Al Conway
Encyclopedia
Al Conway was an American Professional Football on-field official for 28 seasons. He was in the American Football League
in its last year, 1969, and in the NFL fom 1970 to 1996. Over the course of his career in Professional Football
, Conway officiated 31 playoff games, including four Super Bowl
s—Super Bowl IX
in 1975, Super Bowl XIV
in 1980, Super Bowl XVI
in 1982, and Super Bowl XXII
in 1988. On the field, he wore uniform number 27.
As a student at North Kansas City High School
, Conway excelled in football
, track and field, basketball
, and baseball
. Upon graduating, Conway was considered by many to be the best running back
in football in the Kansas City metropolitan area
and perhaps in the entire state as a senior and one of the best athletes of all time to hail from Missouri
. After high school, Conway was recruited to play for coach
Colonel
Red Blaik at the United States Military Academy
to play football and participated in track and field as well, but finished his final year of college at William Jewell College
in Liberty, Missouri
.
After finishing college, Conway was a number one selection by the Philadelphia Eagles
in the 1953 NFL Draft
, but had his career ended early due to a string of injuries. Staying close to the sport he enjoyed the most, Conway took up officiating and joined the American Football League
in 1969 as an umpire. Later, where he worked several seasons in the NFL on the crew of highly regarded referee Pat Haggerty
. After retiring as an official following the 1996 NFL season
, Conway became involved in training newly hired umpires and also serves as an observer for the NFL.
He and his wife, Bev, reside in Branson, Missouri
and have five children, Mike, Susie, Jim, Patty, and David.
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
in its last year, 1969, and in the NFL fom 1970 to 1996. Over the course of his career in Professional Football
Professional football
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country...
, Conway officiated 31 playoff games, including four Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s—Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX
Super Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
in 1975, Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV
Super Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
in 1980, Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI
Super Bowl XVI was an American football game played on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to decide the National Football League champion following the 1981 regular season. It marked the first time that a Super Bowl was held at a cold-weather city...
in 1982, and Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
in 1988. On the field, he wore uniform number 27.
As a student at North Kansas City High School
North Kansas City High School
North Kansas City High School, also known as "NKCHS," "NKC," and "Northtown," is a high school in North Kansas City, Missouri with 1700+ students, ranging from freshmen to seniors. The first graduating class found of record was in 1917 with three known graduates...
, Conway excelled in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, track and field, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. Upon graduating, Conway was considered by many to be the best running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
in football in the Kansas City metropolitan area
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
and perhaps in the entire state as a senior and one of the best athletes of all time to hail from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. After high school, Conway was recruited to play for coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Red Blaik at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
to play football and participated in track and field as well, but finished his final year of college at William Jewell College
William Jewell College
William Jewell College is a private, four-year liberal arts college of 1,100 undergraduate students located in Liberty, Missouri, U.S. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and other civic leaders, including Robert S. James, a Baptist minister and father of the...
in Liberty, Missouri
Liberty, Missouri
Liberty is a city in Clay County, Missouri and is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri. At the 2007 population estimate, the city population was 29,993...
.
After finishing college, Conway was a number one selection by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 1953 NFL Draft
1953 NFL Draft
The 1953 National Football League Draft was held on January 22, 1953.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
, but had his career ended early due to a string of injuries. Staying close to the sport he enjoyed the most, Conway took up officiating and joined the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
in 1969 as an umpire. Later, where he worked several seasons in the NFL on the crew of highly regarded referee Pat Haggerty
Pat Haggerty (American football official)
Patrick "Pat" Haggerty was an American football official in the National Football League from 1965 to 1992. In his 28 seasons in the NFL, he was selected as the referee in three Super Bowls, XIII in 1979, XVI in 1982, and XIX in 1985...
. After retiring as an official following the 1996 NFL season
1996 NFL season
The 1996 NFL season was the 77th regular season of the National Football League and the season was marked by notable controversies from beginning to end...
, Conway became involved in training newly hired umpires and also serves as an observer for the NFL.
He and his wife, Bev, reside in Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
and have five children, Mike, Susie, Jim, Patty, and David.
See also
- American Football LeagueAmerican Football LeagueThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
- American Football League Officials
- List of American Football League players, coaches and contributors
External links
- Al Conway - Missouri Sports Hall of Fame ZoomInfoZoomInfoZoomInfo is a vertical search engine focused on people, companies, and the relationships among them.-Overview:Zoom Information Inc. was founded by Jonathan Stern in 2000 as Eliyon Technologies. The company’s investors include Venrock Associates and Vulcan Capital.The site powers people searches for...
(Last Accessed January 14, 2007)