Frank Szymanski
Encyclopedia
Frank Szymanski was an American football
player and probate judge in Wayne County, MI. He played college football
at the University of Notre Dame
and played for three teams in the National Football League
, winning an NFL Championship with the Philadelphia Eagles
in 1948.
under Frank Leahy
in 1943 and under Edward McKeever
in 1944. In 1943 he started at center and linebacker for all ten games of the Irish's 9-1 season, after which they were named unanimous national champions for the first time since 1930. He also played in the 1943 College All-Star Game
defeating the defending NFL Champion Washington Redskins
27-7. Szymanski served in the Navy for the beginning of the 1944 season and rejoined the team after a medical discharge for a 59-0 loss to rival Army which remains the largest defeat in Irish history. The Irish did not lose a game for the rest of the season as Szymanski played both sides of the ball, amounting 173 minutes of playing time in the final 180 minutes of the season.
in the first round of the 1945 NFL Draft as the sixth pick overall. He played only 6 games in his rookie season but recorded the only interception of his career. Szymanski started his first game for the Lions in 1946 during a 10 loss season. He continued to play for the Lions in 1947, playing in a career high 12 games and recording two fumble recoveries before moving to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 1948 season. On November 15, 1947 the Lions paid tribute to their center by celebrating "Szymanski day" at historic Briggs Stadium. Szymanski arrived in Philadelphia at the right time and played in nine games during the season that brought the Eagles their first NFL Championship. The Eagles triumphed over the Chicago Cardinals in a brutal 7-0 game that featured heavy snowfall. As the defending champions the Eagles were invited to the College All-Star Game and on August 22, 1949 Szymanski won his second such game, this time from the professional side of the ball. In his final season Szymanski recorded two more fumble recoveries while playing for the Chicago Bears
in 1949.
by Governor G. Mennen Williams
in 1956. In 1959 Szymanski was elected probate judge in Wayne County. He served at that post until his death in 1987.
book.
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 and probate judge in Wayne County, MI. 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 Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and played for three teams 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...
, winning an NFL Championship with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1948.
High School
While living in Detroit, Szymanski played football at Northeastern High School and was voted to both All-City and All-State teams. He was elected to All-City teams as both a fullback and guard, and to All-State team as a tackle.College
Szymanski played for the Notre Dame Fighting IrishNotre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame's nickname is inherited from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union's Irish Brigade, , recollected among other places in the poetry of Joyce Kilmer who served with one of the Irish Brigade regiments during World War I...
under Frank Leahy
Frank Leahy
Francis William Leahy was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive...
in 1943 and under Edward McKeever
Edward McKeever
Edward Clark Timothy McKeever was an American football player, coach, and executive. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame and Cornell University and the University of San Francisco , compiling a career college football record of 25–12–1...
in 1944. In 1943 he started at center and linebacker for all ten games of the Irish's 9-1 season, after which they were named unanimous national champions for the first time since 1930. He also played in the 1943 College All-Star Game
College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played annually from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year...
defeating the defending NFL Champion 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,...
27-7. Szymanski served in the Navy for the beginning of the 1944 season and rejoined the team after a medical discharge for a 59-0 loss to rival Army which remains the largest defeat in Irish history. The Irish did not lose a game for the rest of the season as Szymanski played both sides of the ball, amounting 173 minutes of playing time in the final 180 minutes of the season.
NFL career
Szymanski was selected by the Detroit LionsDetroit 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 the first round of the 1945 NFL Draft as the sixth pick overall. He played only 6 games in his rookie season but recorded the only interception of his career. Szymanski started his first game for the Lions in 1946 during a 10 loss season. He continued to play for the Lions in 1947, playing in a career high 12 games and recording two fumble recoveries before moving to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 1948 season. On November 15, 1947 the Lions paid tribute to their center by celebrating "Szymanski day" at historic Briggs Stadium. Szymanski arrived in Philadelphia at the right time and played in nine games during the season that brought the Eagles their first NFL Championship. The Eagles triumphed over the Chicago Cardinals in a brutal 7-0 game that featured heavy snowfall. As the defending champions the Eagles were invited to the College All-Star Game and on August 22, 1949 Szymanski won his second such game, this time from the professional side of the ball. In his final season Szymanski recorded two more fumble recoveries while playing for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1949.
Move to the Court
While playing for the Detroit Lions Szymanski attended Detroit Law School at night. After his NFL career he practiced privately for a number of years before being appointed auditor general of MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
by Governor G. Mennen Williams
G. Mennen Williams
Gerhard Mennen "Soapy" Williams, , was a politician from the US state of Michigan. An heir to a personal grooming products fortune, he was known as "Soapy," and wore a trademark green bow tie with white polka dots....
in 1956. In 1959 Szymanski was elected probate judge in Wayne County. He served at that post until his death in 1987.
Recognition
In 1995 Szymanski was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame for his impressive career. Szymanski was also named a member of the Wall Street Journal Law Blog Football Hall of Fame for his combined career of football prowess and legal stature. He received by far the most votes of any inductee, partially due to a campaign launched by his sons.Humor
In the 1940s Szymanski was called as a witness during a civil suit in South Bend. After the judge asked him how good of a center he was Szymanski thought for a bit and replied, "Sir, I'm the best center Notre Dame has ever had." A surprised Frank Leahy later asked the usually modest Szymanski why he had made such a statement. "I hated to do it," he said. "But, after all, I was under oath." This story about Szymanski was included in the first Chicken Soup for the SoulChicken Soup for the Soul
Chicken Soup for the Soul is a series of books, usually featuring a collection of short and dense inspirational stories and motivational essays. The 101 stories in the first book of the series were compiled by motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.There have been over 200 titles...
book.