George Platukis
Encyclopedia
George Paul Platukis was an American football
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...

 end
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

 who played five seasons in the NFL
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...

 with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

 and the Cleveland Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...

. He later became a high school teacher and baseball coach.

Early life

Platukis was born in West Hazleton, Pennsylvania
West Hazleton, Pennsylvania
West Hazleton, founded by Conrad Horn, is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, south of Wilkes Barre. In 1900, 2,516 people lived here; in 1910, 4,715 people lived here. The population was 4,594 at the 2010 census...

 and attended West Hazleton High School.

He matriculated at Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...

.

Football career

Platukis was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth 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...

. He played for the Pirates (renamed the Steelers in 1941) for four seasons.

Platukis was traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers in August 1942 to the Cleveland Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...

  in exchange for John Binotto
John Binotto
John M. "Johnny" Binotto is a former American football halfback who played one season in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early life:...

 and Milt Symington. He spent a final season with the Rams.

Post-football career

After completing his football career, Platukis returned to Hazleton, Pennsylvania where he became a high school teacher and head baseball coach at his alma mater, West Hazleton High School.

Personal life

Platukis was married to Irene Pekala. The couple had four children: George Jr., Paulette, Paul and James. He was an ardent fisherman. He died of an apparent heart attack on May 17, 1973, while on a fishing trip near his home with his son and grandson.
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