Louis Weller facts for kids

Louis "Rabbit" Weller (born March 2, 1904 – died April 17, 1979) was an amazing American football player. He played as a halfback for the Boston Redskins in the National Football League (NFL) in 1933. Louis was a Native American, a proud member of the Caddo tribe. He went to Haskell Institute, a special school for Native American students. In 1972, Louis Weller was one of the first people to be honored in the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame.

Louis "Rabbit" Weller: A Football Legend

Louis Weller, nicknamed "Rabbit" for his speed, was a talented athlete. He became famous for his incredible skills in football. He also excelled in other sports like track and baseball. His journey from high school to professional football is quite inspiring.

Early Life and High School Sports

Louis Weller was born in Anadarko, Oklahoma. He grew up to be a fantastic athlete. At Arkansas City High School in Arkansas City, Kansas, he played many different sports. He was known for being very good at all of them.

College Football Star

After high school, Louis played football for Arkansas City Junior College. This was from 1925 to 1926. During those two seasons, he scored an amazing 190 points. This included 28 touchdowns, which shows how good he was!

In 1927, he went to Chilocco Indian School. There, he once returned seven punts for touchdowns in a single game. That's a lot of touchdowns in one game! After Chilocco, Weller became a four-sport athlete at the Haskell Institute. He was the first player to be captain of the Haskell football team three times. He scored thirteen touchdowns that were 60 yards or longer.

In 1930, Louis was chosen for the Knute Rockne All-American team. He was also picked for the United Press second team. One of his best games was in 1930 against the undefeated Oklahoma A&M Cowboys. In that game, he returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Later, he returned a punt 95 yards for the winning touchdown. His team won 13–12! In a charity football game in 1930, Louis even played for both teams. He played for Arkansas City Junior College in the first half. Then, he played for Chilocco Indian School in the second half.

More Than Just Football

Louis Weller wasn't just great at football. He was also excellent at other sports. These included track and baseball. James Naismith, who invented the sport of basketball in 1891, was very impressed by Louis. Naismith said Weller was "the most expert dribbler I have ever seen." This shows how talented Louis was in many different areas.

Playing Pro Football

After college, Louis Weller played professional football for two years. In 1933, he joined the Boston Redskins in the National Football League (NFL). His coach there was William Henry "Lone Star" Dietz, who had also coached him at Haskell. Louis played alongside two other Native American football players: "Chief" Larry Johnson and John Orien Crow. In 1934, he played for the Tulsa Oilers in the American Football League.

Life After Football

After he stopped playing football, Louis Weller worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This organization helps Native American communities. He passed away on April 17, 1979, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had a heart attack while playing golf with his former teammate, John Orien Crow.