Al Carmichael facts for kids
Carmichael in 2006
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| No. 42, 48, 40 | |||
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| Position: | Halfback, kick returner | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | November 10, 1928 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Died: | September 7, 2019 (aged 90) Palm Desert, California, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Weight: | 200 lb (91 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Gardena (CA) | ||
| College: | USC | ||
| NFL Draft: | 1953 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||
Albert Reinhold Carmichael (November 10, 1928 – September 7, 2019) was an amazing American football player. He was known for his speed and skill. Carmichael made history by scoring the very first touchdown in the American Football League (AFL). This happened on September 9, 1960. He caught a 59-yard pass for the Denver Broncos against the Boston Patriots.
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High School Football Career
Albert Carmichael attended Gardena High School. He played football there.
College Football Journey
Before college, Albert served three years in the United States Marine Corps. He also played football for the El Toro Marines. He gained about 1,000 yards in each of those two years.
After his service, Carmichael played one year of college football at Santa Ana Junior College. There, he rushed for an impressive 1,110 yards. He also scored 19 touchdowns. His great performance earned him "Little All-American" honors. He even played in a Junior Rose Bowl game.
Carmichael then went on to play at the University of Southern California (USC). He was a key player for the USC Trojans for three years (1950-1952). He led the team in rushing during his sophomore year. As a senior, he was the team's top kick returner. He scored the winning touchdown in the 1953 Rose Bowl game. USC beat Wisconsin 7–0 thanks to his catch.
Professional Football Highlights
Carmichael played for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). He was with them from 1953 to 1958. Later, he joined the Denver Broncos in the American Football League (AFL). He played for the Broncos in 1960 and 1961.
He was excellent at returning kicks. He led professional football in kick return yards twice. As mentioned, he scored the first touchdown in AFL history. This was a 59-yard pass play for the Broncos. It happened on September 9, 1960.
Carmichael also had one of the longest plays in NFL history. He returned a kickoff for 106 yards for a touchdown. This was an NFL record at the time. When he retired, he was the NFL's all-time leader in kickoff return yardage.
After his playing career, Albert Carmichael was honored. He was inducted into several Halls of Fame. These include the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. He also joined the Santa Ana College Hall of Fame. Other honors include the All-Services and Orange County Halls of Fame.
Life as a Stunt Double
Beyond football, Albert Carmichael had another exciting career. He worked as a stuntman in over 50 films and TV shows. He performed stunts for famous actors.
Some of the movies he worked on include:
- Jim Thorpe – All-American (1951), where he was a stunt double for Burt Lancaster.
- Saturday's Hero (1951)
- All-American (1953)
- Pork Chop Hill (1959)
- It Started with a Kiss (1959)
- The Big Operator (1959)
- Elmer Gantry (1960)
- Spartacus (1960), where he was a stunt double for Kirk Douglas.
- Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
- Son of Flubber (1962)
- How the West was Won (1962)
He also appeared in the popular TV show Rawhide.
Family Life
Albert Carmichael was married to Jan. They had three children named Chris, Pam, and Stacy. After his football and stunt careers, he worked in different businesses. He was involved in pool-cleaning and automobile sales in Orange County. In 1984, he moved to Palm Desert to sell real estate.
See also
- List of American Football League players
