Dedication of The Aubrey Lewis Sports Complex

Dedication of The Aubrey Lewis Sports Complex
Posted on 10/03/2018

For Immediate Release
Contact: Dr. Kendra V. Johnson, Superintendent, Montclair Public Schools
973.509.4010

The Montclair Public Schools (MPS) is pleased to announce The Aubrey Lewis Sports Complex dedication ceremony on Saturday, October 13, 2018, at 10:30 AM, 28 Essex Ave, Montclair, NJ, before the 1:00 PM football kickoff against Bloomfield. Aubrey Lewis graduated in 1954 from Montclair High School.  During his high school career, Lewis led the way to two state football championships, scoring 49 touchdowns and running for over 4,500 rushing yards. Lewis also led Montclair to two consecutive team championships in track and field and one state championship in basketball. He was named the Offensive Player of the Century alongside Paul Robeson who was named the Defensive Player of the Century by the Star-Ledger.

He chose the University of Notre Dame from a list of over 200 schools that had offered him scholarships and played halfback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team alongside Heisman Trophy winner Paul Hornung. He was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the tenth round of the 1958 NFL Draft, but an ankle injury prevented him from playing professionally. He went on to be elected as captain of the track team, making him the first African American athlete at Notre Dame to be chosen as a team captain.  He later became the first African American to join the Board of Trustees at this prestigious university.

In 1962, he was chosen by J. Edgar Hoover to participate as a member of the first Federal Bureau of Investigation agent training program to include African Americans at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Lewis had a very successful career in business working for the F.W. Woolworth Corporation now (Foot Locker Inc.) for 37 years as the VP of Corporate Affairs.

Lewis was married to his Montclair High School sweetheart Ann. They had five children: Aubrey Jr., Lauren, Lisa, John and Gary, 13 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. To read more about Lewis, see his biography and photographs from the family album.

And, now we, Montclair Public Schools, will name our athletic fields and facilities The Aubrey Lewis Sports Complex, which is comprised of Fortunato Field, Woodman Field, Furlong Field House, and other structures yet to be constructed in the area.

We invite the Lewis family, local dignitaries, and friends to join MPS in the dedication ceremony. Due to limited seating, please RSVP to Nina DeRosa at (973) 509-4010 or by email on or before October 9, 2018.

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