Alonzo Logwone Mitz was a National Football League (NFL) defensive end who played professionally for the Seattle Seahawks and the Cincinnati Bengals. Mitz was born on June 5, 1963, in Henderson, North Carolina, and raised by his mother Rosa Lee Winbush, and his grandparents.
Mitz attended Fort Pierce Central High School in Fort Pierce, Florida, and played high school football for the Fort Pierce Central Cobras. He then enrolled in the University of Florida and played for the Florida Gators football team from 1982 to 1985. Mitz played on the 1984 Gators’ first championship team.
Beginning in 1986, Mitz played as a linebacker and defensive end in the NFL for six seasons. Six foot-four inch Mitz was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the eighth round (211 pick overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft. He played for the Seahawks from 1986 to 1989 and then spent his last two seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1990 and 1991. During his six-season NFL career, he played in seventy-one games, started in thirty-four of them, and compiled eight quarterback sacks and two interceptions. Mitz last played in the NFL in 1992.
Today, Mitz plays golf and supports organizations that work with at-risk youth in the Seattle and Puget Sound area. Committed to making a difference in his community, he founded the Mitz Project in 2014 along with golf coordinators Polly and Richard Murchison. The Mitz Project allows celebrities to meet and play golf with professional athletes and music industry celebrities in order to raise money for NineLine Veteran Services and Vine Maple Place. Nesby Glasgow, Randal Morris, Slick Watts, Kid Sensation, Michael Powers, Janie Hendrix, and Marcus Manahan are a few of the names of the many participants. In 2023, there were 141 players for the 1-day event.
As a member of the Fairwood Golf & Country Club in Renton, Washington, he particularly encourages African Americans to learn golf because he believes it can improve their mental and physical health while the overall risk of injury is low compared to other sports popular among Black men.
The next Mitz Project Tournament is scheduled for September 7, 2024, at the White Horse Golf Club in Kingston, Washington. One significant supporter of The Mitz Project is the Fir State Golf Club at Jefferson Park Golf Course in Seattle, Washington. The Fir State Golf Club was a pioneer in opening doors for golfers of color in the Pacific Northwest.
The Mitz Projects makes charitable donations to both NineLine Veteran Services (2 years) and Vine Maple Place (10 years). Founded in 2016, NineLine Veteran Services provides innovative approaches for Veterans, their families, and the community. With the help of their teams of volunteers, NineLine focuses on helping veterans improve their lives, through better housing, employment opportunities, and wellness. Vine Maple Place aims to end homelessness in South King County, and work with single parents and their children, resulting in healthier communities.
The Mitz Project has been central to the success of these organizations and since 2014 has raised more than $100,000 to support these agencies.
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“Fir State Golf Club a pioneer in opening doors to minority golfers” (Feb. 03, 2021) WA Golf Staff, https://wagolf.org/news/fir-state-golf-club-a-pioneer-in-opening-doors-to-minority-golfers/; “The Mitz Project” (March 20, 2024) Alonzo Mitz, https://themitzproject.com/about/; ”Alonzo Mitz” (Jan. 24, 2024); “Vine Maple Place Get Involved” (March 26, 2024) Vine Maple Place, https://www.vinemapleplace.org/get-involved.html.
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