Joe Arenas

Joe Arenas

Arenas on a 1954 Bowman football card
No. 71
Position:	Halfback, defensive back
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1925-12-12) December 12, 1925 (age 91)
Place of birth:	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Career information
College:	Nebraska–Omaha
NFL Draft:	1950 / Round: 8 / Pick: 89
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (1951–1957)
Career highlights and awards
Led NFL in kick and punt return yards, 1951 Ranks 9th in NFL history in yards per kick return (27.3)
Career NFL statistics
Games Played: 84 Rushing yards: 987 Kick and punt return yards: 4,572

Guadalupe Joseph Arenas (born December 12, 1925), also known as "Lupe Joe" Arenas and "Little Joe" Arenas, is a former American football player. He was a halfback and defensive back for the San Francisco 49ers from the 1951 to 1957. He was best known as a kickoff and punt returner. His 4,572 career kick and punt return yards was the best in NFL history at the time of his retirement, and his career average of 27.3 yards per kick return remains ninth best in NFL history. Arenas was, along with Tom Fears and Eddie Saenz, among the first Mexican-American players to achieve significant success in the sport of American football.

Arenas was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1925. Arenas served in the United States military for four years during and after World War II. He participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima, was wounded with shrapnel and received a Purple Heart decoration. Arenas credited his military background with giving him the mental and physical toughness that led to his success in football.

Arenas did not play football in high school and did not become involved in football under after he was discharged from the military. He later recalled that his introduction to football began after a night of carousing: "We were out partying one night, and my mom said, 'What are you going to do with your life?' That hit me — 'What am I going to do.' I said I was going to school, and from that day forward, I prepared myself to go play basketball for the University of Nebraska. And, by God, I made it." He began his college career playing basketball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but he transferred to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, then known as Omaha University, so that he could play football. He played college football at Omaha from 1947 to 1950. He was chosen as the most valuable player on Omaha's 1948 football team. During the 1949 season he led Omaha in both rushing and passing yards. Arenas opened the 1950 football season by throwing three touchdown passes in a 33-7 win over Nebraska Wesleyan. Arenas also played basketball at Omaha; he was the team's second leading scorer in 1950 with 144 points on 56 field goals and 32 free throws in 23 games.