CARL DIENER

Carl Diener was born August 4, 1934, in Saginaw. An exceptional scholar- athlete at Arthur Hill High School, he earned a total of nine varsity letters in football, basketball and track. In basketball he was named first team All-State and he helped lead the Lumberjacks to the 1951-52 Class A state championship game, losing a close 43-42 contest to Highland Park. Diener also won two consecutive Class A shot put titles, and at 6-4, 230 pounds, he was a dominant lineman for Arthur Hill’s football team. A two-time All-Stater, he earned Honorable Mention High School All-American his senior year. When he graduated in 1952, he had been named to five All-State teams and received an athletic scholarship to Michigan State College. At Michigan State he started at offensive tackle and defensive end from 1953-54. As a sophomore, he played under Biggie Munn during the Spartans first trip to the Rose Bowl where they defeated UCLA, 28-20. Diener was named Michigan State’s first-ever Academic All-Big Ten recipient while also collecting  second team Academic All-America laurels. Diener graduated from Michigan State, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and then served in the U.S. Army. He declined an offer from George Halas to try out for the Chicago Bears and began a career working for AC Spark Plug. He was inducted into the Arthur Hill High School Letterwinner’s Hall of Fame in 1963, that organization’s third year of existence. He was also named to Arthur Hill’s all-time football team. As a coach, Diener dedicated many years mentoring Flint area high school and middle school athletes at Saint Leo, Holy Rosary, and Kearsley schools, both in official and volunteer capacities. A lifelong athlete, he participated in city league basketball and volleyball in Flint, and competed in the CANUSA Games in the shot put. After 39 years of service,  he retired from General Motors Corp/ Delphi Automotive. He passed away March 10, 2013, at the age of 78 and  is buried in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Tawas City.