Albert M. Marinai1940 - 2019Al was born January 2, 1940 to Ralph Marinai and Annie Giannotti in San Francisco and went home to be with God on June 25, 2019. Al graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1958. Then he attended Cal Poly SLO for a little over two years. He is a survivor of the Cal Poly airplane crash that occurred October 29, 1960. For both schools he played guard and tackle on their football teams and was voted MVP multiple times at both schools. He also wrestled and did track and field.
To say Al loved football is an understatement. He adored football. As a young boy he would play it on the Potrero Hill streets where he grew up. He played all through high school making All City in all four San Francisco papers, the Chronicle, Examiner, Call Bulletin and San Francisco News all in the same year, 1957. He also played in the Shriner East-West game in Kezar in 1957 and then the Shriner North-South game at the L.A. Coliseum in 1958. He also wrestled for the Olympic Club while in high school. His football career continued at Cal Poly until it was cut short by the airplane crash. At that last game he was scouted by the Baltimore Colts who were very interested in him coming to play for them. Afterwards, he attended ITC Technical school. He became a draftsman and worked for Standard Oil for a while. He also started learning to play the guitar, both bass and acoustic and became very good at it. For many years from the 70s through the 80s he enjoyed getting musicians together to play at weddings and parties.
He was especially proud to have been instrumental in getting a memorial done at Cal Poly for his teammates who died in the 1960 plane crash. In 2006 a beautiful memorial plaza complete with a life size statue of a mustang encircled by pillars, one for each lost player,with an etching of his face, his name and other personal information, was dedicated to those teammates.
He was inducted into the Cal Poly Hall of Fame in 2006 and into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame in 2006 and into the Polytechnic High School Hall of Fame in 2006 all for football.
He leaves behind his wife of 39 years, Sandra; his brother Ralph (Joann); his niece, Donna Marinai; his nephew, Jeffrey (Danielle) Marinai; grandniece, Giuliana; grand nephew, Dominic; and many dear friends - each of us with a broken heart for the loss of this good, honest and loyal man.
Friends may visit Tuesday, July 2, 2019, after 6 pm with the Rosary at 7 pm at DUGGAN'S SERRA MORTUARY, 500 Westlake Ave, Daly City. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, July 3, 2019 at 10 am at St. Stephen Church, 451 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco, followed by a burial Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma.
Donations in Al's memory may be made to , 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; the San Francisco SPCA, 2500 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103; or to -Greater Bay Area Chapter, 101 Montgomery St., Suite 750, San Francisco, CA 94104.