Joe Vetrano

Joe Vetrano
No. 92, 82
Position: Placekicker / Halfback / Defensive back
Personal information
Date of birth: October 15, 1918
Place of birth: Neptune, New Jersey
Date of death: May 10, 1995 (aged 76)
Place of death: Berkeley, California
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight: 170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
High school: Neptune (NJ)
College: Southern Mississippi
Career history
As player:
As coach:
Career NFL statistics
Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com

Joseph George Vetrano (October 15, 1918 – May 10, 1995) was an American football placekicker who played four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers of the All-America Football Conference. He played college football at the University of Southern Mississippi and attended Neptune High School in Neptune Township, New Jersey.[1]

College career

Vetrano played for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles from 1940 to 1942. He was inducted into the Southern Miss Golden Eagles M–Club Alumni Association Sports Hall of Fame on February 20, 1965.[2][3]

Professional career

San Francisco 49ers

Vetrano signed with the San Francisco 49ers after serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and played for the 49ers from 1946 to 1949.[2][4] He was nicknamed "The Little Toe", which was later shortened to "The Toe", during his pro career and recorded an AAFC record 108 extra points. On one extra point attempt, holder Frankie Albert fumbled the snap and Vetrano scored the point on a drop kick.[5]

Coaching career

San Francisco 49ers

Vetrano was an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers from 1953 to 1956.[6] He also served as a chief scout for the 49ers.[5]

Southern Mississippi University

Vetrano helped the backfield as an assistant coach for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles in 1967.[2]

He later coached high school football in New Jersey.[5]

Death

Vetrano died of heart failure in Berkeley, California on May 10, 1995.[5]

References

  1. "JOE VETRANO". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "JOE VETRANO" (PDF). cstv.com. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  3. "Hall of Fame Members". southernmiss.com. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  4. "Joe Vetrano". fanbase.com. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Chapin, Dwight (May 12, 1995). "Joe Vetrano, 49ers' first kicker, dies". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  6. "Joe Vetrano". strongright.com. Retrieved April 22, 2015.

External links