in 130 regular season games and provided key blocking for quarterbacks Tobin Rote and John Hadl as a contributor for the San Diego squad that captured the 1963 AFL Championship Title. After his retirement as a player, he served as a coach on the staffs at the University of California, Oakland Raiders, San Jose State University and in the United States Football League with the Los Angeles Express. He died from complications he sustained in a fall a month earlier.
Professional Football Player. For twelve seasons (1962 to 1973), he played at the guard and center positions in the American and National Football Leagues with the San Diego Chargers and Houston Oilers. Born Samuel Kenneth Gruneisen, he attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky and played collegiate football at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. While with the Wildcats, he distinguished himself as a two-way force who played tight-end and linebacker, in addition to providing key blocking. He experienced a bowl game title, when Villanova defeated Wichita in the Sun Bowl in 1961. Selected by the Chargers during the 1962 AFL Draft, he appeared in 130 regular season games and provided key blocking for quarterbacks Tobin Rote and John Hadl as a contributor for the San Diego squad that captured the 1963 AFL Championship Title. After his retirement as a player, he served as a coach on the staffs at the University of California, Oakland Raiders, San Jose State University and in the United States Football League with the Los Angeles Express. He died from complications he sustained in a fall a month earlier.
Bio by: C.S.
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