Overview
Donn Moomaw (born October 15, 1931) is an American former football player and a long-serving Presbyterian minister. He was born in Santa Ana, California and became prominent in the early 1950s for his play at the University of California, Los Angeles. After a notable collegiate career he had a brief professional playing career in Canada and was selected in the 1953 NFL draft.
College career at UCLA
Moomaw starred at UCLA as a two-way player, lining up both as a center and as a linebacker. As a collegiate athlete he was praised for toughness, leadership and consistent play against top opponents. His role on offense as a traditional center and on defense as a linebacker made him a key member of his team and brought regional and national attention. His achievements at UCLA were recognized years later with induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1973.
Professional football
Following college, Moomaw entered professional football. He was selected in the 1953 draft by the Los Angeles Rams, and he also spent time playing in Canada with teams such as the Toronto Argonauts and the Ottawa Rough Riders. Like many players of his era he balanced athletic opportunities with other life plans and ultimately transitioned away from full-time playing to pursue other callings.
Ministry and Bel Air Presbyterian
After completing his studies and ordination in the Presbyterian Church, Moomaw became pastor of Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles. He led that congregation from 1964 until 1993. During his decades of pastoral leadership he emphasized preaching, pastoral care, family ministry and small-group discipleship. His pulpit ministry attracted parishioners from the local community and from among prominent residents of the city, and he presided over programs intended to strengthen congregational life and outreach.
Connections with public life
While serving at Bel Air, Moomaw developed relationships with civic and political figures, including California leaders. He became personally acquainted with Governor Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy, a friendship that reflected the social circles of West Los Angeles during the 1960s through the 1980s. His prominence as a pastor led to national invitations: he delivered the invocation and benediction at President Reagan's inaugurations in 1981 and again in 1985, ceremonial roles that drew attention to the connection between religious leaders and public ritual.
Legacy and recognition
Moomaw's public life is notable for the rare combination of high-level collegiate athletics and a long pastoral tenure in a prominent urban congregation. His induction into the College Football Hall of Fame acknowledges his on-field impact, while his nearly thirty years at Bel Air Presbyterian Church illustrate sustained influence in ministry and community life. He is often cited as an example of an athlete who translated leadership skills from sports into religious and civic engagement.
Selected facts
- Born October 15, 1931, in Santa Ana, California.
- Starred at UCLA as a center and linebacker; inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (1973).
- Drafted in 1953 by the Los Angeles Rams; played in Canada for the Toronto Argonauts and the Ottawa Rough Riders.
- Served as pastor of Bel Air Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles from 1964 to 1993.
- Offered the invocation and benediction at President Reagan's inaugurations in 1981 and 1985; maintained a friendship with Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan.
- Representative of athletes who pursued long-term vocations outside sport, combining public presence with pastoral ministry and community service.
For further reading on particular seasons, statistics, or the history of Bel Air Presbyterian Church consult specialized sports histories, denominational records and authoritative biographical sources. The links in this entry point to topical items for orientation and cross-reference.