CASTRO VALLEY, Calif. (AP) Burl Toler, the first African-American official in NFL history who went on to work one Super Bowl in a distinguished career, has died. He was 81.
The University of San Francisco says Toler died Sunday at a hospital in Castro Valley. Toler was a star player on the Dons famous "Undefeated, Untied, Uninvited" 1951 football team that was denied a bowl bid despite a 9-0 record because it refused to leave its two black players — Toler and Ollie Matson — behind.
After suffering a career-ending knee injury in a 1952 college All-Star game, Toler turned to officiating and was hired by the NFL in 1965. He became the first black official in major American team sports.
He spent 25 years as a field judge and head linesman in the NFL. He was head linesman for Pittsburgh's 31-19 Super Bowl win over the Los Angeles Rams in 1980.
"Burl Toler was a pioneer as the first African-American game official in pro sports," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. "He was a great athlete who then became a great official. The NFL will always be proud of his contributions to football and his unique place in NFL history."
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