Paul Governali

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1921–1978)}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Paul Governali

| image = Paul Governali 1947.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Governali, {{circa}} 1947

| number = 4, 41

| position = Quarterback

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|1|5}}

| birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1978|2|14|1921|1|5}}

| death_place = San Diego, California, U.S.

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 11

| weight_lb = 194

| high_school = Evander Childs
(Bronx, New York)

| college = Columbia (1940–1942)

| draftyear = 1943

| draftround = 1

| draftpick = 4

| pastteams = * Boston Yanks ({{NFL Year|1946|1947}})

New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1947|1948}})

| pastcoaching = * Columbia (1950–1955)
Backfield coach

San Diego State (1956–1960)
Head coach

| highlights = * Maxwell Award (1942)

Consensus All-American (1942)
First-team All-Eastern (1942)
Second-team All-Eastern (1941)

| statlabel1 = Passing attempts

| statvalue1 = 500

| statlabel2 = Passing completions

| statvalue2 = 218

| statlabel3 = Completion percentage

| statvalue3 = 43.6%

| statlabel4 = TD–INT

| statvalue4 = 31–33

| statlabel5 = Passing yards

| statvalue5 = 3,348

| statlabel6 = Passer rating

| statvalue6 = 59.5

| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|11|27|4|record=y}}

| pfr = G/GovePa20

| CollegeHOF = 1609

}}

Paul Vincent Governali (January 5, 1921 – February 14, 1978), nicknamed "Pitchin' Paul", was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Columbia Lions, where he played as a halfback. He was a consensus All-American in 1942, won the Maxwell Award and was runner-up to Frank Sinkwich for the Heisman Trophy. Governali passed for 1,442 yards in nine games that season, threw for 19 touchdowns, and completed 52% of his passes, all new collegiate records. He was also among the leading punters in the nation. He still holds the Columbia Lions record for touchdown passes in one game, with five. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.

Professional career

Upon graduating in 1943, he passed up offers from both professional baseball and football teams to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, where he served for three years. After the war, he played play in the National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1948 with Boston Yanks and the New York Giants.

After football

Governali retired from playing following the 1948 season and returned to Columbia, where he worked as an assistant coach while pursuing his doctorate in education, which he received in 1951.

Head coaching career

He served as the head football coach at San Diego State University from 1956 to 1960, compiling a record of 11–27–4. He was succeeded as head coach of the San Diego State Aztecs by Don Coryell.

Head coaching record

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = San Diego State Aztecs

| conf = California Collegiate Athletic Association

| startyear = 1956

| endyear = 1960

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1956

| name = San Diego State

| overall = 4–3–2

| conference = 2–1

| confstanding = T–2nd

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1957

| name = San Diego State

| overall = 2–7

| conference = 0–1

| confstanding = 5th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1958

| name = San Diego State

| overall = 3–5

| conference = 2–3

| confstanding = 4th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1959

| name = San Diego State

| overall = 1–6–1

| conference = 0–5

| confstanding = 6th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1960

| name = San Diego State

| overall = 1–6–1

| conference = 0–5

| confstanding = 6th

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = San Diego State

| overall = 11–27–4

| confrecord = 4–15

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 11–27–4

| bowls = no

| poll = no

| polltype =

| legend = no

}}

Personal life

Governali also had a minor stint as an actor, portraying a professional football player in the 1948 film titled, Triple Threat.{{cite news |author= |title=Top Grid Stars Appear In Picture "Triple Threat" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121636036/messenger-inquirer/ |newspaper=The Owensboro Messenger |location=Owensboro, Kentucky |date=November 28, 1948 |page=3B |access-date=March 25, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

He and his wife, Edna, had four children: Paul, Jeannie, Nicole, and Sam.

Death

Governali died on February 14, 1978, at Kaiser Hospital, in San Diego, following a long illness.{{cite news |author= |title=Paul Governali, at 56, football star in 40s |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121637211/obituary-for-paul-governoli/ |newspaper=The Boston Globe |location=Boston, Massachusetts |date=February 16, 1978 |page=45 |access-date=March 25, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

References

External links

{{College Football HoF|1609}}
{{Footballstats |nfl=paul-governali |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=G/GovePa20 |rotoworld= }}
{{IMDb name|0332850}}
{{Find a Grave|155489229}}

{{Navboxes

|list =

{{1942 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}

}}

Category:1921 births

Category:1978 deaths

Category:American football quarterbacks

Category:Boston Yanks players

Category:Columbia Lions football coaches

Category:Columbia Lions football players

Category:El Toro Flying Marines football players

Category:Maxwell Award winners