Alex Wojciechowicz
| Alex Wojciechowicz | |
|---|---|
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Positions: LB , C |
Jersey number (s): 53 |
| born on August 12, 1915 in South River , New Jersey | |
| died on July 13, 1992 in Forked River , New Jersey | |
| Career information | |
| Active : 1938 - 1950 | |
| NFL Draft : 1938 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6 | |
| College : Fordham University | |
| Teams | |
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| Career statistics | |
| Years of play | 13 |
| Games | 134 |
| Interceptions | 19th |
| Stats at pro-football-reference.com | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Pro Football Hall of Fame | |
| College Football Hall of Fame | |
Alexander Francis "Alex" Wojciechowicz (* 12. August 1915 in South River , New Jersey ; † 13. July 1992 in Forked River , New Jersey) Nickname : "Wojie" was a US American football poker players in the National Football League (NFL). He played as linebacker and center with the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles .
youth
Alex Wojciechowicz's ancestors came from Poland . He grew up in the industrial town of South River and played American football in high school in his hometown since 1929 , but was also an excellent athlete , baseball and basketball player .
Player career
College career
In 1935 he was admitted to Fordham University and became a teammate of Vince Lombardi on the Jim Crowley- coached football team . In college he played mostly as a center. The offensive line of the team around Leo Paquin , Johnny Druze , Ed Franco , Al Babartsky , Natty Pierce , as well as Lombardi and Wojciechowicz trained by Frank Leahy went down in US sports history as the "Seven Blocks of Granite". In 1936 and 1937 Wojciechowicz was elected All American .
Professional career
Alexander Wojciechowicz was drafted sixth in the first round in 1938 by the Detroit Lions . He also played as a center with the Lions, but also got time in the team's defense and played there as a linebacker. With the team from Detroit , he did not make it into an NFL championship game until his move to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1946 . During the 1946 season Wojciechowicz moved to Philadelphia . The team's coach was Greasy Neale , who also used Wojciechowicz in both offense and defense.
As quarterback of the team acted Tommy Tompson which it after the face-off by Wojciechowicz always managed the outstanding offensive player Steve Van Buren , Pete Pihos or Jack Ferrante to stage. But the Eagles' defense was also very well staffed with players like Frank Kilroy or Al Wistert . Neale managed to form a top team from the team.
In 1947 Wojciechowicz moved with his team for the first time in the NFL championship game , but where they lost to the Chicago Cardinals with 28:21. In 1948 he was able to win his first NFL championship. Again the Cardinals were the opponents - this time however they were defeated by the Eagles 7-0. The following year, the Eagles moved into the final again and Wojciechowicz won his second NFL title. The Philadelphia team beat the Los Angeles Rams 14-0 after one season with 11 wins after a loss in the NFL final . Due to injuries Wojciechowicz received little time in 1950 and ended his career after that year.
Alex Wojciechowicz scored seven interceptions in 1944. This was the Lions team record for many years.
Honors
Wojciechowicz was voted All-Pro twice . He is honored by the Eagles in the Eagles Hall of Fame . He is a member of the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey , the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team , the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame , the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the College Football Hall of Fame .
According to the NFL
After his career, Alex Wojciechowicz worked as an insurance agent and then as a broker. He was married with a daughter and two sons and was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in East Brunswick .
Web links
- Obituary in the New York Times
- Alex Wojciechowicz at the Detroit Lions
- Alex Wojciechowicz in the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame
- Alex Wojciechowicz in the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey
Individual evidence
- ^ Report at ESPN
- ↑ Annual statistics of the Eagles 1947
- ↑ Statistics NFL final 1947
- ↑ Annual statistics of the Eagles 1948
- ^ NFL final 1948 statistics
- ↑ Annual statistics of the Eagles 1949
- ^ NFL final 1949 statistics
- ^ Grave of Alex Wojciechowicz
literature
- Richard Whittingham: What a Game They Played. An Inside Look at the Golden Era of Pro Football. Introduction by Keith McClellan. University of Nebraska Press et al., Lincoln NE et al. 2002, ISBN 0-8032-9819-6 .
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Wojciechowicz, Alex |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Wojciechowicz, Alexander Francis; Wojie (nickname) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American football player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 12, 1915 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | South River , New Jersey |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 13, 1992 |
| Place of death | Forked River , New Jersey |