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In December 1927, Molenda signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Waco team in Texas League starting in March 1928.<ref>{{cite news|title=Player Market|publisher=San Antonio Light|date=1927-12-08}}</ref> He had been considered one of the top pitchers in the Detroit high school system.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bo Molenda To Play Ball On Texas Club|publisher=The News-Palladium|date=1927-12-08}}</ref> When he reported to Waco in March 1928, he brought his new bride with him, and the [[Associated Press]] reported that a number of major league clubs had been angling for his servics.<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas League Camps|publisher=Galveston Daily News|date=1928-03--06}}</ref> In late June 1928, Molenda was sent to the Texarkana club in the Lone Star League.<ref>{{cite news|title=untitled|publisher=Decatur Evening Herald|date=1928-06-28}}</ref>
In December 1927, Molenda signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Waco team in Texas League starting in March 1928.<ref>{{cite news|title=Player Market|publisher=San Antonio Light|date=1927-12-08}}</ref> He had been considered one of the top pitchers in the Detroit high school system.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bo Molenda To Play Ball On Texas Club|publisher=The News-Palladium|date=1927-12-08}}</ref> When he reported to Waco in March 1928, he brought his new bride with him, and the [[Associated Press]] reported that a number of major league clubs had been angling for his servics.<ref>{{cite news|title=Texas League Camps|publisher=Galveston Daily News|date=1928-03--06}}</ref> In late June 1928, Molenda was sent to the Texarkana club in the Lone Star League.<ref>{{cite news|title=untitled|publisher=Decatur Evening Herald|date=1928-06-28}}</ref>


In November 1928, the [[Green Bay Packers]] purchased Molenda's contracts from Charlie Pyle, and one Wisconsin newspaper wrote: "Packer football stock climbed a notch or two here Thursday when Bo Molenda, one of the best fullbacks in the National Football league, joined the Big Bay Blues. ... With Molenda in the fold, the Packer squad is beginning to figure on a national championship. A big powerful fullback like Molenda rounds out the Bay machine to a nicety."<ref>{{cite news|title=Packers to Play Pottsville Sunday: Have Signed Bo Molenda To Play Fullback Rest of Season|publisher=Appleton Post-Crescent|date=1928-11-24}}</ref> As a fullback, Molenda was one of the stars of the early Packers teams that won NFL championships in 1929, 1930, and 1931.<ref name=Staff>{{cite news|title=Molenda Joins Green Bay Staff|publisher=Waukesha Daily Freeman|date=1947-05-03}}</ref> In 1931, the Packers dold Molenda to the [[New York Giants]], where he played until 1936. He was credited with "carrying the brunt of the Giants' victorious offense in the famouse gumshoe game against the [[Chicago Bears]] in 1934.<ref name=Staff/>
In November 1928, the [[Green Bay Packers]] purchased Molenda's contracts from Charlie Pyle, and one Wisconsin newspaper wrote: "Packer football stock climbed a notch or two here Thursday when Bo Molenda, one of the best fullbacks in the National Football league, joined the Big Bay Blues. ... With Molenda in the fold, the Packer squad is beginning to figure on a national championship. A big powerful fullback like Molenda rounds out the Bay machine to a nicety."<ref>{{cite news|title=Packers to Play Pottsville Sunday: Have Signed Bo Molenda To Play Fullback Rest of Season|publisher=Appleton Post-Crescent|date=1928-11-24}}</ref> As a fullback, Molenda became one of the stars of the early Packers teams that won NFL championships in 1929, 1930, and 1931.<ref name=Staff>{{cite news|title=Molenda Joins Green Bay Staff|publisher=Waukesha Daily Freeman|date=1947-05-03}}</ref>

After playing several games with the Packers, Molenda went to California in early 1929 where he pitched in the winter league.<ref name=Hurl/> He reported to the Denver baseball team in the spring of 1929, but was able to secure his release when he learned of an industrial opening in Green Bay.<ref name=Hurl>{{cite news|title=Bo Molenda To Hurl For Bays|publisher=Appleton Post-Crescent|date=1929-06-13}}</ref> In June 1929, Molenda returned to Green Bay to establish his residence there and signed a contract to play for Green Bay's professional baseball team, the Green Sox.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bo Molenda Signs With Green Sox|publisher=Oshkosh Daily Northwestern|date=1929-06-13}}</ref><ref name=Hurl/>

In 1931, the Packers dold Molenda to the [[New York Giants]], where he played until 1936. He was credited with "carrying the brunt of the Giants' victorious offense in the famouse gumshoe game against the [[Chicago Bears]] in 1934.<ref name=Staff/>


In his football career, he blocked for [[Benny Friedman]], [[Red Grange]] and [[John McNally|Johnny Blood (McNally)]].<ref name=SDU/>
In his football career, he blocked for [[Benny Friedman]], [[Red Grange]] and [[John McNally|Johnny Blood (McNally)]].<ref name=SDU/>

Revision as of 22:12, 6 February 2009

Bo Molenda
refer to caption
Bo Molenda cropped from 1925 Michigan Wolverines team photograph.
Career information
College:University of Michigan
Position:Quarterback, Halfback
Career history
Career highlights and awards

John Joseph "Bo" Molenda (February 20, 1905 - July 1986) was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan and nine seasons in the NFL. He played for two Big Ten Conference championship teams and four NFL championship teams (three with the Green Bay Packers and one with the New York Giants) and later became a football coach.

Youth

Molenda was born in Illinois and attended school in Decatur. He helped the Durfee School in Decatur win the Major School league cup.[1] He moved with his family to Detroit, where he attended Detroit Northeastern High School. At Northeastern High, he was considered one of the best athletes ever produced by the city's school system. When Molenda and Bennie Oosterbaan enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1924, a newspaper report called them two of the greatest all round athletes ever turned out in Michigan prep school ranks."[2] In high school, Molenda excelled in football, baseball, basketball and track. He was selected as an All-American center in basketball at the national basketball tournament as a senior in high school.[2]

University of Michigan

Molenda played fullback for the Michigan Wolverines teams that won Big Ten championships in 1925 and 1926.[3] In 1925, Molenda made a name for himself for his defensive performance against an Illinois team led by Red Grange. Grange had scored four touchdowns against Michigan in the span of ten minutes in 1924, and stopping Grange was the key to beating Illinois in 1925.[4] Michigan won the game and stopped Grange, leading the Associated Press to report: "Molenda was the principal reason why the Illini's aerial attack was unsuccessful. Time after time he got in the way to make the pass incomplete or to gather it in his arms."[4] Molenda was picked as a second-team All-American in 1925.[5]

Sophomores Molenda and Oosterbaan also paired up on Michigan's basketball team in 1926, leading some to conclude they were "even better cagers than footballers, which, by the way, is saying quite a little."[6] Molenda was a tough defensive player in basketball and was also the Wolverines' top scorer in 1926,[7] until poor classroom performance resulted in his being placed on the "home list" in February 1926.[8]

Molenda overcame his academic ineligibility in time for the 1926 football season. In 1926, he scored Michigan's only touchdown in a close victory over Illinois.[9]

While competing for the Michigan basketball team, the university announced in February 1927 that Molenda had been again placed on the "home list" due to low grades, making him ineligible to re-enter the university for one year.[10][11][12]

Professional athlete

In February 1927, two weeks after being sent home due to academic deficiencies, Molenda signed a contract to pay professional basketball for the Industrial Mutual Association in Flint, Michigan.[13]

In June 1927, he signed a contract to play professional football for the New York Yankees team organized by sports promoter, C.C. Pyle, and featuring Red Grange.[14][3] He played for the Yankees through the complete 1927-1928 season. He scored the Yankees' only touchdown in a 7-0 win on Wrigley baseball field in Los Angeles in January 1928.[15]

In December 1927, Molenda signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Waco team in Texas League starting in March 1928.[16] He had been considered one of the top pitchers in the Detroit high school system.[17] When he reported to Waco in March 1928, he brought his new bride with him, and the Associated Press reported that a number of major league clubs had been angling for his servics.[18] In late June 1928, Molenda was sent to the Texarkana club in the Lone Star League.[19]

In November 1928, the Green Bay Packers purchased Molenda's contracts from Charlie Pyle, and one Wisconsin newspaper wrote: "Packer football stock climbed a notch or two here Thursday when Bo Molenda, one of the best fullbacks in the National Football league, joined the Big Bay Blues. ... With Molenda in the fold, the Packer squad is beginning to figure on a national championship. A big powerful fullback like Molenda rounds out the Bay machine to a nicety."[20] As a fullback, Molenda became one of the stars of the early Packers teams that won NFL championships in 1929, 1930, and 1931.[3]

After playing several games with the Packers, Molenda went to California in early 1929 where he pitched in the winter league.[21] He reported to the Denver baseball team in the spring of 1929, but was able to secure his release when he learned of an industrial opening in Green Bay.[21] In June 1929, Molenda returned to Green Bay to establish his residence there and signed a contract to play for Green Bay's professional baseball team, the Green Sox.[22][21]

In 1931, the Packers dold Molenda to the New York Giants, where he played until 1936. He was credited with "carrying the brunt of the Giants' victorious offense in the famouse gumshoe game against the Chicago Bears in 1934.[3]

In his football career, he blocked for Benny Friedman, Red Grange and Johnny Blood (McNally).[23]

Football coach and service in World War II

In 1936, he was hired as an assistant coach for the New York Giants, a position he held until 1941. With the U.S. entry into World War II, Molenda enlisted in the Navy in early 1942 as a chief petty officer. He coached a San Diego Naval Base football team in 1943 that defeated both USC and UCLA.[23] He was later sent to active duty in the Pacific where he took part in the Hollandia and Leyte invasions.[3] Molenda later recalled that he was in the Philippines "going on 28 months."[24] He was supposed to have been rotated at 18 months, but the Navy lost his records and he was stuck. One day, George Halas visited and asked Molenda if he would like to return home. Molenda said yes, and two weeks later Molenda was back in the United States. He noted, "That's why I like George Halas."[24]

In 1947, he was hired as the backfield assistant coach to Curly Lambeau in Green Bay.[3] He coached the Menlo College football team from approximately 1949-1969. Molenda's final game as a coach was a November 1969, after which Molenda told a reporter: "I've played on nine championship teams during my career, and last Saturday was a helluva way to end it all. We lost 70-6."[24] He was inducted into the Menlo College of Atherton Hall of Fame in 1999.[25]

Death and Hall of Fame consideration

Molenda died in July 1986 in Banning, California.[23] After his death in 1986, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's veterans committee was reportedly considering Molenda as a possible inductee.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ Gilbert Twiss (1927-12-08). "Twisters". Decatur Review.
  2. ^ a b "Michigan Picks Up Two Athletic Stars". Appleton Post-Crescent. 1924-10-09.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Molenda Joins Green Bay Staff". Waukesha Daily Freeman. 1947-05-03.
  4. ^ a b "Halting of Grange Pleases Michigan: New Stars Arise to Prove Yost's Eleven Is Not a One-Man Team". Ludington Daily News. 1925-10-16.
  5. ^ Norman E. Brown (1925-12-07). "All Sections of Country On Writer's All-American". Galveston Daily News.
  6. ^ Frank Colley (1926-01-15). "Sports of All Sorts". Morning Herald.
  7. ^ "Sports of All Sorts". Piqua Daily Call and Piqua Press-Dispatch. 1926-02-11.
  8. ^ "Studies Down Molenda and Send Him Home". The Times (Hammond, Ind.). 1926-02-18.
  9. ^ "Friedman and Molenda Prove Heroes of Fray". Davenport Democrat And Leader. 1926-10-24.
  10. ^ "Michigan Fullback Ordered Stay Home; Fails In Studies". Lincoln Star. 1927-02-17.
  11. ^ "Bo Molenda Lost to 1927 Squad". The News-Palladium. 1927-02-17.
  12. ^ "Bo Molenda Flunks Out at Michigan". Decatur Review. 1927-02-18.
  13. ^ "Molenda Has Signed To Play Professional Ball". Ironwood Daily Globe. 1927-02-26.
  14. ^ "Bo Molenda Accepts Pro Offer From Pyle". Decatur Evening Herald. 1927-06-26.
  15. ^ "Grange's Team Beats Ernie Never's Outfit". Oakland Tribune. 1927-01-16.
  16. ^ "Player Market". San Antonio Light. 1927-12-08.
  17. ^ "Bo Molenda To Play Ball On Texas Club". The News-Palladium. 1927-12-08.
  18. ^ "Texas League Camps". Galveston Daily News. 1928-03--06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "untitled". Decatur Evening Herald. 1928-06-28.
  20. ^ "Packers to Play Pottsville Sunday: Have Signed Bo Molenda To Play Fullback Rest of Season". Appleton Post-Crescent. 1928-11-24.
  21. ^ a b c "Bo Molenda To Hurl For Bays". Appleton Post-Crescent. 1929-06-13.
  22. ^ "Bo Molenda Signs With Green Sox". Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. 1929-06-13.
  23. ^ a b c d Jerry Magee (1986-09-28). "Rams' Everett deal bad break for Packers cornerback Lewis". The San Diego Union.
  24. ^ a b c Jack Bluth (1969-11-20). "Speaking of Sports: Down Football's Memory Lane". The Times (San Mateo, CA).
  25. ^ Rick Eymer (1999-09-03). "St. Francis High Can't Wait To Kick Off Football Season". The San Francisco Chronicle.
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