Howard Weiss
Encyclopedia
Howard "Howie" Weiss was an American football
fullback
. He was drafted in the third round of the 1939 NFL Draft
by the Detroit Lions
and played two seasons with the team. Later he played with the Milwaukee Chiefs
of the American Football League
.
A three-sport letter winner in high school, he led the football team to its first conference championship while outscoring its opponents 208-12 during the year. He won the state junior golf championship in 1934. In 1935 Weiss enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and joined the Wisconsin Badger football team as a running back. He was named Wisconsin's Most Valuable Player in 1937 and again in 1938 when he also was awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
, given to the Big Ten Conference
's Most Valuable Player. He was the first Badger to win the award. In the 1938 Heisman Trophy
balloting Weiss came in sixth. He was elected class president
for the 1938-39 school year. Weiss graduated in June 1939 with a degree in economics
.
He was a third-round draft choice for the Detroit Lions
in 1939 and played two seasons of professional football as a fullback and linebacker.
After a stint in the Navy during World War II, Weiss settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
to begin a career in insurance
. At the age of 39 he was named president of the Roberts Company, one of Wisconsin’s oldest and largest insurance companies. Weiss and his wife Geraldine involved themselves with Milwaukee’s civic affairs, donating their time and money to the Milwaukee Boys Club, the United Way, and the Milwaukee Art Museum
.
He was one of 35 charter members named to the UW Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991.
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...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. He was drafted in the third round of the 1939 NFL Draft
1939 NFL Draft
The 1939 National Football League Draft was held on December 9, 1938.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round Two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
by 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...
and played two seasons with the team. Later he played with the Milwaukee Chiefs
Milwaukee Chiefs (AFL)
The Milwaukee Chiefs were a professional American football team that competed in the third American Football League in 1940 and in 1941. The team played its home games in the Dairy Bowl in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
of the American Football League
American Football League (1940)
American Football League, also known as the AFL III to distinguish it from earlier organizations of that name, was a major professional American football league that operated from 1940-1941...
.
A three-sport letter winner in high school, he led the football team to its first conference championship while outscoring its opponents 208-12 during the year. He won the state junior golf championship in 1934. In 1935 Weiss enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and joined the Wisconsin Badger football team as a running back. He was named Wisconsin's Most Valuable Player in 1937 and again in 1938 when he also was awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
, given to the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
's Most Valuable Player. He was the first Badger to win the award. In the 1938 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
balloting Weiss came in sixth. He was elected class president
Class President
A class president is usually the leader of a student body class, and presides over its class cabinet or organization within a student council, in a grade school class presidents are generally elected by the class, a constituency composed of all students in a grade level.The practice of electing a...
for the 1938-39 school year. Weiss graduated in June 1939 with a degree in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
He was a third-round draft choice for 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...
in 1939 and played two seasons of professional football as a fullback and linebacker.
After a stint in the Navy during World War II, Weiss settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
to begin a career in insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
. At the age of 39 he was named president of the Roberts Company, one of Wisconsin’s oldest and largest insurance companies. Weiss and his wife Geraldine involved themselves with Milwaukee’s civic affairs, donating their time and money to the Milwaukee Boys Club, the United Way, and the Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee Art Museum
The Milwaukee Art Museum is located on Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Beginning around 1872, multiple organizations were founded in order to bring an art gallery to Milwaukee, as the city was still a growing port town with little or no facilities to hold major art exhibitions...
.
He was one of 35 charter members named to the UW Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991.