Robert Wahl
T | |
Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
---|---|
Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
US college | Michigan |
NFL draft | 1949 / Round: 16 / Pick: 159 |
Drafted by | Chicago Bears[1] |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Robert Allen Wahl (November 7, 1927 – December 17, 2023), nicknamed "Brick" Wahl, was a
All-American at the University of Michigan
Freshman year and military service
Wahl went to high school in Oak Park, Illinois and played for the Wolverines as a freshman in 1945.[2] He played as a 17-year-old under wartime rules but injuries handicapped him.[3] One news report noted: "A 17-year-old lad with a great high school reputation he was touted as a regular starter before the '45 season opened. But an ankle injury sidelined him and it also shook his confidence."[4]
Wahl missed the 1946 and 1947 seasons due to service in the U.S. Army in
1948 season
As a sophomore, Wahl played for the undefeated
1949 season
In 1949, Michigan had two All-Americans at tackle, with Wahl being named All-American at right tackle and teammate
The 1950 Michigan yearbook, called the Michiganensian, had a full-page profile of Wahl and noted: "Two years of steady performance as one of the nation's outstanding tackles paid off in All-American honors for Al 'Brick' Wahl last season. Captain elect of the '50 squad, the 215-pounder lifted the Wolverines out of their mid-season slump in the upset over Minnesota. He was brilliant in the closing battle with the Buckeye's, a 7-7 game that tied the Maize and Blue for the Big Ten championship."[8]
1950 season and Rose Bowl
As a senior in 1950, Wahl was named team captain and was the Wolverines' lone All-American selection. The team won the Big Ten championship and played in the 1951 Rose Bowl, defeating the University of California, 14–6.[9] The Wolverines had failed to score at half-time when press accounts following the game reported that Wahl's halftime speech inspired the team: "Giant Al Wahl, a 220 pound tackle who played a whale of a game on the field, was credited today with providing the spark that won the Rose Bowl game for Michigan ... Badly battered through the first half and trailing the California Bears, 6-0, at the intermission, team captain Wahl stood before his mates as they rested at halftime and told them of Michigan's winning tradition."[10] Coach Oosterbaan noted that he didn't say anything at halftime: "Al Wahl did it for us."[10][11] The speech apparently worked, as Michigan scored 14 points in the second half and held the Bears scoreless.
A key blocked punt in the "Snow Bowl"
In the 1950 season, Wahl played a key role in the famed
Three straight championships and the NFL Draft
Wahl also played in the 1951 All-Star Game.[3]
Between 1948 and 1950, Wahl played for teams that won three consecutive
Wahl was eligible for the
A recovered memento
In 1981,
Honors and awards
In 2004, Wahl was inducted into the University of Michigan's Hall of Honor.[5] In 2005, Wahl was selected as one of the 100 greatest Michigan football players of all time by the "Motown Sports Revival," ranking 32nd on the all-time team.[17]
Business career
Wahl spent twenty years with Valmont Industries, a company that manufactures irrigation equipment.[18] He joined the company in 1965 as a vice president of marketing and was named president of the company in 1977.[19] He served as the company's president and chief operating officer until 1985, and helped build it into a Fortune 500 company.[16][20] In 1987, Wahl acquired a $60-million sales distribution company serving a 20-state market. After restructuring the company and making strategic acquisitions, he negotiated a sale of the company to a British conglomerate.[18]
From 1991, Wahl was an independent consultant.
From 1997, Wahl was an independent business consultant and director of
Death
Wahl died on December 17, 2023, at the age of 96.[22]
See also
References
- ^ "1949 Chicago Bears". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2007. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "University of Michigan Football Roster 1945". The Regents of the University of Michigan. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b c "University of Michigan Football All-American: Robert Allen Wahl". The Regents of the University of Michigan. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Wahl To Lead Wolverines". Bessemer Herald. September 7, 1950.
- ^ a b c d "President's Letter 2004: Ten Inducted into Hall of Honor" (PDF). The Regents of the University of Michigan. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2007. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b "University of Michigan 1948 football team". The Regents of the University of Michigan. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ "University of Michigan 1949 football team". The Regents of the University of Michigan. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ "1950 Michiganensian". Retrieved October 10, 2010.
- ^ "University of Michigan 1950 football team". The Regents of the University of Michigan. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b "Wahl's Half-Time Talk Sparked U-M to 14-6 Win". Record-Eagle (Traverse City). January 2, 1951.
- ^ "Michigan's Al Wahl Hero of Rose Bowl". Logansport Pharos-Tribune. January 2, 1951.
- Toledo Blade.
- Michigan Daily. Retrieved December 10, 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "1949 Chicago Bears Draftees". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ "Rustling Thru Sports". The Chronicle-Telegram. March 15, 1951.
- ^ a b c d "Sports People; A Long Way Home". The New York Times. December 12, 1981. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ "100 Greatest Michigan Football Players of All-Time". Motown Sports Revival. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Internal Company Team". DreamScape Development Group, Inc. Retrieved December 9, 2007.
- ^ "New president of Valmont". Columbus Telegram (Columbus, Nebraska). May 10, 1977.
- ^ "R Allen Wahl profile". Forbes Magazine. Retrieved December 14, 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "Phazar Corp. Form 10-K, p. 26" (PDF). Phazar Corp. August 22, 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2007. [dead link]
- ^ "Robert Allen Wahl Jr". Distinctive Life. Retrieved January 18, 2024.