Bill Rieth

William John Rieth, Jr. was an American professional football guard who played four seasons with the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League. He played college football at Western Maryland College and Carnegie Mellon University.

Early life and college

William John Rieth, Jr. was born on June 20, 1916, in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Lorain High School in Lorain, Ohio.
He first played college football for the Western Maryland [Green Terror football|Western Maryland Green Terror] of Western Maryland College, where he earned All-Maryland honors. He transferred to play for the Carnegie Tech Tartans of the Carnegie Institute of Technology and lettered in 1938. The 1938 [Carnegie Tech Tartans football team|1938 Tartans] were awarded the Lambert Trophy, distinguishing them as the best college football team in the East. They were invited to their first and only bowl game in school history, the Sugar Bowl, where they lost to national champion 1938 [TCU Horned Frogs football team|TCU],

Professional career

Rieth signed with the Cleveland Rams of the National Football League in 1941. He played in six games, starting one, for the Rams during the 1941 season. He appeared in ten games, starting four, in 1942. Rieth became a free agent after the 1942 season and later re-signed with the Rams in 1944. He played in nine games, starting three, in 1944 and recorded one interception. He appeared in one game for the Rams in 1945 and was released later that year.

Later life

Rieth was inducted into the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame in 1970. His Lorain Sports Hall of Fame bio credits him with helping "revitalize Lorain St. Mary High football in late 1940’s". He died on October 15, 1999, in Lorain, Ohio.