Walter Achiu
Encyclopedia
Walter Tin Kit Achiu (Simplified Chinese: 徐天杰) (born August 3, 1902 in Honolulu, Hawaii
and died March 21, 1989) was an American football player. He was a graduate of Saint Louis College (now Saint Louis School
) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Walter was most notably known as the first Asian to play in the National Football League
. He was one of the first minorities to play in any major American professional sports league, preceding Jackie Robinson's
entry to Major League Baseball
by twenty years. He was elected into the University of Dayton
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974.
from 1922-1927.
of the NFL in 1927 and 1928. He was primarily used as a running back
and defensive back
. He later became a well-known professional wrestler.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
and died March 21, 1989) was an American football player. He was a graduate of Saint Louis College (now Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School
Saint Louis School, located in the town of Kaimuki in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a historic Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys founded in 1846 to serve the needs of early Hawaiian Catholics in the former Kingdom of Hawaii...
) in Honolulu, Hawaii. Walter was most notably known as the first Asian to play in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was one of the first minorities to play in any major American professional sports league, preceding Jackie Robinson's
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
entry to Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
by twenty years. He was elected into the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974.
College career
Achiu was a standout three sport athlete (football, baseball, and track) at the University of DaytonUniversity of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
from 1922-1927.
Professional career
Achiu played for the now defunct Dayton TrianglesDayton Triangles
The Dayton Triangles were an original franchise of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The Triangles were based in Dayton, Ohio, and took their nickname from their home field, Triangle Park, which was located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers in north...
of the NFL in 1927 and 1928. He was primarily used as a 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...
and defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
. He later became a well-known professional wrestler.
External links
- University of Dayton Athletic Hall of Fame Members
- DatabaseFootball.com: Walt Achiu
- Wikipedia List of Retired American Football Players
- NFL News: Pearls of Wisdom
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin:Sports Watch