Bob Sandberg

Bob Sandberg
Born:(1922-01-10)January 10, 1922
Rice Lake, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died:May 8, 2015(2015-05-08) (aged 93)
St. Cloud, Minnesota, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)HB, QB
CollegeMinnesota
Career history
As player
1947–1949Winnipeg Blue Bombers
1951Saskatchewan Roughriders
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star1947
AwardsJeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (1947)

Robert Young Sandberg (January 10, 1922 – May 8, 2015) was an American gridiron football player, who later had a career as an architect.

A graduate of University of Minnesota, Sandberg joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1947.[1] His rookie season was spectacular, as he led the league in scoring, was an all-star, and won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as western MVP.[2][3] His season was capped with a dramatic and heartbreaking Grey Cup defeat. Having played a phenomenal game in the 35th Grey Cup, scoring the Bombers only touchdown, he tried a fake kick in the last minute with the score tied and it didn't work; the Toronto Argonauts won a classic nail-biter 10–9.[4][5]

His 1948 season was a disappointment, falling to sixth in league scoring,[6] and 1949 was plagued by injuries, leading him to retire.[7] He attempted a comeback with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1951, but rushed for only 138 yards and scored only 1 touchdown and missed the Grey Cup game due to the Canadian Rugby Union import rule.[8][9]

After his career in football, Sandberg practiced as an architect in Hibbing, Minnesota, heading his own firm Robert Y. Sandberg & Assocs. Inc; he was a member of the American Institute of Architects.[10] He retired in 1990 and died on May 8, 2015.[11]

  1. ^ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Alumni all-time roster Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Bob Sandberg Leads West Gridiron Scoring The Calgary Herald, September 22, 1948
  3. ^ Sandberg Top Scorer in West Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1947
  4. ^ 1947 – Toronto Argonauts 10, Winnipeg Blue Bombers 9 Archived August 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Time Confused Bob The Leader-Post, December 1, 1947
  6. ^ Blue Bombers' Bob Sandberg Points to Big Grid Campaign Ottawa Citizen, August 15, 1949
  7. ^ Ready to Quit Ottawa Citizen, October 15, 1949
  8. ^ Sandberg Ruled as Non-Import Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, August 31, 1951
  9. ^ Fumbles Also Counted by Bob Mamini The Calgary Herald, November 27, 1951
  10. ^ "The AIA Historical Directory of American Architects - 1970 American Architects Directory". public.aia.org. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014.
  11. ^ "Robert Sandberg Obituary (2015) - St. Cloud, MN - St. Cloud Times". Legacy.com.