Al Pierotti
# Al Pierotti

Albert Felix Pierotti (October 24, 1895 – February 12, 1964) was a professional American football center and Major League Baseball pitcher.

## Football career

Pierotti played in the American Professional Football League with the Akron Pros, Cleveland Tigers and the New York Brickley Giants. Brickley's New York Giants are not related to the modern-day New York Giants. Al won the 1920 NFL Championship with Akron.

When the AFPA became the National Football League in 1922, Pierotti went on to play with the Milwaukee Badgers and Racine Legion. In 1926, Pierotti played for the Boston Bulldogs of the American Football League, an NFL rival started by Red Grange and his agent C. C. Pyle. After the Bulldogs folded, Pierotti played semipro football for the University of Peabody. He returned to the NFL with the Providence Steam Roller and later played with the NFL's Boston Bulldogs.

Prior to playing professional football, Al played college football at Washington and Lee University. He coached football for one year (1918) at Tufts where his team had a record of 2 wins and 3 losses.

## Baseball career

Pierotti began his professional baseball career with the minor league Providence Grays of the Eastern League. The following season, he joined the Boston Braves in August, appearing in six games. He pitched in two games the following year before returning to the Eastern League with the Pittsfield Hillies. After one more season, split between Pittsfield and the Waterbury Brasscos, Pierotti returned to football full-time.

## Wrestling career

In 1931, Pierotti began wrestling. On July 30, 1931 he challenged Jim Londos for the World Heavyweight Championship at the Coney Island Velodrome. Londos defeated Pierotti in 17:05 with an airplane spin. In 1932, Pierotti began refereeing matches at the Boston Arena while continuing to wrestle occasionally.

## Later life and death

In 1935, Pierotti became an assistant football coach at Chelsea High School. In 1936 he became head coach of the school's baseball team. From 1936 to 1938 he also hosted a sports talk show on WMEX. Pierotti remained at Chelsea High School as a teacher and baseball coach until his death on February 12, 1964.

