Bills two-time AFL champion, Al Bemiller passed away

[Just Jack]

Bills two-time AFL champion, Al Bemiller passed away

 

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One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. Bemiller was quite literally at the center of Buffalo's American Football League back-to-back championship teams as he manned the pivot on the Bills' offensive line for nine seasons from 1961-1969.

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A dedicated member of the Buffalo Bills Alumni Association for decades, Bemiller was 84-years old.

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by Just Jack

[ColoradoBills]

Thank you for all the memories, Al.  

[K-9]

RIP, Mr. B.

[Greg S]

RIP. I never saw him play as it was before my time.

[Jim Gehman]

I was fortunate to have talked with Al a couple times and hope this excerpt will help tell some of the team’s younger fans what he did for the Bills.

 

Dropping the Anchor

 

Beginning in 1961 and through the next eight seasons, the Bills played 126 regular-season games; 42 preseason games; and four post-season games, including for the 1964, 1965 and 1966 AFL championships. Some games they won, some they lost, and some they even tied. But what was by and large the same regardless of the outcome was that No. 50, Al Bemiller, would be anchoring the offensive line at center. And when he was not there, he was just one step away and playing at guard. What does he attribute that dependability to?

 

"The big L! Luck! A lot of luck," said the modest and humorous Bemiller. "And also I tell people that I always tried to stay away from the big boys [on opposing defensive lines] because I did all the line calls. I’d see big Ernie Ladd sitting off to my left and I was supposed to get him, I’d sic [Billy] Shaw on him. I’d go the opposite direction." All kidding aside, Bemiller proved to be as reliable and as tough as a 10-penny nail. Without question, he had his share of injuries, but pain was not going to sideline the Syracuse alumnus.

 

"Back then we only had 33 ballplayers. You had to play," Bemiller said. "It wasn’t like today where you take off a couple days off, a couple weeks off, or a month off. You come back and you get your job back. It wasn’t that way. If you got injured, unless you were a superstar, you’re gone! So I played through injuries, sure. Not major ones. I was very, very lucky."

 

That was until the 1969 season finale in San Diego, a 45-6 loss to the Chargers. Bemiller tore a ligament in his knee that required surgery. Still, it was not the injury that put him on the sideline.

 

"No, I was in very good shape. I came back [for the 1970 season] and there were no problems with my knee. Then [John] Rauch came in [as head coach] and cleaned house," said Bemiller. "Of course, I was in pretty good company. Guys like [Ron] McDole, who later on became an all-time great in Washington. And he got rid of [Booker] Edgerson. He got rid of a bunch of us. I could have gone on and played. I was picked up by Detroit, and at the time, I had just opened a nightclub out in Hamburg, and it was going great guns. So I thought, ‘No, I’m going to stay here with the club,’ and that’s what I did.

 

"Now years and years and years later, you think, ’Jeez, why didn’t I go for that?’ I had another two, three, four years in me. I know I did. I was very lucky in the sense that my body at that time was very young. It didn’t bother me. It got easier for me. The training camps, believe it or not, got easier for me. You know when to run, when to sit, when to take a drink of water, all that kind of stuff. Of course then you think back, if I would have gone then I could have really got hurt. So I had a great career."

[BBills83]

I remember meeting Al and Ernie Warlick at a Bills basketball game when I was 11 or 12. I still remember being surprised at how well they both played. Even better was how great they both were with all of us kids that were there. RIP Mr Bemiller.

[RoyBatty is alive]

I recall driving my Bemiller's restaurant &  house every day on my way to St Francis (Dabol, Luke Tasker, Tom Telesco's high school) by I  think Camp Road before  West Herr Ford. was that intersection called the Five corners?.  Never got a change to go in, was too young, it is long gone now.

Edited November 30, 2022 by RoyBatty is alive

[Mojo44]

I have such fond memories of him while watching the Bills play on our black and white TV growing up in Niagara Falls in the mid 60’s.

[par73]

Very active with the Bills Alumni Assoc. and a very nice guy. Not many left from those championship teams. RIP, Al.

[Madbillsfan]

He worked at my high school in the 90s. Cool guy. 

[Chandler#81]

😢

 

 

[darthstewie]

I was doing my student-teaching in PE at Hutch Tech when he was there in 2001.  He was a great guy. R.I.P Mr. B

Edited November 30, 2022 by darthstewie
adding content

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

 

[dwight in philly]

Good man.. good player.. grew up watching him play  center in the 60's.. later, used to see him, talk to him in his Bar in Hamburg.. super, down to earth guy, R I P Al.. 

[Rico]

RIP Al, blocked for OJ his rookie year.

[TampaBillsJunkie]

RIP. Mr. BeMiller was my high school wrestling coach at St. Francis for my 4 years there. We were ranked in the Top 10 in WNY and had won 3 titles while he was there.  He was a great coach and great guy to be around. He will be missed. My condolences to his family.

Edited November 30, 2022 by TampaBillsJunkie

[Bob in STL]

He came to a church fundraiser breakfast back in the mid 60's and he ate with us, sat at the big boy table, and then spoke to the crowd about his career and the role of sports in his life.  My Dad said he did it for free.   Quite a gentleman.  Different times.   Joe O'Donnell, another Bills offensive lineman, did it too. 

 

RIP Al.  

Edited November 30, 2022 by Bob in STL

[LabattBlue]

😞

[Sargent Hulka]

Al Bemiller interview from 2004: 

 

[machine gun kelly]

I’ll miss you Coach.  He was my wrestling coach at St. Francis from 81-83.  The team moved onto Coach Smith, but we were undefeated under Coach B, in the catholic league, and very competitive with the bed public school teams.

 

He was a good man I saw everyday for a couple of years and was good to me.  I always appreciated him.  
 

Rest in Peace Coach B.  I never forgot about you as you helped me to be a solid wrestler.  He was there long before me so any Frannies wrestlers from the late 70’s and early 80’s remembers Coach B.

Edited November 30, 2022 by machine gun kelly