1. Albert George Akins was an American professional football halfback and defensive back who played three seasons for the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills and Brooklyn Dodgers in the All-America Football Conference.
17 Facts About Al Akins
1. 2.
Al Akins was a native of Spokane, Washington and attended Washington State University and later the University of Washington, where he played football and basketball.
3.
Al Akins was a key member of a University of Washington team that lost the Rose Bowl Game in 1943 to the University of Southern California.
4.
Al Akins played for the Browns in 1946, and subsequently joined Buffalo and Brooklyn.
5.
Al Akins won an AAFC championship with the Browns, although he did not play in the championship game due to an injury.
6.
Al Akins went on to become head coach of Southern Oregon University for 15 years starting in 1955.
7.
Al Akins lettered in basketball at Washington State College in 1940 and 1941, but did not play football.
8.
Al Akins played football there, starring as a halfback for the Washington Huskies.
9.
Al Akins fumbled the ball in the third quarter, setting up one of the Trojans' touchdowns.
10.
Al Akins played basketball at the University of Washington in 1944, when he was a first-team All-PCC selection.
11.
Al Akins instead opted to play in 1946 with the new Cleveland franchise that was part of the rival All-America Football Conference, the Browns.
12.
Al Akins scored his only touchdown of the season on a 50-yard run in a game against the Buffalo Bisons.
13.
Al Akins did not play in the title game because of an injury having suffered a separated shoulder in a game against the Miami Seahawks.
14.
Al Akins played a full season in 1947 for the AAFC's Brooklyn Dodgers, seeing action in 13 games with 3 starts and scoring one touchdown.
15.
Al Akins started the 1948 season with the Dodgers but was shipped to the Buffalo Bills after having played just three games.
16.
Al Akins resigned in 1954 to seek a head coaching job, and got the top spot the following year at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon.
17.
Al Akins stayed in that job for 15 seasons until 1969.