Born: | Rice Lake, Wisconsin, U.S. | January 10, 1922
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Died: | May 8, 2015 St. Cloud, Minnesota, U.S. | (aged 93)
Career information | |
Position(s) | HB, QB |
College | Minnesota |
Career history | |
As player | |
1947–1949 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
1951 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
Career highlights and awards | |
CFL All-Star | 1947 |
Awards | Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (1947) |
Robert Young Sandberg (January 10, 1922 – May 8, 2015) was an American gridiron football player, who later had a career as an architect.
A graduate of University of Minnesota, Sandberg joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1947.[1] His rookie season was spectacular, as he led the league in scoring, was an all-star, and won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as western MVP.[2][3] His season was capped with a dramatic and heartbreaking Grey Cup defeat. Having played a phenomenal game in the 35th Grey Cup, scoring the Bombers only touchdown, he tried a fake kick in the last minute with the score tied and it didn't work; the Toronto Argonauts won a classic nail-biter 10–9.[4][5]
His 1948 season was a disappointment, falling to sixth in league scoring,[6] and 1949 was plagued by injuries, leading him to retire.[7] He attempted a comeback with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1951, but rushed for only 138 yards and scored only 1 touchdown and missed the Grey Cup game due to the Canadian Rugby Union import rule.[8][9]
After his career in football, Sandberg practiced as an architect in Hibbing, Minnesota, heading his own firm Robert Y. Sandberg & Assocs. Inc; he was a member of the American Institute of Architects.[10] He retired in 1990 and died on May 8, 2015.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni all-time roster Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Bob Sandberg Leads West Gridiron Scoring The Calgary Herald, September 22, 1948
- ^ Sandberg Top Scorer in West Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1947
- ^ 1947 – Toronto Argonauts 10, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 9 Archived August 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Time Confused Bob The Leader-Post, December 1, 1947
- ^ Blue Bombers' Bob Sandberg Points to Big Grid Campaign Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 1949
- ^ Ready to Quit Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1949
- ^ Sandberg Ruled as Non-Import Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, August 31, 1951
- ^ Fumbles Also Counted by Bob Mamini The Calgary Herald, November 27, 1951
- ^ "The AIA Historical Directory of American Architects - 1970 American Architects Directory". public.aia.org. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Robert Sandberg Obituary (2015) - St. Cloud, MN - St. Cloud Times". Legacy.com.