Edward Anthony Rucinski (July 12, 1916 – April 22, 1995) was a professional American football player who played end for six seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cardinals and "Card-Pitt" of the National Football League. Rucinski was named to the 1939 College Football All Polish-American Team.[1] He played college football at Indiana University where he was a member of Sigma Pi fraternity.[2] He died in Florida on April 22, 1995.[3] He was drafted in the six round of the 1941 NFL Draft by the Brooklyn Dodgers.[4]
Career
Rucinski played in sixty NFL games, starting in forty-one of them. He scored eight career touchdowns (all as a receiver) and averaged 14.2 receiving yards per game. In his career he had ninety-nine receptions for 1408 yards. He also had eighteen career rushes for eighty-five yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1942 and named All-Pro in 1943.[5]
Personal life
Rucinski was married to Mae Tilly. He had a daughter named Suzie and a stepson named John. After leaving football he moved to California. In the 1970s he moved to Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, where he was a member of St. Jerome's Catholic Church, and opened a medical supply business in St. Petersburg, Florida.[3]
References
- ^ Rosiak, A. J. (December 24, 1939). "In The Polish Colony". The Sunday Morning Star. p. 14. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
- ^ Langhammer, Jay (Fall 1985). "Sigma Pis in Pro Football" (PDF). The Emerald of Sigma Pi. Vol. 74, no. 3. p. 21.
- ^ a b "Edward Anthony Rucinski". The Times of Northwest Indiana. April 27, 1995 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1941 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
- ^ "Ed Rucinski Stats". Pro Football Reference.