Sam Dana

Sam Dana (August 7, 1903 – October 29, 2007), born Samuel Salemi,[1] was a professional American football player who played running back for two seasons for the Hartford Blues and New York Yankees. At the time of his death, Dana was thought to be the oldest living NFL player. He is the 2nd-longest lived NFL player in history.[2][3]

Sam Dana (born Samuel Salemi)
Born:(1903-08-07)August 7, 1903
Brooklyn, New York, US
Died:October 29, 2007(2007-10-29) (aged 104)
Buffalo, New York, US
Career information
Position(s)RB
CollegeColumbia University
Career history
As player
1926Hartford Blues
1928New York Yankees

Biography

Dana was known as Sam "Smoke" Salemi during his playing days. He became a football player at the suggestion of a teacher at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn after seeing him weave through desks as a fellow student was chasing him. He attended Columbia University and was a football teammate of Lou Gehrig. Dana attended St John's University and Canisius College. After retiring from football, he became an agent for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He legally changed his last name to Dana in 1945.[4][5]

Dana was mistaken for a baseball player who died in 1969, the mixup being published in the NFL's Total Football encyclopedia. He resurfaced in 2003 upon turning 100 when his son notified the Pro Football Hall of Fame that he was living in a nursing home in Kenmore, New York. He was a guest at the Hall of Fame's Senior Citizen Day later that year and ws presented with a special jersey by the Bufallo Bills bearing 100 emblazoned on it upon visiting their training camp. Dana died at the age of 104 in 2007.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Sam Salemi". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  2. "Sam Dana, NFL's oldest former player, dies at 104". The Courier-Journal. October 31, 2007. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  3. John Wawrow (1 November 2007). "Sam Dana, 104; called oldest ex-NFL player". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. p. 49. Retrieved 5 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  4. "NFL's oldest living ex-player celebrates No. 100 with Bills". The Indianapolis Star. Associated Press. 7 August 2003. p. 32. Retrieved 5 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  5. "Sam Dana should be a lock for NFL's all-century team". The Courier-Journal. 8 August 2003. p. E2. Retrieved 5 February 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  6. Goldstein, Richard (2007-11-01). "Sam Dana, 104, Oldest Former N.F.L. Player, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-08-15.


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