I never realized Herman Wedemeyer played football

[Saxum]

I used to go to Hawaii in 90's a lot, every other year and sometimes every year. 

We used to go to see a lot of shows and some shows we saw multiple times including "Al Harrington, The South Pacific Man".

 

On one show he was talking to audience and he pointed to us and said "I've seen you before" and I replied "Yes. This is our third time seeing your show and every trip we come here we see your show. We will not miss it."  He said "You are a ....", a term I do not remember now for repeat visitor "and a VIP so you get to sit with my friend Herman Wedemeyer and we moved tables (our drinks were picked up and we were given fresh drinks). I recognized him from "Hawaii Five-O" which Al Harrington also was on.   We shook hands. He was a nice guy and you could tell he was a VIP by the way staff acted.

 

Today I was watching Hawaii Five-O and he was a major part of an episode so I looked him up on Wiki and noticed this.

Quote

Herman Wedermeyer was the most famous football player in all of Hawaii - in the 4th quarter of a game in the stadium in Honolulu. On the kickoff, he was in the end zone and caught the ball. He bent over and put the football on top of his shoe and the opposing team thought he had downed the ball, but the referee saw he didn't. Thus, Wedermeyer put the ball under his arm and jogged 100 yards into the opposing end zone without anyone touching him. The referee declared a touchdown which won the game.

He played in America Football Conference (AAFC).  Wedemeyer played one year with the Dons and later played for the Baltimore Colts, but an injury cut short his career.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dpm2qSLHo8

https://imagesofoldhawaii.com/squirmin-herman/

 

If things had gone right he would have been a star in NFL when the leagues merged.