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Charles "Charlie" Powell

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Charlie Powell was the youngest player in the history of the National Football League, just 19 years old when he became a starting defensive end with the San Francisco 49ers in 1952, right out of San Diego High School. Actually, he had signed up with the St. Louis Browns (Pro baseball team) as a power-hitting right fielder and spent the summer after graduation playing Class B ball in Stockton and Idaho before forsaking baseball for pro football. He played five seasons for the 49ers (1952-53 and 1955-57) and two for the Oakland Raiders ( 1960-6 1 ). In between, he pursued a boxing career that included a nationally-televised knockout of No. 2-ranked heavyweight contender Nino Valdes of Cuba.

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Having grown up in the Logan Heights section of San Diego and the Cakes Boys Club on Marcy Ave., the oldest boy in a family of six brothers and three sisters, Charlie earned three varsity letters each in football, basketball, baseball and track at San Diego High. The State Football Player of the year in 1950. Some people reckon he is the greatest prep athlete ever to come out of San Diego, but he won't enter that debate. "I've heard that.-' he says. "If they say it, I say thank you and then 1 just leave it alone." He is quick to give credit to a legion of coaches, teammates and mentors at Memorial Junior High and the Boys Club especially Augie Escamilla. "Without a doubt, he was the key -- to myself and a lot of others," Powell says. "Basically Augie was a track man, but he kept us involved in ail of the sports. He took us on trips. He wasn't that much older than us, but he was just like a second father to a lot of the kids. Powell. who lives in Altadena, California a suburb of Los Angeles remembers his roots fondly: "San Diego was a great place for a young athlete. In baseball, we had American Legion Post 6. There were great teams throughout California - Bakersfield: Union, where Frank Gifford came from; Lovola in Los Angeles -- and we all played each other. I came up with guys older than me, ahead of me in school, and that helped me. During the war, we all played together, ate together. It was a lot different from kids coming up now. In high school, Charlie was 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, strong and fast. He played end on defense and fullback for two years before being switched to offensive end.

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The CIF was formed in 1960, Charlie Powell was the only local player ever selected the Southern California Large-School Player of the Year.

In basketball. Charlie Powell was a second-team all-league center.

In baseball. Charlie Powell was the only player folks can remember hitting balls out of Balboa Stadium.

In track. Charlie Powell high-Jumped (6 feet and put the shot 57 feet 9 - 1/4 inches, a San Diego High record which still stands. "And every now and then I'd fill in and run the relays.'' Charlie recalls. "But baseball and track were the same season, so I'd go to the track meet, maybe put the shot a couple of times, and then change in the car and go to play baseball"

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When Charlie won the CIF Player of the year in 1950. San Francisco quarterback Frankie Albert told Coach Lawrence "Buck" Shaw that he thought Charlie could play in the NFL. Shaw drove to San Diego alter Powell signed a baseball contract and talked to his parents. Charlie Powell became a 49er at 19 years old, the youngest player in NFL history. "In training camp, when (All-Pro tackle Leo) Nomellini and all the veterans came in, they said the rookies better- get ready because this is when they separated the men from the boys, "Powell remembers. "They put me head-up on Nomellini one day in a scrimmage, and nothing happened. Then my confidence started coming....l started in my first game against the world champion Detroit Lions and threw Bobby Layne for 67 yards in losses. I think about that every now and then. Powell played two seasons for the 49ers.

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Took a year off to box, then combined the two sports, trimming to his 212-pound fighting weight In the off-season Charlie had looked bad when Charlie Norkus had knocked him out in a televised bout - later avenged in San Diego, but not on TV. It was his fight with number two ranked Valdes that propelled Charlie into prominence as a fighter. Charlie knocked out Valdez in a nationally televised fight and moved up to number 4 in the world , and this was at a time when there was only one division. Charlie fought 56 professional fights and lost to future heavyweight champs Floyd Patterson and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali. The authoritative Ring magazine declared him the best boxer ever to come out of another pro sport. Ed "Too Tall" Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Mark Gastineau New York Jets are two of latest to try. But Powell had boxed as a kid, learning the fundamentals in San Diego in gyms from the likes of the great Archie Moore . I had compliments from Sugar Ray Robinson and Joe Louis didn't fool with fighters but he thought enough of Charlie Powell to train him for a while. Charlie and his brother Art Powell a four time American Football League All-Star are the only brother's in the San Diego - Breitbart Hall of Fame.

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