May 11, 2007

Charley Ane, who was one of USC's first outstanding football players from Hawaii, died on Wednesday (May 9) in Honolulu of pneumonia following a long illness. He was 76.

A funeral service is set for May 28 at the Punahou School chapel.

Ane, who was represented by several of his children when he was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame at ceremonies last Saturday (May 5), lettered for the Trojans in 1951 and 1952 as a two-way tackle and blocking back. He also pitched for the 1951 USC baseball team.

He came to USC out of Honolulu's Punahou High via Compton College, where he was a junior college All-American tackle.

After helping the Trojans to a 10-1 record in the 1952 football season, including a victory over Wisconsin in the 1953 Rose Bowl, he was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions. During his seven-year (1953-59) NFL career, he was an All-Pro center/tackle and a member of the Lions' 1953 and 1957 NFL champs. He was their team captain in 1958 and 1959.

After his playing days, he went back to Hawaii to coach high school football, at Damien, Punahou, Radford, Kaimuki and St. Anthony.

His son, Kale, also played in college and the NFL, making them the first Hawaii father-son duo to do so. Kale played for his father at Punahou, then Charley served as his son's assistant when Kale became Punahou's head coach.

Besides the USC Athletic Hall of Fame, Ane is a member of the Punahou, Detroit Lions, Samoan and Hawaii Sports Halls of Fame.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, plus sons Kale and Neal, daughter Malia, seven grandchildren and brothers David and Danny.