Burl Toler
Encyclopedia
Burl Abron Toler, Sr. was an American football official in the National Football League (NFL)
for 24 seasons from 1965
to 1989
. He served as a field judge and head linesman throughout his career and is most notable for being the first African-American official in the NFL. He also officiated in one Super Bowl
, Super Bowl XIV
in 1980, and wore the uniform number 37.
On April 21, 2008 Toler Sr. was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
.
and was a linebacker
. Despite his physical gifts and strapping size, Toler never even played a down of prep football at Manassas High School in his native Memphis, but quickly emerged as a dominant force once recruited to the Bay Area. While at City College of San Francisco
, Toler teamed with future Dons teammate and NFL Hall-of-Famer Ollie Matson to lead the school to the “Mythical” Junior College National Championship in 1948. He was a member of the 1951 undefeated Dons football team of which three of his teammates would later be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
after successful careers in the NFL: Toler earned his degree in science from USF in 1952 and added a Master’s in 1966.Gino Marchetti
, Ollie Matson
, and Bob St. Clair
.
, but seriously injured his knee during a college all-star game that ended his football playing career, so he decided to become an official instead. After retiring as an NFL official in 1990, he served as a game observer for the league, which involved grading officials, for eight years.
prior to the 1965 season
.
Toler was the head linesman for the 1982 AFC Championship Game
between the San Diego Chargers
and Cincinnati Bengals
at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The game was played under the coldest wind chill temperature in NFL history. The air temperature was -9 F, but the wind chill was -59 F. The game would later become known in NFL lore as the "Freezer Bowl
". He also was the first black man to be an official in Super Bowl History.He died at 71.
and KIPP SF Bay Academy), was renamed in his honor on October 22, 2006.
Burl Toler along with Hall of Famer and Olympian Ollie Matson were initiated into the Kappa Alpha Psi
fraternity (Gamma Alpha chapter) on April 17, 1950
His grandson, Burl Toler III, is an American football
wide receiver
. He was signed by the San Jose Sabercats
of the Arena Football League on October 17, 2006.
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for 24 seasons from 1965
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
to 1989
1989 NFL season
The 1989 NFL season was the 70th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle announced his retirement...
. He served as a field judge and head linesman throughout his career and is most notable for being the first African-American official in the NFL. He also officiated in one Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
in 1980, and wore the uniform number 37.
On April 21, 2008 Toler Sr. was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame honors sports figures who have made a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is a section 501 non-profit, that was created by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in 1979.-Inductees:...
.
College career
Toler attended the University of San FranciscoUniversity of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and was a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
. Despite his physical gifts and strapping size, Toler never even played a down of prep football at Manassas High School in his native Memphis, but quickly emerged as a dominant force once recruited to the Bay Area. While at City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco, or CCSF, is a two-year community college in San Francisco, California. The Ocean Avenue campus, in the Ingleside neighborhood, is the college's primary location...
, Toler teamed with future Dons teammate and NFL Hall-of-Famer Ollie Matson to lead the school to the “Mythical” Junior College National Championship in 1948. He was a member of the 1951 undefeated Dons football team of which three of his teammates would later be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
after successful careers in the NFL: Toler earned his degree in science from USF in 1952 and added a Master’s in 1966.Gino Marchetti
Gino Marchetti
Gino John Marchetti is a former professional American football player in the National Football League. A defensive end, he played in 1952 for the Dallas Texans and from 1953 to 1966 for the Baltimore Colts.-Early years:...
, Ollie Matson
Ollie Matson
Ollie Genoa Matson II was an American Olympic medal winning sprinter and professional American football running back who played in the National Football League, in 1952 and from 1954 to 1966...
, and Bob St. Clair
Bob St. Clair
Robert Bruce St. Clair, nicknamed "The Geek" is a former San Francisco American football player known for fine play and eating raw beef. Because of his eccentricities, his teammates nicknamed him "The Geek".St...
.
Professional playing career
Toler was the #1 Draft pick for the Cleveland BrownsCleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but seriously injured his knee during a college all-star game that ended his football playing career, so he decided to become an official instead. After retiring as an NFL official in 1990, he served as a game observer for the league, which involved grading officials, for eight years.
Professional officiating career
Toler became the first African-American to serve as a field official in a major American professional sports league when he was appointed by the NFL as a head linesmanOfficial (American football)
In American football, an official is a person who has responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game.During professional and college football games, seven officials operate on the field...
prior to the 1965 season
1965 NFL season
The 1965 NFL season was the 46th regular season of the National Football League.Because the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts ended up tied in the Western Conference standings after the regular season ended, a conference playoff game was held in Green Bay. Although the Packers had defeated the...
.
Toler was the head linesman for the 1982 AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
between the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The game was played under the coldest wind chill temperature in NFL history. The air temperature was -9 F, but the wind chill was -59 F. The game would later become known in NFL lore as the "Freezer Bowl
Freezer Bowl
In NFL lore, the Freezer Bowl was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL history in terms of wind chill...
". He also was the first black man to be an official in Super Bowl History.He died at 71.
Educational career
Toler worked for 17 years at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in San Francisco as a teacher and as the district's first African American secondary school principal. The former Ben Franklin Middle School campus, now the home of two charter schools (Gateway High SchoolGateway High School (San Francisco, California)
Gateway High School is a charter school located in San Francisco, California. It was founded in September 1998. For many years it resided in the Sunset District at Laguna Honda before moving to its permanent location, at the corner of Geary and Scott, in the building that formerly housed Benjamin...
and KIPP SF Bay Academy), was renamed in his honor on October 22, 2006.
Personal life
Burl was married in 1952 and had six kids with his wife Melvia. He has eight grandchildren and two brothers and one sister.Burl Toler along with Hall of Famer and Olympian Ollie Matson were initiated into the Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
fraternity (Gamma Alpha chapter) on April 17, 1950
His grandson, Burl Toler III, is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
. He was signed by the San Jose Sabercats
San Jose SaberCats
The San Jose SaberCats are a professional arena football team in the Arena Football League. They began play as a 1995 expansion team. They played in the Western Division of the American Conference. Their final coach in the original Arena Football League was Darren Arbet, who will be a part of the...
of the Arena Football League on October 17, 2006.
External links
- Fimrite, Ron. "Best Team You Never Heard Of," Sports Illustrated, November 12, 1990.
- "USF Legend of the Hilltop Burl Toler Passes Away at 81," University of San Francisco Athletics, Monday, August 17, 2009.
- FitzGerald, Tom. "Burl Toler, NFL's first black official, dies," San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday, August 18, 2009.
- Burl Abron Toler (death notice), San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, August 21, 2009.
- Weber, Bruce. "Burl Toler, First Black N.F.L. Official, Dies at 81," The New York Times, Friday, August 21, 2009.