George Christensen
Encyclopedia
George Washington Christensen (Tarzan) (December 13, 1909 – July 1, 1968) was an American football
player and businessman. He played college football
for the University of Oregon
and professional football for the Portsmouth Spartans (1931-1933) and Detroit Lions
(1934-1938). He later formed the Christensen Diamond Products Company, which became a publicly-traded company manufacturing industrial, drilling and military equipment with plants in Europe, Asia, South America and North America.
in 1909. He attended Pendleton Prep and Aberdeen Prep before enrolling at the University of Oregon
. He played college football
as a tackle
for the Oregon Ducks
from 1928 to 1930. At the end of the 1930 season, Christensen was selected as an All-Pacific Coast player. He also played for the Western All-Stars in the annual East-West Shrine Game
.
for eight years for the Portsmouth Spartans (1931-1933) and the Detroit Lions
(1934-1938). He was selected as a first-team All-NFL player in 1931, 1933, 1934 and 1936, and a second-team All-NFL player in 1932 and 1935. He was also the captain of the first Detroit Lions professional football team in 1934 and was a starter on the 1935 Detroit Lions
team that won the 1935 NFL Championship Game. Teammate Glenn Presnell
recalled, "George Christensen was a good tackle, he weighed about 230 and was the biggest man on the team."
In 1969, the Associated Press selected all-decade teams to commemorate the NFL's 30th anniversary. Christensen was named as one of five tackles on the All-1930s teams.
In July 1939, Christensen was hired as the line coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers
.
In 1944, Christensen went into business with his former teammate, Frank Christensen
, to whom he was not related. The two men began manufacturing diamond bits as the Christensen Diamond Products Company in Salt Lake City. George was responsible for procuring diamonds for the business, eventually negotiating a direct allocation from the DeBeers diamond syndicate.
In 1946, the company introduced diamond core bits to the mining industry. The company had a technological breakthrough in the late 1940s when it perfected a tungsten carbide matrix for diamond bits at an oil field in Colorado. The two men also formed Christensen Machine Company, which later became
Hughes Christensen, to manufacture precision tools and gauges for military ordnance and radar. In 1957 Christensen Diamond Products opened a manufacturing plant in Celle, West Germany to serve international
markets. Eventually, the Christensens' operations became international with manufacturing plants in Canada, France, Germany, and Japan.
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...
player and businessman. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
and professional football for the Portsmouth Spartans (1931-1933) and Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1934-1938). He later formed the Christensen Diamond Products Company, which became a publicly-traded company manufacturing industrial, drilling and military equipment with plants in Europe, Asia, South America and North America.
Early years
Christensen was born in Pendleton, OregonPendleton, Oregon
Pendleton is a city in Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. Pendleton was named in 1868 by the county commissioners for George H. Pendleton, Democratic candidate for Vice-President in the 1864 presidential campaign. The population was 16,612 at the 2010 census...
in 1909. He attended Pendleton Prep and Aberdeen Prep before enrolling at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
for the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
from 1928 to 1930. At the end of the 1930 season, Christensen was selected as an All-Pacific Coast player. He also played for the Western All-Stars in the annual East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
.
Professional football
Christensen played professional football in the National Football LeagueNational 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 eight years for the Portsmouth Spartans (1931-1933) and the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
(1934-1938). He was selected as a first-team All-NFL player in 1931, 1933, 1934 and 1936, and a second-team All-NFL player in 1932 and 1935. He was also the captain of the first Detroit Lions professional football team in 1934 and was a starter on the 1935 Detroit Lions
1935 Detroit Lions season
The 1935 Detroit Lions season resulted in the Lions winning their first NFL Championship. In their second season in Detroit, the Lions placed first in the NFL's Western Division and went on to defeat the New York Giants in the 1935 NFL Championship Game. The team was coached by Potsy Clark...
team that won the 1935 NFL Championship Game. Teammate Glenn Presnell
Glenn Presnell
Glenn Emery "Press" Presnell was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He set the NFL single-season scoring record in 1933 and led the league in total offense. He was the last surviving member of the Detroit Lions inaugural 1934 team and helped lead the team to...
recalled, "George Christensen was a good tackle, he weighed about 230 and was the biggest man on the team."
In 1969, the Associated Press selected all-decade teams to commemorate the NFL's 30th anniversary. Christensen was named as one of five tackles on the All-1930s teams.
In July 1939, Christensen was hired as the line coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
.
Christensen Diamond Products
After retiring from football, Christensen became employed by Koebel Diamond tools, which sold diamond tools to the automotive companies in Detroit.In 1944, Christensen went into business with his former teammate, Frank Christensen
Frank Christensen
Frank Langton Christensen was an American athlete. After receiving all-state honors at Granite High School in baseball, football, and basketball, Christensen played fullback at the University of Utah. "Crashing Chris" was the university’s first three-time All-American...
, to whom he was not related. The two men began manufacturing diamond bits as the Christensen Diamond Products Company in Salt Lake City. George was responsible for procuring diamonds for the business, eventually negotiating a direct allocation from the DeBeers diamond syndicate.
In 1946, the company introduced diamond core bits to the mining industry. The company had a technological breakthrough in the late 1940s when it perfected a tungsten carbide matrix for diamond bits at an oil field in Colorado. The two men also formed Christensen Machine Company, which later became
Hughes Christensen, to manufacture precision tools and gauges for military ordnance and radar. In 1957 Christensen Diamond Products opened a manufacturing plant in Celle, West Germany to serve international
markets. Eventually, the Christensens' operations became international with manufacturing plants in Canada, France, Germany, and Japan.