| Dante Lavelli | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | February 23 1923 |
| Place of birth: |  Hudson, Ohio |
| Position(s): | End |
| Jersey #: | 86 |
| College: | Ohio State |
| Team(s) as player | |
| 1946-1956 | Cleveland Browns |
| Career highlights and Awards | |
| Pro Bowls | 1951, 1953, 1954 |
| Awards | All-AAFC, 1946-1947 |
| Honors | NFL 1940s All-Decade Team |
| Stats at DatabaseFootball.com | |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1975 | |
Dante Bert Joseph Lavelli (born February 23, 1923) is a Pro Football Hall of Fame end (wide receiver) who played for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference and National Football League from 1946-56.
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High school career
Dante Lavelli played football for Hudson High School in Hudson, Ohio. He graduated in 1941. Hudson High's current stadium is named in honor of him.
College career
Lavelli attended The Ohio State University, where the Browns' first coach Paul Brown was then coaching, but played just three games before turning professional due to a stint in the U.S. Infantry.
Professional career
Nicknamed "Glue Fingers", Lavelli was an original member of the Browns franchise, where he starred alongside American football legends like Otto Graham, Lou Groza and Marion Motley. Lavelli quickly became Graham's top passing target and led the AAFC in receiving as a rookie, also catching the game-winning touchdown pass in the 1946 championship game. He was part of four Browns championships from 1946-49 in the AAFC and three more NFL championships in 1950, 1955 and 1956. During the team's inaugural year in the NFL in 1950, Lavelli caught 11 passes in the NFL Championship game vs. the Los Angeles Rams. Overall in his career, Lavelli caught 386 passes for 6,488 yards and 62 touchdowns in 11 seasons.
Post football life
Lavelli currently resides in the Cleveland, OH suburb of Westlake with his wife Joy. He has three grown children: Lucinda, Edward and Lisa, as well as four grandchildren: Aaron, Danielle, Noah and Luke. After he retired from football, he went into the furniture business and ran a store known as Lavelli's Furniture in Rocky River, OH.
External links
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| Tony Adamle | Quincy Armstrong | Doug Atkins | Mo Bassett | Harold Bradley | Pete Brewster | Tom Catlin | Don Colo | Len Ford | Herschel Forester | Bob Gain | Frank Gatski | Abe Gibron | Horace Gillom | Ken Gorgal | Otto Graham | Lou Groza | Chet Hanulak | Tommy James | Dub Jones | Don King | John Kissell | Kenny Konz | Warren Lahr | Dante Lavelli | Carlton Massey | Mike McCormack | Walt Michaels | Curley Morrison | Chuck Noll | Don Paul | George Ratterman | Ray Renfro | Billy Reynolds | John Sandusky Head Coach Paul Brown |
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| Mo Bassett | Harold Bradley | Pete Brewster | Don Colo | Henry Ford | Len Ford | Herschel Forester | Bob Gain | Frank Gatski | Abe Gibron | Horace Gillom | Otto Graham | Lou Groza | Tommy James | Dub Jones | Tom Jones | John Kissell | Kenny Konz | Warren Lahr | Dante Lavelli | Carlton Massey | Mike McCormack | Walt Michaels | Ed Modzelewski | Curley Morrison | Chuck Noll | Sam Palumbo | Don Paul | Pete Perini | Johnny Petitbon | George Ratterman | Ray Renfro | John Sandusky | Bob Smith | Chuck Wever | Bob White Head Coach Paul Brown |
