Even
if he hadn’t founded the World Snow Shovel Riding Championships in
1964, Len Szafaryn would have made the Beaver County
Sports Hall of fame for his prowess as a pro football player. Len
conceived the idea for the snow shovel riding contest
while he was Beaver County Recreational Director and was seeking a
winter attraction at Economy Park, and he continued to develop the event
as director of the Beaver County Tourist Promotion Agency. After an outstanding
college football career at the University of North Carolina
(1945-1948), Len was named to the Grandland Rice All American
team as a tackle in 1948 and played in the Sugar Bowl twice (1947,
1949). Len was drafted by the Washington Redskins as a 198 pound
tackle in 1949 and played his rookie season with them before being
traded to the Green Bay Packers. He played both tackle and guard on
offense with the Packers in 1950. After two years of Army football
in Japan, Len returned to the Packers and was a star offensive
blocking tackle for four seasons. He was traded to the Philadelphia
Eagles in 1957 and played two years for them before retiring in
1959.
Even
if he hadn’t founded the World Snow Shovel Riding Championships in
1964, Len Szafaryn would have made the Beaver County
Sports Hall of fame for his prowess as a pro football player. Len
conceived the idea for the snow shovel riding contest
while he was Beaver County Recreational Director and was seeking a
winter attraction at Economy Park, and he continued to develop the event
as director of the Beaver County Tourist Promotion Agency. After an outstanding
college football career at the University of North Carolina
(1945-1948), Len was named to the Grandland Rice All American
team as a tackle in 1948 and played in the Sugar Bowl twice (1947,
1949). Len was drafted by the Washington Redskins as a 198 pound
tackle in 1949 and played his rookie season with them before being
traded to the Green Bay Packers. He played both tackle and guard on
offense with the Packers in 1950. After two years of Army football
in Japan, Len returned to the Packers and was a star offensive
blocking tackle for four seasons. He was traded to the Philadelphia
Eagles in 1957 and played two years for them before retiring in
1959.