- Date Of Birth: October 9, 1936
- Date Of Death: February 25, 2021
- Occupation: Football player
- City: San Diego
- State: California
Arthur Anthony Anderson (October 9, 1936 – February 25, 2021) was a former professional American football offensive tackle in the National Football League. He is one of the few tackles to prevent Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Deacon Jones from accomplishing any sacks in a game (1961 season). His teammates on the Chicago Bears under George Halas included Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees Stan Jones (his close friend), Doug Atkins, and 1961 rookie Mike Ditka.
Following his tour in the Marine Corps and into the early 1990s, Anderson was featured in two San Diego Hall of Champions Museum exhibits: for a dead-lifting weight record (>500 lb); and as a member of the 1959 undefeated champion Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego USMC Devildogs football team. Anderson married Sharon Hicks in 1961, a San Diego State University majorette, and their son was born in 1963. After Anderson retired from the NFL, he returned to San Diego where he and his wife had three more children.
Anderson became a teacher in San Diego and was chosen to be swim coach at Clairemont High School in 1965. He received his master’s degree in Physical Education from Azusa Pacific University. Anderson directed the Clairemont High School track team to 2 Western League titles, and his 1970-71 cross country team won the CIF-SDS championship. He served 8 years as football coach at Clairemont, leading the Chieftains to CIF-SDS playoffs 3 times and the 1975 Western League title. Anderson went on to lead the track and cross country teams at Hoover and Crawford high schools to multiple league titles, lead a long-dormant San Diego High School football team to a winning season. He was honored 9 times as coach of the year in 3 different sports. Anderson retired after 38 football seasons with city schools. He was named to the San Diego Hall of Champions Brietbard Hall of Fame High School Coaching Legends Roster in 2006, was inducted as a charter member of the North Dakota Richland County Historical Society Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, and was inducted into Wahpeton Public Schools Alumni Foundation Hall of Fame in 2019.
Art Anderson at 2006 San Diego Hall of Champions Brietbard Hall of Fame High School Coaching Legends induction, with members of his 1971 Clairemont High School CIF champion cross country team (and granddaughter).
Anderson died peacefully in 2021 at the age of 84 under hospice care. He is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. – Available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License from Wikipedia.
