Frank Sinkwich

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Frank Sinkwich
Date of birth October 10, 1920
Place of birth McKees Rocks, PA
Date of death October 22, 1990
Position(s) Halfback
College Georgia
NFL Draft 1943 / Round 1/ Pick 1
Awards 1942 Heisman Trophy
Statistics
Team(s)
1943-1944
1946-1947
1947		 Detroit Lions
New York Yankees
Baltimore Colts
College Hall-of-Fame

Frank Sinkwich (October 10, 1920 - October 22, 1990) won the Heisman Trophy in 1942, while playing at the University of Georgia, the first recipient with the Southeastern Conference.[1] Twelve years later, after a brief but celebrated career in professional football, he was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.[2]

Contents

[edit] Early years

Sinkwich was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, but relocated with his family to Youngstown, Ohio, when he was a child. According to an article Sinkwich wrote in 1988, he grew to appreciate the value of competitiveness on the streets of Youngstown's West Side. "I learned early in neighborhood pickup games that I had the desire to compete", he wrote. "When people ask why I succeeded in athletics, I always tell them that I didn't want to get beat".[3]

[edit] Football career

Sinkwich gained early recognition as a star athlete at Youngstown's Chaney High School.[4] He went on to the University of Georgia, where he was a two-time All-America selection and led the Bulldogs to an 11-1 season in 1942, capturing the Southeastern Conference Championship and a Rose Bowl victory over UCLA. In his three-year college career, he rushed for 2,271 yards, passed for 2,331 yards, and accounted for 60 touchdowns--30 rushing and 30 passing.[5]

Sinkwich went on to the NFL and earned All-Pro honors with the Detroit Lions in 1943-1944, as well as being named as NFL MVP in 1944, but a knee injury received in the Air Force game in 1945 ended his playing career.[6] He was inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame in 1954.[7]

[edit] Legacy

Frank Sinkwich passed away after a long illness, in Athens, Georgia. Nowhere did his death elicit more emotion than at his old alma mater. "We've lost one of the great legends in football history," said then Georgia athletic director Vince Dooley. "He was not only a great player but a wonderful person and citizen of Athens".[8]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  2. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  3. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  4. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  5. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  6. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  7. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.
  8. ^ The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1990.

[edit] External link

Preceded by:
Bruce Smith		 Heisman Trophy Winner
1942		 Succeeded by:
Angelo Bertelli
Preceded by:
Sid Luckman		 NFL Most Valuable Player
1944 season		 Succeeded by:
Bob Waterfield


National Football League number one overall Draft picks
Berwanger • Francis • C. Davis • Aldrich • Cafego • Harmon • Dudley • Sinkwich • Bertelli • Trippi • Dancewicz • Fenimore • Gilmer • Bednarik • Hart • Rote • Wade • Babcock • Garrett • Shaw • Glick • Hornung • Hill • Duncan • Cannon • Mason • E. Davis • Baker • Parks • Frederickson • Nobis • Bu. Smith • Yary • Bradshaw • Plunkett • Patulski • Matuszak • Jones • Bartkowski • Selmon • Bell • Campbell • Cousineau • B. Sims • Rogers • K. Sims • Elway • Fryar • Br. Smith • Jackson • Testaverde • Bruce • Aikman • George • Maryland • Emtman • Bledsoe • Wilkinson • Carter • Johnson • Pace • P. Manning • Couch • Brown • Vick • Carr • Palmer • E. Manning • A. Smith • Williams
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../f/r/a/Frank_Sinkwich_d54d.html"