Burl Toler

Burl Toler, Sr. (born May 9, 1928 in Memphis, Tennessee) is a former American football official in the National Football League (NFL) for 24 seasons from 1965 to 1989. He served as a field judge and head linesman throughout his career and is most notable for being the first African-American official in the NFL [cite web | first= | last= | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/general/african-americans.jsp | title=African-Americans in Pro Football | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | date= | accessdate=2006-08-31] . Toler officiated in one Super Bowl, Super Bowl XIV in 1980 and wore the uniform number 37.

Toler attended the University of San Francisco and played football for the school as a linebacker. He was a member of the 1951 undefeated Dons football team of which three of his teammates would later be enshired into the Pro Football Hall of Fame after successful careers in the NFL;Gino Marchetti, Ollie Matson, and Bob St. Clair [cite web | first=Bruce | last=Adams | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=11&entry_id=8128 | title=Cal player's famous family visits camp | publisher="San Francisco Chronicle" | date=2006-08-19 | accessdate=2006-08-31] .

Toler was the #1 draft pick for the Cleavland Browns, but seriously injured his knee during a college all-star game that ended his football playing career, so he decided to become an official instead. After retiring as an NFL official in 1990, he served as a game observer for the league, which involved grading officials, for eight years.

On April 21, 2008 Toler Sr. was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF).

His grandson, Burl Toler III, is an American football wide receiver. He was signed by the San Jose Sabercats of the Arena Football League on October 17th [cite web | first= | last=| url=http://www.sanjosesabercats.com/news_details.php?sport=&newsid=804 | title=Local Product Toler And Saintil Agree To Terms | publisher=San Jose Sabercats | date= | accessdate=2006-10-28] .

Memorable games

Toler was the head linesman for the 1982 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The game was played under the coldest wind chill temperature in NFL history. Air temperature was -9°F (-23°C), but the wind chill was -59°F (-51°C). The game would later become known in NFL lore as the "Freezer Bowl". Toler also was the first black man to be an official in Super Bowl History.

Educational career

Toler worked for 17 years at Benjamin Franklin Middle School***in San Francisco as a teacher and as the district's first African American secondary school principal [ [http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography.asp?bioindex=1348&category=SportsMakers&occupation=Former%20NFL%20Official&name=Burl%20Toler%2C%20Sr. Burl Toler, Sr. Biography] The HistoryMakers. Accessed 13 July 2007.] . The former Ben Franklin Middle School campus, now the home of two charter schools, was renamed in his honor on 22 October 2006.

*** (In the earlier years, it was known as Benjamin Franklin "Jr. High" School)

Personal lifeBurl was married in 1952 and had 6 kids with his wife Melvia. He has 8 grandchildren and two brothers and one sister.

Notes and references