Abe Eliowitz

Abe Eliowitz (November 10, 1910 – November 19, 1981) was a star football player in American college football and in the days before the Canadian Football League. He also played college baseball.

Early life and education[]

Eliowitz attended Michigan State University from 1930 to 1932. In 1931, Eliowitz was named an All America all-star honorable mention, and received the first MVP (Governor of Michigan) award ever given by Michigan State, and the Spartans finished with a record of 5–3–1.

In 1932, Abe was co-captain and was named Grantland Rice All America honorable mention as MSU had its best season during his career, compiling a record of 7–1–0. An all-around athlete, Eliowitz played on the baseball team and is sixth all-time in school history in triples in a season with six (1931), and triples in a career with 10.

Eliowitz always attracted attention, as both a college and professional player, with his highly skilled left-handed passing and punting.

Career[]

After graduating, Eliowitz went to Canada to play football. He played five seasons (1933–1937), three with the Ottawa Rough Riders and two with the Montreal Indians. He was an all-star five times as a running back and as a flying wing. In 1935, he led the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union with 62 points and was the winner of the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy for fair play and sportsmanship.^[1] He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

After playing in Canada, he became a physical education teacher in the Detroit school system and continued to coach football, winning city league championships at Denby and Cooley High School.^[2]

He was married to Gertrude Lipman on July 26, 1933, in Detroit and later to Ida Sara Lachman on February 14, 1945, in Detroit.

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