Mike Kabealo
 | |
| No. 16 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Halfback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | October 1, 1915 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died: | September 24, 1993 (aged 77) Kettering, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Chaney (Youngstown, Ohio) |
| College: | Ohio State (1935—1938) |
| NFL draft: | 1939: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Michael T. Kabealo (October 1, 1915 – September 24, 1993) was an American professional football halfback who played one season with the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State.
Early life and college
[edit]Michael T. Kabealo was October 1, 1915, in Youngstown, Ohio.[1] He attended Chaney High School in Youngstown.[1]
Kabealo played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes of Ohio State University. He was on the freshman team in 1935 and was a three-year letterman from 1936 to 1938.[1] He was co-captain of the 1938 Buckeyes.[2]
Professional career
[edit]Kabealo went undrafted in the 1939 NFL draft. After over five years away from football, he signed with the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League on July 30, 1944.[3][2] He played in all ten games, starting seven, for the Rams during the 1944 season, totaling 47 carries for 152 yards and one touchdown, two receptions for 20 yards, two interceptions for nine yards, four kick returns for 126 yards, seven punt returns for 64 yards, and one of one pass attempts for 54 yards and a touchdown.[4] The Rams finished the year with a 4–6 record.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Kabealo was blind in his left eye due to an injury he suffered when he was seven or eight years old.[6] He was playing cowboys and Indians with his brother Johnny when Johnny accidentally shot him in the eye with an arrow.[6] Kabealo died on September 24, 1993, in Kettering, Ohio.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Mike Kabealo". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ a b "Kabealo and Zontini Sign With Rams". The Plain Dealer. July 30, 1944. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ "Mike Kabealo Transactions". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ a b "Mike Kabealo". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ "1944 Cleveland Rams Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ a b "Rams' One-Eyed Duo, Kabealo and Gutknecht, Form Football's Most Amazing Pass Combination". The Cleveland Press. November 9, 1944. Retrieved April 12, 2025.