Colorado State University Athletics
In memoriam: Alex Burl Jr., 1931-2009
12/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field
Dec. 9, 2009
DENVER, Colo. – The Colorado State athletic department was saddened recently to hear of the passing of Alex Burl Jr., a CSU Hall of Famer. He was 78.
Burl, who passed away in Denver last week after suffering a heart attack, will be laid to rest Thursday. Services begin at 11 a.m. at Denver’s New Hope Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd., followed by burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
An athlete good enough to continue his football career at the NFL level, and a U.S. Army veteran, he ultimately made his mark in the sport of track. During the early 1950s, Burl was one of the nation’s top sprinters in the 100- and 220-yard dash, he was a three-time All-American and also earned several AAU and U.S. Military honors for his track efforts. He finished third in the 100 and fourth in the 220 at the 1954 NCAA championships. Later that year, he became the first African-American in CSU history to win the Nye Trophy, presented annually to the institution’s most outstanding male athlete.
Earlier, at age 19, he qualified for the 1952 U.S. Olympic Trials, and reached the finals in the 100, barely missing a spot on Team USA.
Selected by the Chicago Cardinals in the 1954 NFL Draft, the halfback spent several seasons on the team’s roster before returning home to coach in his hometown, Denver. But by signing a contract with the Cardinals, he was declared a professional and ruled ineligible to compete for a spot on the 1956 Olympic Team, something he believed he would have achieved.
Burl grew up in Denver, and chose CSU because of the success enjoyed by two African-American athletes, Eddie Hanna and George Scott, who were key in leading CSU to its first-ever bowl game, the 1949 Raisin Bowl. Scott became Burl’s mentor.
He was inducted into the CSU Hall of Fame on Oct. 6, 2000, having joined the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame one year earlier. Following his time in the NFL, he enjoyed a long career as one of the region’s premier coaches in the Denver Public Schools system, where he guided both Manual and West high schools. In addition to football, he also coached cross country and track and field, and served as an educator.
His grandson, Davis, started several games for the Rams at outside linebacker in 2009.
