Dante Lavelli
Encyclopedia
Dante Bert Joseph "Gluefingers" Lavelli (February 23, 1923 – January 20, 2009) was an American football
end (wide receiver
) who played for the Cleveland Browns
in the All-America Football Conference
and National Football League
from 1946 to 1956. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1975.
in Hudson, Ohio
. He graduated in 1941. Hudson High's current stadium is named in honor of him.
, where the Browns' first coach Paul Brown
was then coaching, but played just three games before a knee injury ended his season. He joined the U.S. Army
before the start of the 1943 season to fight in World War II
. He landed at Omaha Beach
, and was in Bastogne
during the Battle of the Bulge
.
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 to 1949 in the AAFC and three more NFL championships in 1950
, 1954
and 1955. During the team's inaugural year
in the NFL in 1950, Lavelli caught 11 passes in the NFL Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Overall in his career, Lavelli caught 386 passes for 6,488 yards and 62 touchdowns in 11 seasons.
with his wife Joy. He had 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, Ohio
. He died in 2009 at the age of 85.
Personal life. Dante Levelli sold cars during the off season of his professional career.
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...
end (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...
) who played for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland 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...
in the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
and National Football League
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...
from 1946 to 1956. He was elected to 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...
in 1975.
High school career
Lavelli played football for Hudson High SchoolHudson High School (Ohio)
Hudson High School, part of the Hudson City School District, is a public high school located at 2500 Hudson-Aurora Road in Hudson, Ohio, United States. The school sits on a campus that has been developed to include a variety of athletic fields, such as six tennis courts, a lighted baseball field,...
in Hudson, Ohio
Hudson, Ohio
Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He graduated in 1941. Hudson High's current stadium is named in honor of him.
College career
Lavelli attended the Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, where the Browns' first coach Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
was then coaching, but played just three games before a knee injury ended his season. He joined the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
before the start of the 1943 season to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He landed at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
, and was in Bastogne
Bastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
.
Professional career
Nicknamed "Gluefingers", Lavelli was an original member of the Browns franchise, where he starred alongside American footballAmerican 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...
legends like Otto Graham
Otto Graham
Otto Everett Graham, Jr. was a professional American football and basketball player who played for the Cleveland Browns in both the All-America Football Conference and National Football League, as well as the Rochester Royals in the National Basketball League.-Early life:Born in Waukegan,...
, Lou Groza
Lou Groza
Louis Roy Groza was an American football placekicker and offensive tackle who played his entire career for the Cleveland Browns....
and Marion Motley
Marion Motley
Marion Motley was a professional football player, a fullback for the Cleveland Browns, and briefly for the Pittsburgh Steelers.-Early years:...
. Lavelli quickly became Graham's top passing target and led the AAFC in receiving as a rookie, also catching the game-winning touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass in the 1946 championship game.
He was part of four Browns championships from 1946 to 1949 in the AAFC and three more NFL championships in 1950
NFL Championship Game, 1950
The 1950 National Football League championship game was the 18th NFL title game. The game was played on December 24, 1950 in Cleveland, Ohio's Municipal Stadium.-Background:...
, 1954
NFL Championship Game, 1954
The 1954 National Football League championship game was the 22nd annual championship game. The NFL title game was held on December 26, 1954, at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio. This was the third straight title game between the Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns.The Detroit Lions...
and 1955. During the team's inaugural year
1950 Cleveland Browns season
The 1950 Cleveland Browns season was the team's first season with the National Football League after playing the previous four years in the All-America Football Conference, which folded after the 1949 season. The Browns' first NFL game was against the two-time defending champion Philadelphia Eagles...
in the NFL in 1950, Lavelli caught 11 passes in the NFL Championship game against 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 resided in the Cleveland suburb of WestlakeWestlake, Ohio
Westlake is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 32,729 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and is located 12 miles from Cleveland's downtown.-Geography:Westlake is located at...
with his wife Joy. He had 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, Ohio
Rocky River, Ohio
Rocky River is an affluent western suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, United States located in Cuyahoga County approximately nine miles west of Public Square in downtown Cleveland. The city is named for the river that forms its eastern border...
. He died in 2009 at the age of 85.
Personal life. Dante Levelli sold cars during the off season of his professional career.