Ambrose Schindler facts for kids

Ambrose "Amblin' Amby" Schindler (April 21, 1917 – December 30, 2018) was an American college football player, coach, and game official. He played college football for the University of Southern California. He was known for his amazing skills as a quarterback and for his role in a famous movie!

Sports Career Highlights

Ambrose Schindler was a fantastic football player. He went to San Diego High School before becoming a star quarterback for the USC Trojans.

Leading the Trojans

In 1937, he was the top player for his team. He led the USC Trojans in rushing, scoring, and overall offense. He was even named to the all-conference team, which means he was one of the best players in his league.

National Championship and Rose Bowl MVP

In his final year, he helped the Trojans win a share of the 1939 national championship. This was a huge achievement for the team!

The season ended with the 1940 Rose Bowl game. Schindler was the star of this game. He scored one touchdown by running with the ball and threw a pass for another touchdown. USC won 14-0 against the Tennessee Volunteers. This was a big deal because the Tennessee team had not lost a game in 23 matches. They also had not allowed any points in their last 16 games, including their entire 1939 regular season! Ambrose Schindler was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Rose Bowl.

After the Rose Bowl, he was also the MVP in the 1940 College All-Star Game. This game was held at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Film and Stunt Work

Ambrose Schindler didn't just play football; he also worked in movies!

The Wizard of Oz

Towards the end of his college years, he appeared in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz (1939). He played a Winkie guard, one of the guards in the Wicked Witch's castle. He also worked as a stunt double for Jack Haley, who played the Tin Man. This meant he would do the more difficult or dangerous actions for the Tin Man character.

At the time of his death, he was one of the last people still alive who had worked on this famous film. He also appeared in another movie called Sailor's Lady (1940).

Later Sports Career and Honors

Even though the Green Bay Packers picked him in the 1940 NFL draft, Ambrose Schindler decided not to play in the National Football League.

Coaching and Officiating

Back then, coaching at high school or college offered more financial security than playing in the early NFL. So, he chose to coach instead. His first coaching job was at Glendale High School.

He served in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he had a long career as a coach and instructor at El Camino College in Torrance, California.

Besides coaching, Schindler was also a football game official for many years. He worked games in the American Football League and later officiated high school and college games.

Hall of Fame Inductions

Ambrose Schindler received many honors for his contributions to sports:

• He was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions Breitbard Hall of Fame in 1973.
• He joined the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.
• He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2002.

Personal Life

Ambrose Schindler was one of three children. He married Lucille Frances West in 1943, and they had two children together.

He loved being active! He enjoyed surfing and bicycling. He even continued to surf until he was 75 years old.

Ambrose Schindler lived a very long life. He turned 100 years old in April 2017 and passed away in December 2018 at the age of 101.

See Also

• List of American Football League officials