Ed Klewicki
Encyclopedia
Edward Leonard Klewicki (May 6, 1912 - July 20, 1997) was an American football
player. He is in the National Polish-American Hall of Fame
.
Edward L. Klewicki was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
and moved to Hamtramck, Michigan
with his family at a young age. At the time, Hamtramck was an enclave of Polish immigrants in the Detroit area. He graduated from Hamtramck High School
in 1929. During his high school career, he was the catcher
on the school's first championship baseball
team and starred in the backfield
for the football
team. Klewicki received his school's highest graduation award for combining achievement in scholarship, athletics and citizenship.
Klewicki moved on the play football
at Michigan State College (later to become Michigan State University
). His college coach, Charles Bachman
, rated Ed as the best defensive end he had ever coached. The New York Sun selected him to the All-American 2nd Team in 1934, the same year he won Michigan State's MVP Award.
In 1935, Klewicki signed a pro contract with the Detroit Lions
and was a member of the NFL's World Championship team that season. He continued to play pro football through the 1938 season
.
Ed earned a B.S. degree from MSU and attended Purdue University
for post-graduate work. He served in a number of positions including president of the Michigan State Varsity Alumni for two years as well as secretary for the same club for four years. In addition, he served as president of the Detroit Lions Alumni and the president of the Lansing Country Club.
Ed Klewicki played a key role in the Detroit Lions' 26-7 triumph over the New York Giants
for the National Football League crown on a raw, gloomy afternoon at the University of Detroit Stadium
before 15,000 fans on December 19, 1935. In the early minutes of play, Lions' coach Potsy Clark decided to surprise the Giants with a shotgun offense.
Glenn Presnell
, the Lions' passer, fired a long pass intended for Klewicki, but the ball hit New York Giants
' Ed Danowski
's chest. The ball squirted high in the air, but Klewicki reached out quickly, gathered the ball in and put the Lions into scoring position from the two-yard line.
Ace Gutowsky
plunged for a touchdown, Presnell kicked the extra point and the Lions led 7-0 on their way to the championship.
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...
player. He is in the National Polish-American Hall of Fame
National Polish-American Hall of Fame
The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded February 30, 1973 to honor and recognize outstanding American athletes, both amateur and professional, of Polish descent....
.
Edward L. Klewicki was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and moved to Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
with his family at a young age. At the time, Hamtramck was an enclave of Polish immigrants in the Detroit area. He graduated from Hamtramck High School
Hamtramck High School
Hamtramck High School is a public high school in Hamtramck, Michigan, United States, named after Colonel Jean François Hamtramck.-History:Hamtramck High School was originally located on Wyandotte and Hewitt Streets until 1970 when it was moved to the former Copernicus Junior Middle School.A...
in 1929. During his high school career, he was the catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
on the school's first championship baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team and starred in the backfield
Backfield
The backfield is the area of an American football field behind the line of scrimmage. The backfield or offensive backfield can also refer to members of offense who begin plays behind the line, typically including any backs on the field, such as the quarterback, running back, and/or fullback.-Play...
for the football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
team. Klewicki received his school's highest graduation award for combining achievement in scholarship, athletics and citizenship.
Klewicki moved on the play 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 Michigan State College (later to become Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
). His college coach, Charles Bachman
Charles Bachman
Charles William "Charlie" Bachman is an American computer scientist, who spent his entire career as an industrial researcher rather than in academia...
, rated Ed as the best defensive end he had ever coached. The New York Sun selected him to the All-American 2nd Team in 1934, the same year he won Michigan State's MVP Award.
In 1935, Klewicki signed a pro contract with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and was a member of the NFL's World Championship team that season. He continued to play pro football through the 1938 season
1938 NFL season
The 1938 NFL season was the 19th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended when the New York Giants defeated the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game.-Major rule changes:...
.
Ed earned a B.S. degree from MSU and attended Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
for post-graduate work. He served in a number of positions including president of the Michigan State Varsity Alumni for two years as well as secretary for the same club for four years. In addition, he served as president of the Detroit Lions Alumni and the president of the Lansing Country Club.
Ed Klewicki played a key role in the Detroit Lions' 26-7 triumph over the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for the National Football League crown on a raw, gloomy afternoon at the University of Detroit Stadium
University of Detroit Stadium
University of Detroit Stadium, also known as U of D Stadium, Titan Stadium, or Dinan Field, was a stadium in Detroit, Michigan on the campus of the University of Detroit...
before 15,000 fans on December 19, 1935. In the early minutes of play, Lions' coach Potsy Clark decided to surprise the Giants with a shotgun offense.
Glenn Presnell
Glenn Presnell
Glenn Emery "Press" Presnell was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He set the NFL single-season scoring record in 1933 and led the league in total offense. He was the last surviving member of the Detroit Lions inaugural 1934 team and helped lead the team to...
, the Lions' passer, fired a long pass intended for Klewicki, but the ball hit New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' Ed Danowski
Ed Danowski
Edward Frank Danowski was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback in the National Football League. Danowski played for the New York Giants for seven seasons and quarterbacked the team when they won the 1934 and 1938 NFL Championship Games...
's chest. The ball squirted high in the air, but Klewicki reached out quickly, gathered the ball in and put the Lions into scoring position from the two-yard line.
Ace Gutowsky
Ace Gutowsky
LeRoy Erwin "Ace" Gutowsky was an American football fullback. He played professional football for eight years from 1932 to 1939 and set the NFL career rushing record in October 1939. He held the Detroit Lions' career and single-season rushing records until the 1960s.-Early years:Gutowsky was...
plunged for a touchdown, Presnell kicked the extra point and the Lions led 7-0 on their way to the championship.