Michael John "Lefty" Sebastian (June 7, 1910 – June 28, 1989) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
halfback in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
for the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
,
Boston Redskins
The Washington Commanders, an American football team belonging to the National Football League (NFL), have also played as the Boston Braves, Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins, and Washington Football Team. Founded in 1932, the team has won fi ...
,
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
,
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, (later renamed the Steelers) and the
Cleveland Rams
The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team that played in Cleveland from 1936 to 1945. The Rams competed in the second American Football League (AFL) for the 1936 season and the National Football League (NFL) from 1937 to 194 ...
. Nicknamed the Rose of Sharon, he also played for the Rams while they were still members of the
second American Football League as well as the AFL's
Rochester Tigers
The Rochester Tigers were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Owned by Mike Palm (who doubled as coach) and Harry Newman, the Tigers were originally awarded to Rochester ...
. Prior to his professional career, Sebastian played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the universit ...
. At Pitt, he played under coach
Jock Sutherland
John Bain Sutherland (March 21, 1889 – April 11, 1948) was an American football player and coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College (1919–1923) and the University of Pittsburgh (1924–1938) and professional football for the ...
, who had declared Sebastian the best passer whom he had seen in "many days."
Early life
Sebastian was born in
Luxor, Pennsylvania
Luxor is an unincorporated community and coal town in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States.
History
The town was established by the Jamison Coal and Coke Company to provide housing for employees of its nearby c ...
, a coal mining "patch town", located near
Greensburg. He attended Sharon High School in
Sharon, Pennsylvania
Sharon is a city in western Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city, located along the banks of the Shenango River on the state border with Ohio, is about northeast of Youngstown, about southeast of Cleveland and about northwest ...
where he played
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and
track
Track or Tracks may refer to:
Routes or imprints
* Ancient trackway, any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity
* Animal track, imprints left on surfaces that an animal walks across
* Desire path, a line worn by people taking the shorte ...
, earning All-State honors in both sports. In 1928 Sebastian earned national attention when he scored ten
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. In Ameri ...
s contributing to 63 points in just one game.
College career
Sebastian earned a scholarship to the
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the universit ...
, where he again starred in both football and track. He played football as a
fullback and held the
1931 Pittsburgh Panthers football team to a shared
national championship
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...
].
On November 5, 1932, Sebastian faked a pass, cut for the west sidelines, reversed his field, for a 45-yard touchdown run against a heavily favored
1932 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, Notre Dame. Pitt won the game 12–0 for the first victory in the
rivalry
A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant ...
. That same year Sebastian caught a ball for 52 yards in a 0–0 tie against
Ohio State
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
. Sportswriter John Dietrich of ''
The Plain Dealer
''The Plain Dealer'' is the major newspaper of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. In fall 2019, it ranked 23rd in U.S. newspaper circulation, a significant drop since March 2013, when its circulation ranked 17th daily and 15th on Sunday.
As of Ma ...
'' later called the game "one of the thrillers of a lifetime."
Sebastian contributed to a hard-fought 19–12 Pitt victory over
Penn by catching a 27-yard touchdown pass late in the game.
On October 28, 1933, Sebastian's 75-yard touchdown run highlighted a 14–0 win over
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
. In 1930, and again in 1933, he played in the
Rose Bowl, which resulted in a 47–14 and 35–0 losses to the
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the College athletics in the United States, intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Southern California (USC), located in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the ' ...
.
In 1934 Sebastian played, and was the starting running back, in the first
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League (NFL) champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year. It was also known as the C ...
. The game which became a tradition from 1934 until 1974 was played between the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year. That very first game, was played on August 31, 1934 before a crowd of 79,432 at
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
's
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since 1 ...
. The game resulted in a scoreless tie between the all-stars and the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
. That year Sebastian also played in the second
East–West Shrine Game in Chicago.
Professional career
After college, Sebastian went on to a pro football career. He began his career with Cincinnati Reds in
1934
Events
January–February
* January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established.
* January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
, where he is uncredit by most sources for playing with the team. However, he was signed by the team just prior to a game against the
Chicago Cardinals
The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons.
Roots ca ...
.
He split the
1935 season between three teams: the
Boston Redskins
The Washington Commanders, an American football team belonging to the National Football League (NFL), have also played as the Boston Braves, Boston Redskins, Washington Redskins, and Washington Football Team. Founded in 1932, the team has won fi ...
,
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
and the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
. It is not known the order of the teams he played for in 1935. Some records show that he made his start with the Pirates, but there is also a signed original copy of his contract with the
Chicago Cardinals
The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons.
Roots ca ...
, which offered Sebastian $120 per game (see below); however, there are no existing statistics to prove that he played for Chicago.
In 1936 Sebastian played for the Passaic Red Devils of the
minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
. The following year Sebastian returned to the NFL with the Cleveland Rams. The Rams were a charter member of the
second American Football League in 1936. Although the NFL granted membership in 1937 to the same owner, the NFL considers it a separate entity since only four of the players (
William "Bud" Cooper,
Harry "The Horse" Mattos,
Stan Pincura, and Sebastian) and none of the team's management made the transfer to the Rams' NFL team. In 1937, Sebastian and
Harry Newman
Harry Lawrence Newman (September 5, 1909 – May 2, 2000) was an All-Pro American football quarterback. He played for the University of Michigan Wolverines (1930–32), for whom in 1932 he was a unanimous first-team All-American, and the reci ...
were mainstays on the AFL's Rochester Tigers. In 1938, he served a
player-coach
A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...
for the
St. Louis Gunners of the
American Football League
The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...
.
Sebastian's career ended due to knee and hip problems which not only ended his career, but would eventually end his life.
Rushing stats
Receiving stats
Passing stats
Coaching career
Sebastian retired from playing in 1938 and went back to school to earn a master's degree. He was appointed assistant coach at
Rochester Area High School in 1946, with his team going 9–1 that first season. When head coach Earl Ewing resigned, Sebastian was made head coach for the 1947 campaign and made an instant splash with an 8–0–1 team that featured
Babe Parilli. He stayed with the Rams three more years, compiling an overall record of 23–12–4.
In 1951,
Ambridge High School hired Sebastian as their coach. His first-team went 7–1–2 and in 1954 the Bridgers finished with an 8–0–1 record that started a four-year 31–5–2 run. His 1956 team was 9–0 and outscored their opponents 367 to 51. Sebastian continued to coach Ambridge through the 1961 season to an overall record of 64–38–4. Afterwards he moved on to
New Castle, where he taught classes and coached football before retiring in 1974.
Later life and honors
Sebastian retired to
Hemet, California
Hemet is a city in the San Jacinto Valley in Riverside County, California. It covers a total area of , about half of the valley, which it shares with the neighboring city of San Jacinto. The population was 89,833 at the 2020 census.
The foundin ...
, where he remained active playing
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
and other activities. However, his inability to stay active due to pain in his hip made him decide to get
hip replacement surgery
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant, that is, a hip prosthesis. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi (half) replacement. Such joint replacement o ...
. He died on June 28, 1989, as a result of
hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pa ...
contracted during the procedure. He was 79 years old.
In 2002 Sebastian was inducted into the
Mercer County Sports Hall of Fame. Then in 2007 Sebastian was inducted into
Beaver County's Sports Hall of Fame.
Personal
Sebastian married Genevieve Micko on March 3, 1934. He is interred in Sharon along with his wife, who passed in January 2005. She was 89 years old.
File:Sebastian2007.jpg, c.1933 Sebastian playing at Pitt
File:Harry Mattos, Mike Sebastian, Bud Cooper, and Stan Pincura (ca. 1937).jpg, 1936 Harry Mattos, Sebastian, Bud Cooper and Stan Pincura: The only AFL Cleveland Rams players that moved with the franchise to the NFL
File:MSI Coach.jpg, c.1938 Sebastian as a minor league football player-coach
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sebastian, Mike
1910 births
1989 deaths
American football fullbacks
American football halfbacks
Boston Redskins players
Cincinnati Reds (NFL) players
Cleveland Rams players
Cleveland Rams (AFL) players
Philadelphia Eagles players
Pittsburgh Panthers football players
Pittsburgh Pirates (football) players
Rochester Tigers players
St. Louis Gunners coaches
St. Louis Gunners players
High school football coaches in Pennsylvania
People from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Players of American football from Pennsylvania