Frank Dempsey
Encyclopedia
James Franklin "Frank" Dempsey (born May 27, 1925) is a former American college and professional football
player who was a linebacker
and lineman in the National Football League
(NFL) and the Canadian Football League
(CFL) for six seasons in the 1950s. Dempsey played college football
for the University of Florida
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Chicago Bears
of the NFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
and Ottawa Rough Riders
of the CFL.
in 1925. He attended Miami Senior High School in Miami, Florida
, and he played high school football
for the Miami Stingarees.
, where he played for coach Raymond Wolf
's Florida Gators football
team from 1946 to 1949. He was a standout lineman on offense and defense for the Gators at the lowest point in the history of their football program, ironically dubbed the "Golden Era" by the players. Dempsey graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in physical education in 1950, and he was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1971.
Dempsey was remembered as a good-natured mischief maker and for the pranks and activities of his teammates that revolved around his World War II
-era surplus
Jeep
.
, and he played in thirty-nine games for the Bears from to . He was a versatile player, and at different times, he played both offense and defense, including linebacker, guard
and tackle
.
Dempsey played his final two professional seasons in the CFL, first for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in and the first part of , and then for the Ottawa Rough Riders during the latter part of the 1955 season. He was selected as a CFL East All-Star in the first CFL All-Star Game
in 1955.
.
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 who was a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
and lineman 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...
(NFL) and the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) for six seasons in the 1950s. Dempsey 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...
for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
and Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
of the CFL.
Early years
Dempsey was born in Dothan, AlabamaDothan, Alabama
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of the US state of Alabama, situated approximately west of the Georgia state line and north of Florida. It is the seat of Houston County, with portions extending into nearby Dale County and Henry County...
in 1925. He attended Miami Senior High School in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, and he played high school 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....
for the Miami Stingarees.
College career
Dempsey attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, FloridaGainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played for coach Raymond Wolf
Raymond Wolf
Raymond Bernard "Bear" Wolf was an American football player and coach. Wolf was a native of Illinois and an alumnus of Texas Christian University, where he played college football and baseball...
's Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1946 to 1949. He was a standout lineman on offense and defense for the Gators at the lowest point in the history of their football program, ironically dubbed the "Golden Era" by the players. Dempsey graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in physical education in 1950, and he was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1971.
Dempsey was remembered as a good-natured mischief maker and for the pranks and activities of his teammates that revolved around his World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era surplus
Surplus Property Act
The Surplus Property Act of 1944 is an act of the United States Congress that was enacted to provide for the disposal of surplus government property to "a State, political subdivision of a State, or tax-supported organization"...
Jeep
Willys MB
The Willys MB US Army Jeep and the Ford GPW, were manufactured from 1941 to 1945. These small four-wheel drive utility vehicles are considered the iconic World War II Jeep, and inspired many similar light utility vehicles. Over the years, the World War II Jeep later evolved into the "CJ" civilian...
.
Professional career
The Chicago Bears selected Dempsey in the thirteenth round (166th pick overall) of the 1950 NFL Draft1950 NFL Draft
The 1950 National Football League Draft was held on January 20–21, 1950.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
, and he played in thirty-nine games for the Bears from to . He was a versatile player, and at different times, he played both offense and defense, including linebacker, guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
.
Dempsey played his final two professional seasons in the CFL, first for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in and the first part of , and then for the Ottawa Rough Riders during the latter part of the 1955 season. He was selected as a CFL East All-Star in the first CFL All-Star Game
CFL All-Star Game
The Canadian Football League played an all-star game regularly during the 1950s and 1970s and twice in the 1980s.The first game in 1955 actually precedes the establishment of the Canadian Football Council and the CFL, and was known as the Shrine Game. It was held each year from 1955 to 1958; then,...
in 1955.
Life after football
After Dempsey's professional football career ended, he remained in Canada and became the owner of a successful gun and sporting goods store. He is now retired and lives in Vero Beach, FloridaVero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, USA. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 16,939. It is the county seat of Indian River County...
.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1940–1949
- List of Chicago Bears players
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of University of Florida alumni