The Curious Case of Frankie Albert’s Extra-Point Conversions

[timcastelli]

In researching Frankie Albert’s career in the AAFC and NFL (1946-1952), I came across 10 instances in which he threw or ran for extra-point conversions rather than attempting a kick. The videos and newspaper accounts of the attempts do not appear to show bad snaps or broken plays, but intentional plays.
It is especially curious since the 49ers’ kickers during his career, Joe Vetrano and Gordie Soltau, were very reliable. Vetrano made 92% of his extra points from 1946-1949, and Soltau was 93% on extra points in 1950–1952.
Was Albert doing this to avoid blocked kicks, because he believed running or passing was a higher percentage play, or was it his showmanship and improvisational style? Does anyone have any insights or context into why Albert took this approach on extra points when he played with such accurate kickers, given the odds of success seem similar at best, and there is no greater reward?
Examples: From YouTube (@ 3:25 in video), a clip of Soltau talking about Albert improvising on kicks. A video from a 1946 game (@ 3:40) against Cleveland, when he faked a kick and passed for the extra point. Also, a video from a 1948 game (@ 8:35) against the LA Dons, when he again faked a kick and passed for an extra point.
Thank you in advance for your help.

[RichardBak]

That is curious. PFR has Albert just 1 of 5 on XP kicks in his career, so maybe he just didn't trust his kicking foot as much as he did his legs and arm??

[JohnTurney]

In researching Frankie Albert’s career in the AAFC and NFL (1946-1952), I came across 10 instances in which he threw or ran for extra-point conversions rather than attempting a kick. The videos and newspaper accounts of the attempts do not appear to show bad snaps or broken plays, but intentional plays.
It is especially curious since the 49ers’ kickers during his career, Joe Vetrano and Gordie Soltau, were very reliable. Vetrano made 92% of his extra points from 1946-1949, and Soltau was 93% on extra points in 1950–1952.
Was Albert doing this to avoid blocked kicks, because he believed running or passing was a higher percentage play, or was it his showmanship and improvisational style? Does anyone have any insights or context into why Albert took this approach on extra points when he played with such accurate kickers, given the odds of success seem similar at best, and there is no greater reward?
Examples: From YouTube (@ 3:25 in video), a clip of Soltau talking about Albert improvising on kicks. A video from a 1946 game (@ 3:40) against Cleveland, when he faked a kick and passed for the extra point. Also, a video from a 1948 game (@ 8:35) against the LA Dons, when he again faked a kick and passed for an extra point.
Thank you in advance for your help.

Great topic, was not aware of this. Cannot offer any insight, but hope you can find some answer.

[Bob Gill]

Was Albert doing this to avoid blocked kicks, because he believed running or passing was a higher percentage play, or was it his showmanship and improvisational style? Does anyone have any insights or context into why Albert took this approach on extra points when he played with such accurate kickers, given the odds of success seem similar at best, and there is no greater reward?

Your guess about showmanship and improvisational style just about hits it on the nose. Y.A. Tittle, who shared the QB job with Albert in 1951 and '52, talked about this in his autobiography. A couple of quotes from the book:

What struck me most about Albert was his off-the-cuff approach to football. He had fun playing the game. He made it fun for us too. Frankie could always be expected to do the unexpected ....
You've got to get your work done in practice. Albert always did. But he enjoyed it. I mean, Frankie might just keep the ball on a bootleg when everyone expected him to do something else. He would fool everybody and hand the ball to a lineman or maybe a fellow who was just standing there watching the play.
.... Albert had other ways of keeping everyone guessing. One of them was throwing passes for extra points. This mind you, when all the time we have Gordy Soltau, one of the best place kickers in pro ball. That didn't faze Frankie. He would get down there to hold for Soltau on the conversion try. Then he'd straighten up and lob the ball to a defensive end or somebody and the guy would run it in for the point after touchdown.
It never made much sense. Soltau was a sure thing for the extra point. The defensive end wasn't a good risk to catch the ball. Still, this was Albert's way of having fun and making us enjoy football.

[RichardBak]

Was Albert doing this to avoid blocked kicks, because he believed running or passing was a higher percentage play, or was it his showmanship and improvisational style? Does anyone have any insights or context into why Albert took this approach on extra points when he played with such accurate kickers, given the odds of success seem similar at best, and there is no greater reward?

Your guess about showmanship and improvisational style just about hits it on the nose. Y.A. Tittle, who shared the QB job with Albert in 1951 and '52, talked about this in his autobiography. A couple of quotes from the book:

What struck me most about Albert was his off-the-cuff approach to football. He had fun playing the game. He made it fun for us too. Frankie could always be expected to do the unexpected ....
You've got to get your work done in practice. Albert always did. But he enjoyed it. I mean, Frankie might just keep the ball on a bootleg when everyone expected him to do something else. He would fool everybody and hand the ball to a lineman or maybe a fellow who was just standing there watching the play.
.... Albert had other ways of keeping everyone guessing. One of them was throwing passes for extra points. This mind you, when all the time we have Gordy Soltau, one of the best place kickers in pro ball. That didn't faze Frankie. He would get down there to hold for Soltau on the conversion try. Then he'd straighten up and lob the ball to a defensive end or somebody and the guy would run it in for the point after touchdown.
It never made much sense. Soltau was a sure thing for the extra point. The defensive end wasn't a good risk to catch the ball. Still, this was Albert's way of having fun and making us enjoy football.

Mystery solved! Frankie sounds like my kind of guy.

[Brian wolf]

Buck Shaw must have been okay with it but I feel he should let his kicker do the job with less risk for incompletion or interception. He probably did it to pump up the home crowds.

[timcastelli]

Was Albert doing this to avoid blocked kicks, because he believed running or passing was a higher percentage play, or was it his showmanship and improvisational style? Does anyone have any insights or context into why Albert took this approach on extra points when he played with such accurate kickers, given the odds of success seem similar at best, and there is no greater reward?

Your guess about showmanship and improvisational style just about hits it on the nose. Y.A. Tittle, who shared the QB job with Albert in 1951 and '52, talked about this in his autobiography. A couple of quotes from the book:

What struck me most about Albert was his off-the-cuff approach to football. He had fun playing the game. He made it fun for us too. Frankie could always be expected to do the unexpected ....
You've got to get your work done in practice. Albert always did. But he enjoyed it. I mean, Frankie might just keep the ball on a bootleg when everyone expected him to do something else. He would fool everybody and hand the ball to a lineman or maybe a fellow who was just standing there watching the play.
.... Albert had other ways of keeping everyone guessing. One of them was throwing passes for extra points. This mind you, when all the time we have Gordy Soltau, one of the best place kickers in pro ball. That didn't faze Frankie. He would get down there to hold for Soltau on the conversion try. Then he'd straighten up and lob the ball to a defensive end or somebody and the guy would run it in for the point after touchdown.
It never made much sense. Soltau was a sure thing for the extra point. The defensive end wasn't a good risk to catch the ball. Still, this was Albert's way of having fun and making us enjoy football.

That explains it perfectly. Thank you for providing that info.

[timcastelli]

That is curious. PFR has Albert just 1 of 5 on XP kicks in his career, so maybe he just didn't trust his kicking foot as much as he did his legs and arm??

Thanks for the reply. The stats from the 1940s are suspect. In 1949, it has him 0 for 1 on XP, the scoring summary for the game on 11/13/1949 does not list the XP result for the 49ers first score in the 4th quarter, but they did not gain the extra point. The XPM in 1948 was the only run that I was able to find of his on an extra point. The others were passes. The 1948 season total shows him 1 for 3 on XP, but the game summaries show 0 XPA and the 1 XPM. In 1947 it has him 0 for 2. On 09/28/1947 the XP was recorded as a failed pass and 11/21/1947 inexplicitly shows as a failed attempt, but he passed to Ed Balatti, a lineman, for the extra point.

[timcastelli]

Was Albert doing this to avoid blocked kicks, because he believed running or passing was a higher percentage play, or was it his showmanship and improvisational style? Does anyone have any insights or context into why Albert took this approach on extra points when he played with such accurate kickers, given the odds of success seem similar at best, and there is no greater reward?

Your guess about showmanship and improvisational style just about hits it on the nose. Y.A. Tittle, who shared the QB job with Albert in 1951 and '52, talked about this in his autobiography. A couple of quotes from the book:

What struck me most about Albert was his off-the-cuff approach to football. He had fun playing the game. He made it fun for us too. Frankie could always be expected to do the unexpected ....
You've got to get your work done in practice. Albert always did. But he enjoyed it. I mean, Frankie might just keep the ball on a bootleg when everyone expected him to do something else. He would fool everybody and hand the ball to a lineman or maybe a fellow who was just standing there watching the play.
.... Albert had other ways of keeping everyone guessing. One of them was throwing passes for extra points. This mind you, when all the time we have Gordy Soltau, one of the best place kickers in pro ball. That didn't faze Frankie. He would get down there to hold for Soltau on the conversion try. Then he'd straighten up and lob the ball to a defensive end or somebody and the guy would run it in for the point after touchdown.
It never made much sense. Soltau was a sure thing for the extra point. The defensive end wasn't a good risk to catch the ball. Still, this was Albert's way of having fun and making us enjoy football.

That explains it perfectly. Thank you for providing that info.

Also, was that from his 1964 autobiography, "I Pass!" or the updated 2009 "Nothing Comes Easy"? Thanks again.

[Bob Gill]

Also, was that from his 1964 autobiography, "I Pass!" or the updated 2009 "Nothing Comes Easy"? Thanks again.

"I Pass." I probably wouldn't have remembered that bit about Albert if I hadn't reread it just this summer. It doesn't seem possible, but I guess the previous time must have been 61 years ago.