Eddie Erdelatz

Who was Eddie Erdelatz?

Edward J. Erdelatz 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 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.