John "Cap" Oehler
No. 26
Position:Center
Personal information
Born:(1910-08-05)August 5, 1910
Queens, New York, U.S.
Died:12 May 1983(1983-05-12) (aged 72)
Pinehurst, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:204 lb (93 kg)
Career information
College:Purdue
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:40
Rushes / yds:2 / 14
Safeties:1
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

John Walter "Cap" Oehler (born August 5, 1910 – May 12, 1983)[1] was an American football center in the National Football League (NFL). He was a charter member of the Pittsburgh Pirates (which would later be renamed the Steelers). Oehler was born in Queens, New York.[2] He played college football at Purdue University where he was named a captain.[3]

In 1933 Oehler joined the newly formed Pittsburgh Pirates of the NFL. In the team's first game, he blocked a punt which went out the back of the end zone resulting in a safety. Those were the first points recorded in franchise history and the lone points in that first 23–2 loss.[4] He would play two years for the Pirates before moving on to the Brooklyn Dodgers where he played two more seasons.

After leaving football, he built a career in sales with shipbuilder Dravo Corporation.[5]

References

  1. ^ North Carolina, Deaths, 1931-1994
  2. ^ "Cap Oehler bio". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  3. ^ "Big Ten Grid Notes". Milwaukee Sentinel. September 17, 1932. p. 18. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  4. ^ Sell, Jack (September 21, 1933). "25,000 See Pro Pirates Lose Grid Opener". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. pp. 14–15. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  5. ^ "Dravo Appoints Sales Manager of Division". Pittsburgh Press. February 2, 1951. p. 30. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
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