Born on July 11, 1898, Lassa was
Native American and a member of the Pend d'Orielle tribe, one of three members of the confederated tribes of the
Flathead reservation in Montana. He was given the name, Long Time Sleep, by his teammates because he was difficult to wake up in the morning. Lassa attended and played
college football at the
Carlisle Indian School and
Haskell Institute. Lassa eventually played in the
National Football League in 1922 with the
Oorang Indians. The Oorang Indians were an all-Native American football team based in
La Rue, Ohio and formed by
Walter Lingo in 1922 to help promote his
Airedale kennel. The team was organized by
Jim Thorpe, who served the team as a
player-coach. When the team formed, Lassa was the first player to arrive in La Rue. Aside from football, Lassa enjoyed wrestling. He would make up to $50 () for wrestling matches throughout the area. In fact he is most remembered for wrestling a bear as part of a
halftime show of one of the Indians' games. Lassa would usually win $10–$20 (equivalent to $–$ in ) per match, which would allow the whole team to go out partying all night. After the team folded in 1923, Lassa stayed near LaRue, earning his living as a professional wrestler and
strongman. He also stayed on working for Lingo and several of the other farmers in the area. He finally left the area in the early 1930s. He reportedly gave up drinking, raised a family, and became a respected member of his community. Lassa died on September 4, 1964. ==References==