Paul Salata, Irrelevant Week founder and philanthropist, dies at 94

Paul Salata, the Newport Beach businessman and philanthropist who founded Irrelevant Week 45 years ago, died Saturday.

He was 94. His 95th day would person been Sunday. Salata had been successful declining wellness for respective years.

Salata created Irrelevant Week successful 1976 to grant the past subordinate selected successful the NFL draft, who would beryllium known arsenic “Mr. Irrelevant.” A week’s worthy of activities, including a invited party, a travel to Disneyland and The Lowsman Banquet, were among the events.

Mr. Irrelevant would beryllium presented the Lowsman Trophy, which looked similar the famed Heisman Trophy but the shot subordinate connected the Lowsman Trophy is dropping the football.

Salata gave to galore charitable causes – Irrelevant Week ever benefited section charities – and created endowments astatine USC wherever helium played football.

Salata was maestro of ceremonial and impermanent of grant astatine galore events for galore years successful Orange County. His speedy wit was ever connected display.

An example: Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Ryan Succop was a Mr. Irrelevant erstwhile helium was the past subordinate drafted successful 2009. Succop’s past sanction is pronounced “suck up.” With that successful mind, Salata’s instauration of Succop included, “He comes from a full household of Succops.”

Salata was a palmy sewer contractor. The precocious Orange County Register columnist John Hall often called Salata “The Sewer King.”

Before getting into the concern world, Salata was an outstanding receiver astatine USC. He caught a touchdown walk for the Trojans successful a 25-0 triumph implicit Tennessee successful the 1945 Rose Bowl crippled (Salata would assertion helium caught 2 touchdown passes successful the game, but an official, Salata said, made a mistake erstwhile the authoritative ruled Salata was retired of bounds connected what would person been a touchdown reception).

His USC playing days were interrupted by an 18-month stint successful the Army Air Corps.

Salata played for the Baltimore Colts erstwhile the Colts were successful the All-American Football Conference and rejoined the squad erstwhile the Colts were integrated successful the NFL. He played for the San Francisco 49ers, too, successful the NFL. In 1950, helium had 50 receptions, playing for the 49ers and Colts that season.

He besides played successful the Canadian Football League successful which helium was an all-star receiver with the Calgary Stampeders. Salata played minor-league baseball, too.

Salata was an other oregon bit-player successful respective films, including arsenic a captive of warfare successful “Stalag 17,” arsenic 1 of the Pittsburgh Pirates shot players successful the archetypal “Angels successful the Outfield,” and helium was the feline who sliced unfastened Frank Sinatra’s chemoreceptor successful “The Joker Is Wild.”

He is survived by his woman Carolyn, girl Melanie Salata Fitch, lad Brian Salata, granddaughters Alix and Marie, and member George.

Salata Fitch assumed the enactment relation successful Irrelevant Week successful caller years.