Alex Bravo
American gridiron football player (1930–2020)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexander Bravo (July 27, 1930 – September 1, 2020) was an American professional football player. He played defensive back with the Los Angeles Rams and Oakland Raiders, as well as the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL).[1]
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
| No. 95, 21, 47 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Defensive back | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | July 27, 1930 Tucson, Arizona, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | September 1, 2020 (aged 90) | ||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Santa Barbara (CA) | ||||||
| College | Cal Poly | ||||||
| NFL draft | 1954: 9th round, 106th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Career NFL/AFL statistics | |||||||
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Early life
Bravo graduated from Santa Barbara High School, where he was an all-state halfback.[2]
College career
He played college football at California Polytechnic State University and is a member of their athletic hall of fame (inducted 1988).[3] For Cal Poly, Bravo collected all-conference honors in 1951, 1952 and 1953, along the way earning the nickname "Boom Boom" for his explosive running style.[4]
| Season | School | Rush. Att. | Rush. Yds. | Avg. | LG | Overall Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 (So.) | CP | 131 | 850 | 6.5 | 77 | 48 |
| 1952 (Jr.) | CP | 132 | 702 | 5.3 | 85 | 42 |
| 1953 (Sr.) | CP | 111 | 686 | 6.2 | n/a | 61 |
| Totals | 374 | 2,238 | 6.0 | 85 | 151 |
Professional career
After being selected 106th overall by the L.A. Rams in the 1954 NFL draft, Bravo would later go on to sign with the then-AFL's Oakland Raiders.[5] Bravo was converted primarily to defensive back at the pro level.
Bravo continued his involvement in sports, working as a football official and track and field starter into his late 80s.
