Earl Witte

Earl John Witte, sometimes spelled Witty (December 12, 1906 – November 1, 1991) was an

Witte began playing for the Phantom Athletic Club of the local Park Football League and began the season as their quarterback, later shifting to be their starting fullback; he was one of four players in the team's backfield known as the "Four Galloping Ghosts."^[18][19][20] After the football season, he joined the American Legion basketball team in the Minneapolis AAU League and played the 1931–32 season with them.^[21] In the 1932 football season, he played for a team known as the Carlsons before leaving late-season to join the Ewalds.^[22][23]

Witte played the first two games of 1933 with the Ewalds but then made a decision to return to college for one final football season with Gustavus Adolphus.^[24][25][26] He reportedly played "better than ever" that season and was named a first-team all-conference and all-state selection.^{[11][27][28][29]} Afterwards, he re-joined the Ewalds and played the end of the year with them.^[24]

In August 1934, Witte was signed by the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL).^[30][31] He made the team and appeared in five of the Packers' 13 games, two as a starter, helping them compile a record of 7–6.^[32] He played as a blocking back and defensive back and had a total of eight rush attempts for 22 yards, averaging 2.8 yards-per-carry while wearing the number 23.^[33] After an exhibition game against the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Press-Gazette noted that he "wanted to prove that [Bronko] Nagurski and [Jack] Manders were not the only Minnesotans on the field last night, and he did it quite proficiently. One time when the Bronc busted through the Packer line on one of his bone-crushing plunges, Witte came up fast from the secondary and picked the Bronc right up in the air while he was driving forward and threw him on his back."^[34] He also reportedly hit Gene Ronzani so hard that Ronzani "stopped, curled up and dropped to the ground as if he had hit a stone wall."^[34]

Witte was sold along with Carl Jorgensen to the Philadelphia Eagles in May 1935.^[35] He ultimately did not play for the Eagles.^[33] He instead returned to the Ewalds football team that season and played the year with them.^[36]

Later life and death

After retiring from football, Witte served for the State of Minnesota public welfare department for 30 years until retiring in 1971.^[11] He also served in the United States Navy during World War II for three years.^[11] He died on November 1, 1991, in St. Peter, Minnesota, at the age of 84.^[37]

References