American football player (1921–1985)
American football player
Bruno Banducci (November 11, 1921 – September 15, 1985) was an Italian -born, American football lineman in the National Football League (NFL) from 1944 to 1945 for the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and the NFL from 1946 to 1954. He was twice named a first team All-Pro — once in each league.
Banducci was the last member of the founding 1946 49ers team to leave the organization.
Biography
Bruno Banducci was born November 11, 1921, in the village of Tassignano , part of the municipality of Capannori , Italy, located in northern Tuscany .
Banducci played college football at Stanford University , where he was a member of the so-called "Dream Team" that won the 1940 Rose Bowl Game .[ 1] tackle at the collegiate level but was converted to a guard upon turning pro.[ 1]
He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1943 NFL draft .[ 2]
He earned a Pro Bowl nomination in 1954 and named an Associated Press first-team All Pro in 1947 and 1954. Banducci is also a member of the Delta Chi Fraternity.
Banducci retired in 1954 as the final member of the original 49ers team still on the roster, his 1946 teammates Frankie Albert and Johnny Strzykalski having retired at the end of the 1952 campaign.[ 1]
After retiring from professional football, he taught high school math at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, California , US, and Sonoma Valley High School in Sonoma, California , US.
The Professional Football Researchers Association named Banducci to the PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2009.[ 3]
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