Al Pollard

Alfred Lee Pollard (September 7, 1928 – March 3, 2002) was an American professional football fullback and halfback.

After a brief stint at Loyola University, he decided to transfer to the United States Military Academy (Army) in the spring of 1949 where he played under the renowned Vince Lombardi as his backfield coach.

After retiring from football in 1957, he pursued a number of business ventures in Canada including a beverage distributorship and a well regarded Steakhouse restaurant.

He move back to Pennsylvania and became a color commentator on Eagles broadcasts, first with CBS television from 1961 to 1964, and then on WIP radio, where he worked with play-by-play man Charlie Swift from 1969 to 1976.

During his broadcasting years, he worked as a regional sales manager with a large commercial printing company and developed an ice skating and tennis court facility in Berwyn, Pa.

[2] Pollard transferred to the United States Military Academy on March 22, where he played under coach Red Blaik.

[3] Due to transfer rules, Pollard was forced to sit out the 1949 season, and he enrolled at Rutherford Preparatory School to pass West Point's entrance exam.

Gil Reich, his roommate at West Point, noted that he and several other friends of Pollard frequently helped each other so as to not see anyone drop out.

[8] In his only season on the football team (1950), he was Army's statistical leader in rushing, averaging 7.3 yards per carry, and in scoring, with 83 total points.

[6] In December, the Helms Athletic Foundation named him to their 1950 All-American team, along with fellow Army cadet Dan Foldberg.

"[11] Following the end of that season, he was one of the 90 cadets, also including coach Blaik's son, who were forced to resign from the academy because of a cribbing scandal.

After moving back to Pennsylvania, Pollard was a color commentator on broadcasts of Eagles games for WIP radio and worked with Charlie Swift, the play-by-play man, from 1969 to 1976.

[3] Between 1976 until the mid-1980s, upon retiring from broadcasting, Pollard owned and managed an ice skating rink and tennis court facility in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

He also was regional sales manager for a large commercial web printing company and participated in organizations such as Eagles Alumni.

[3] Patricia Ann Root (1932–2019), his wife of 47 years; children John, Kurt (1962–2007), and Melissa Mozer; and eight grandchildren survived him in death.