Andy Farkas
Encyclopedia
Andrew Geza Farkas was an American football
fullback
in the National Football League
for the Washington Redskins
and the Detroit Lions
.
of Hungarian origins, and attended St. John's High School
in Toledo
for two years before moving to Detroit, Michigan
and graduating from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School.
in the first round of the 1938 NFL Draft
by the Washington Redskins
, where he played from 1938
to 1944
, and finished his career with the Detroit Lions
in 1945
. He also led the Redskins in rushing and scoring in 1938-39 and 1942–43, as well as helped lead the Redskins to an NFL Championship in 1942
. He led the NFL in scoring in 1939
.
One of the highlights of his seven-year tour was catching a 99-yard touchdown pass from Frank Filchock
on October 15, 1939. He was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
, the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame and founded the Gus Dorais Foundation at the University of Detroit in 1955. In 2002, Farkas was named one of the 70 greatest Redskins in team history.
Farkas was pictured wearing eye black
as far back as 1942 and is credited as the first player in the NFL to wear it.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
.
Early life
Farkas was born in Clay Center, OhioClay Center, Ohio
Clay Center is a village in Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The population was 294 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clay Center is located at ....
of Hungarian origins, and attended St. John's High School
St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy
St. John's Jesuit High School and Academy comprises two schools on the same campus: St. John's Jesuit High School and St. John's Jesuit Academy. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo. Both are private, all-male Jesuit schools in Toledo, Ohio.-History:St. John's was founded...
in Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
for two years before moving to Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and graduating from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School.
Professional career
Farkas was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the first round of the 1938 NFL Draft
1938 NFL Draft
The 1938 National Football League Draft was held on December 12, 1937. The draft consisting of 12 rounds and 110 player selections, began with the leagues newest expansion team the Cleveland Rams taking Corbett Davis and ended with the Mr...
by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, where he played from 1938
1938 NFL season
The 1938 NFL season was the 19th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game.-Major rule changes:...
to 1944
1944 NFL season
The 1944 NFL season was the 25th regular season of the United States National Football League. The Boston Yanks joined the league as an expansion team. Also, the Brooklyn Dodgers changed their name to Brooklyn Tigers. Meanwhile, both the Cleveland Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles resumed their...
, and finished his career with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in 1945
1945 NFL season
The 1945 NFL season was the 26th regular season of the National Football League. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals resumed their traditional operations....
. He also led the Redskins in rushing and scoring in 1938-39 and 1942–43, as well as helped lead the Redskins to an NFL Championship in 1942
NFL Championship Game, 1942
The 1942 National Football League Championship game was the NFL's tenth title game. The game was played on December 13, 1942 at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. and the attendance was 36,006....
. He led the NFL in scoring in 1939
1939 NFL season
The 1939 NFL season was the 20th regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, NFL president Joseph Carr died, and Carl Storck was named to replace him....
.
One of the highlights of his seven-year tour was catching a 99-yard touchdown pass from Frank Filchock
Frank Filchock
Frank Joseph Filchock was an American and Canadian football tailback/quarterback and coach. As a consequence of a famous scandal regarding the 1946 NFL Championship game, he was suspended by the National Football League from 1947 to 1950 for associating with gamblers.-Early career:Born in 1916 in...
on October 15, 1939. He was elected to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports people. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, president of the Greater Michigan Foundation Donald Weeks, general manager of the...
, the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame and founded the Gus Dorais Foundation at the University of Detroit in 1955. In 2002, Farkas was named one of the 70 greatest Redskins in team history.
Farkas was pictured wearing eye black
Eye black
Eye black is a grease applied under the eyes to reduce glare. It is often used by baseball and American football players, where sunlight or stadium lights can impair vision of an airborne ball. Eye black has been used for centuries to help reduce the glare of the sun.Traditional grease consists of...
as far back as 1942 and is credited as the first player in the NFL to wear it.