Tony Momsen
Encyclopedia
Anton Henry "Tony" Momsen, Jr. (January 29, 1928 – March 6, 1994) was an American football
center
in the National Football League
for the Pittsburgh Steelers
and the Washington Redskins
. He played college football
at the University of Michigan
in 1945, 1949 and 1950, and is most remembered for scoring the winning touchdown in the 1950 Snow Bowl game between Michigan and Ohio State
.
in 1928. He was the son of Rose and Anton Momsen, Sr. He attended Toledo’s Libbey High School
where he was a star athlete in football, basketball and track. In 1944, he was selected as the first-team center on the Associated Press
All-Ohio football team. In announcing the selection, the AP quoted an Ohio coach who said, "Momsen was one of the finest linebackers I have ever seen. He diagnoses plays rapidly, is extremely fast and a terrific tackler." He was also an all-city and all-state basketball player.
in 1945. In November 1945, when Michigan's starting center, Harold Watts, was transferred for additional Navy
training, Momsen became a starter at center for the 1945 football team
.
After the 1945 season, Momsen withdrew from school. He entered the military. He also married and had two children. In 1947, he played football for Bob Snyder
's Grills in the City Federation football league.
In the winter of 1949, Momsen returned to the University of Michigan. Momsen played center and linebacker for the 1949 and 1950 Michigan football teams.
Momsen is most remembered for his role in the famed 1950 Snow Bowl game against Ohio State
. The game matched Momsen against his younger brother, Robert "Buckeye Bob" Momsen, who was a starter for Ohio State. The game was played in a blizzard, with weather conditions so inclement that Michigan punted on first down for its first two plays from scrimmage, after concluding that the best strategy was to keep the slick ball on the other side of the field and in the hands of Ohio State. The Buckeyes scored when Vic Janowicz
kicked a field goal after Robert Momsen recovered a blocked Wolverine kick. With 47 seconds remaining in the first half, Tony Momsen blocked a Janowicz punt and fell on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. The Wolverines won by a final score of 9-3. Momsen, who scored the game's only touchdown was remembered as "the hero of a brilliant forward wall." Bob Momsen later recalled, "Two brothers got more publicity for playing in a terrible football game than anyone ever deserves."
The win over Ohio State sent Michigan to the 1951 Rose Bowl
against California. In the lead-up to the Rose Bowl, the Los Angeles Times gave credit to linement Roger Zatkoff
and Momsen for leading Michigan's defense: "Zatkoff and Tony Momsen, the other backer-upper in Michigan’s usual six-man line defense, are the main reasons why Michigan topped the Big Ten in throttling opponents."
in the fifth round of the 1951 NFL Draft
. He signed with the Rams in July 1951, but he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers
before the 1951 NFL season
started. Momsen appeared in 11 games, all as a backup for the 1951 Steelers
. In August 1952, Momsen was traded to the Washington Redskins
. Momsen appeared in two games for the 1952 Redskins
before being released on October 7, 1952.
In 1953, Momsen played for the Calgary Stampeders
of the Western Interprovincial Football League
. In 1954, Momsen was in the Toronto Argonauts
organization. He quit the Argonauts in August 1954 after being told he would play for the Argonauts' farm team.
for the last 25 years of his life. In March 1994, he died at Riverside Methodist Hospital
in Columbus, Ohio
, due to complications following hip replacement surgery. Three weeks after Momsen's death, Libbey High School announced that Momsen would be included among the initial inductess in to the Libbey High School Hall of Fame.
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...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
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 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 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,...
. 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 Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1945, 1949 and 1950, and is most remembered for scoring the winning touchdown in the 1950 Snow Bowl game between Michigan and Ohio State
1950 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1950 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1950-1951. The Buckeyes compiled a 6–3 record. The end of season matchup against Michigan was the infamous game later known as the Snow Bowl as the total of punts for both teams...
.
Early years
Momsen was born in Toledo, OhioToledo, 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...
in 1928. He was the son of Rose and Anton Momsen, Sr. He attended Toledo’s Libbey High School
Libbey High School (Toledo, Ohio)
Edward Drummond Libbey High School is a public high school building located on the south side of Toledo, Ohio which held classes from 1923 until 2010. It is part of Toledo Public Schools and contained the Smart Academy and Humanities Academy...
where he was a star athlete in football, basketball and track. In 1944, he was selected as the first-team center on the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-Ohio football team. In announcing the selection, the AP quoted an Ohio coach who said, "Momsen was one of the finest linebackers I have ever seen. He diagnoses plays rapidly, is extremely fast and a terrific tackler." He was also an all-city and all-state basketball player.
University of Michigan
Momsen enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1945. In November 1945, when Michigan's starting center, Harold Watts, was transferred for additional Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
training, Momsen became a starter at center for the 1945 football team
1945 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1945 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1945 college football season. The team's head coach was Fritz Crisler...
.
After the 1945 season, Momsen withdrew from school. He entered the military. He also married and had two children. In 1947, he played football for Bob Snyder
Bob Snyder
Bob Snyder was a football player and coach who spent more than three decades in the sport, including his most prominent position as head coach of the National Football League's Los Angeles Rams.-College career:...
's Grills in the City Federation football league.
In the winter of 1949, Momsen returned to the University of Michigan. Momsen played center and linebacker for the 1949 and 1950 Michigan football teams.
Momsen is most remembered for his role in the famed 1950 Snow Bowl game against Ohio State
1950 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1950 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1950-1951. The Buckeyes compiled a 6–3 record. The end of season matchup against Michigan was the infamous game later known as the Snow Bowl as the total of punts for both teams...
. The game matched Momsen against his younger brother, Robert "Buckeye Bob" Momsen, who was a starter for Ohio State. The game was played in a blizzard, with weather conditions so inclement that Michigan punted on first down for its first two plays from scrimmage, after concluding that the best strategy was to keep the slick ball on the other side of the field and in the hands of Ohio State. The Buckeyes scored when Vic Janowicz
Vic Janowicz
Victor Felix "Vic" Janowicz was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Ohio State University and was drafted in the seventh round of the 1952 NFL Draft...
kicked a field goal after Robert Momsen recovered a blocked Wolverine kick. With 47 seconds remaining in the first half, Tony Momsen blocked a Janowicz punt and fell on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. The Wolverines won by a final score of 9-3. Momsen, who scored the game's only touchdown was remembered as "the hero of a brilliant forward wall." Bob Momsen later recalled, "Two brothers got more publicity for playing in a terrible football game than anyone ever deserves."
The win over Ohio State sent Michigan to the 1951 Rose Bowl
1951 Rose Bowl
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6. Michigan fullback Don Dufek was...
against California. In the lead-up to the Rose Bowl, the Los Angeles Times gave credit to linement Roger Zatkoff
Roger Zatkoff
Roger Zatkoff is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1950 to 1952. He later played professional football for the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions ....
and Momsen for leading Michigan's defense: "Zatkoff and Tony Momsen, the other backer-upper in Michigan’s usual six-man line defense, are the main reasons why Michigan topped the Big Ten in throttling opponents."
Professional football
Momsen was selected by the Los Angeles RamsSt. 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 the fifth round of the 1951 NFL Draft
1951 NFL Draft
The 1951 National Football League Draft was held on January 18–January 19, 1951. The Baltimore Colts folded after the 1950 season. The NFL placed their players in the 1951 NFL draft.-Player selections:-Round one:...
. He signed with the Rams in July 1951, but he was traded to 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...
before the 1951 NFL season
1951 NFL season
The 1951 NFL season was the 32nd regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, Baltimore Colts owner Abraham Watner faced financial difficulties, and thus gave his team and its player contracts back to the league for $50,000. However, many Baltimore fans started to protest...
started. Momsen appeared in 11 games, all as a backup for the 1951 Steelers
1951 Pittsburgh Steelers season
-Schedule:- Week 1 : New York Giants :at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time:* Game weather:* Game attendance: 27,984* Referee:* TV announcers:Scoring drives:...
. In August 1952, Momsen was traded to 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,...
. Momsen appeared in two games for the 1952 Redskins
1952 Washington Redskins season
The 1952 Washington Redskins began with the team trying to improve on their 5-7 record from 1951.-Schedule:-Standings:...
before being released on October 7, 1952.
In 1953, Momsen played for the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
of the Western Interprovincial Football League
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
. In 1954, Momsen was in the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
organization. He quit the Argonauts in August 1954 after being told he would play for the Argonauts' farm team.
Later years
After retiring from football, Momsen worked as a cement contractor and built customized golf clubs. He lived in Sunrise, FloridaSunrise, Florida
-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...
for the last 25 years of his life. In March 1994, he died at Riverside Methodist Hospital
Riverside Methodist Hospital
The Riverside Methodist Hospital is a religiously affiliated hospital located in Columbus, Ohio, part of OhioHealth.-Services:According to its website, the hospital provides the following programs and services:* Bariatrics...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, due to complications following hip replacement surgery. Three weeks after Momsen's death, Libbey High School announced that Momsen would be included among the initial inductess in to the Libbey High School Hall of Fame.