Frank Kinard
Encyclopedia
Frank Manning "Bruiser" Kinard Sr. (October 23, 1914 – September 7, 1985) was a professional American football
player for the Brooklyn Dodgers
/Tigers of the National Football League
and the New York Yankees
of the All-America Football Conference
. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1971. He played college football
at the University of Mississippi
and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1951.
Bruiser is considered to be one of the greatest players in Ole Miss and college football history. He lettered for the Rebels from 1935–37 and served as co-captain of the 1937 Ole Miss squad. While playing tackle, the Rebels compiled a record of 18-13-3 including a 9-3 record in 1936 which featured the school's first appearance in a bowl game in the 1936 Orange Bowl in Miami (a 20-19 loss to Catholic University). He was an All American and All SEC pick in 1936 and 1937. Bruiser was the school's first All American football player.
He played in the 1938 Chicago All-Star game and was voted to the Southern Living South's Greatest Players Team. Kinard was inducted into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. He is a charter member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, having been inducted in the inaugural class in 1961 along with "Goat" Hale, Dudy Noble, and Stanley Robinson. He is also a member of the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame.
During his career as an outstanding tackle in the pro ranks, Kinard was a five-time All-Pro in his nine years of professional football. After his playing career, he joined Coach Johnny Vaught
's coaching staff at Ole Miss and served as an offensive line coach from 1948-70. He later served as Ole Miss athletic director until 1973. Kinard is a member of the Ole Miss Team of the Century (1893–1992).
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...
player for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
/Tigers of 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...
and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees (AAFC)
The New York Yankees were a professional American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference from 1946 to 1949. The team played in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and often played in front of sold-out crowds . They were owned by Dan Topping, who brought many of his Brooklyn...
of the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1971. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1951.
Bruiser is considered to be one of the greatest players in Ole Miss and college football history. He lettered for the Rebels from 1935–37 and served as co-captain of the 1937 Ole Miss squad. While playing tackle, the Rebels compiled a record of 18-13-3 including a 9-3 record in 1936 which featured the school's first appearance in a bowl game in the 1936 Orange Bowl in Miami (a 20-19 loss to Catholic University). He was an All American and All SEC pick in 1936 and 1937. Bruiser was the school's first All American football player.
He played in the 1938 Chicago All-Star game and was voted to the Southern Living South's Greatest Players Team. Kinard was inducted into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986. He is a charter member of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, having been inducted in the inaugural class in 1961 along with "Goat" Hale, Dudy Noble, and Stanley Robinson. He is also a member of the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame.
During his career as an outstanding tackle in the pro ranks, Kinard was a five-time All-Pro in his nine years of professional football. After his playing career, he joined Coach Johnny Vaught
Johnny Vaught
John Howard Vaught was an American college football coach at the University of Mississippi from 1947 to 1970 and again in 1973....
's coaching staff at Ole Miss and served as an offensive line coach from 1948-70. He later served as Ole Miss athletic director until 1973. Kinard is a member of the Ole Miss Team of the Century (1893–1992).
External links
- databaseFootball: Frank Kinard statistics
- Pro Football Hall of Fame: member biography
- College Football Hall of Fame Biography