Hall of Fame
Position: Tackle
Years: 1940-1942
Place of Birth: Chicago, IL
Date of Birth: Dec 28, 1920
Place of Death: Grants Pass, OR
Date of Death: Mar 05, 2016
Jersey Number: 11
Height: 6-2
Weight: 212
High School: Chicago, IL (Foreman HS)
The name of Wistert had already taken on a magic at Michigan when young Al arrived at the Ann Arbor campus. His brother, Francis, was an All-America tackle there in the early 1930s and Wolverines fans were hopeful the younger Wistert would be just as good. "Ox" was as good. In Wistert's sophomore year, the Wolverines finished with seven victories, losing only to national champion Minnesota, 7-6, in an historic battle at Minneapolis. The UM squad finished 6-1-1 the next year, then 7-3 in 1942 when "Ox" was voted the team's Most Valuable Player and All-American. Al went on to serve as co- captain of the 1943 College All-Star team which trounced the pro champion Washington Redskins, 27-7, in Chicago. That summer, Wistert signed to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. He would become one of the club's greatest linemen, captaining the team as an All-Pro selection for five straight years. Philadelphia won two championships during Al's career and, when he quit the game in 1952, the Eagles retired his number 70 jersey. He had started every game as a pro, except for the 1950 season-opener against Cleveland when he was injured.
