Frank Kirkleski
Encyclopedia
Frank William Kirkleski was a professional football
player from Nutley, New Jersey
. He played during the early years of the National Football League
for the Pottsville Maroons
, Orange Tornadoes, Newark Tornadoes and the Brooklyn Dodgers
. Kirkleski played college football
for Lafayette College
, in which he graduated from in 1927.
. During his freshman season when he shocked LaFayette's archrival, Lehigh University
, with a touchdown
run that gave the Leopards a 13-3 last-minute victory in 1923. Lehigh would only score three points in Kirkleski's four years at Lafayette. In his sophomore year, he helped guide Lafayette to a 7-2 record. He was named the team's captain during his senior year. It was then that he helped the Leopards capture their third National Championship
with a 9-0 record. He received second and third team All American honors from the New York Telegraph and The New York World in 1926. He was later inducted into the school's Maroon Club Hall Of Fame in 2001.
, in the endzone to give the Maroons a last minute win over the Providence Steam Roller
. Kirkleski would haunt Providence again in a rematch on November 24. In that game, he threw a 21 yard pass to Gus Kenneally to give Pottsville a 6-0 victory.
. During a game against the NFL's Staten Island Stapletons
, he threw for a touchdown and combined, with another quarterback, to throw for 143 yards on 23 passes without an interception, which was an accomplishment in 1928. However Kirkleski gave up a costly interception, in the team's finale against the Stapletons, which was returned for a Staten Island touchdown. That error resulted in a 6-0 Orange loss.
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 from Nutley, New Jersey
Nutley, New Jersey
2010 Census Data:*TOTAL: 28,370 or 100%*White: 23,405 *African American: 628 *Asian: 2,824 *American Indian and Alaska Native: 36 *Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 4...
. He played during the early years of 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...
for the Pottsville Maroons
Pottsville Maroons
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1920, they went on to play in the National Football League for four seasons, from 1925–1928...
, Orange Tornadoes, Newark Tornadoes and the Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
. Kirkleski 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 Lafayette College
Lafayette Leopards football
The Lafayette Leopards football program represents Lafayette College in college football. One of the oldest college football programs in the United States, Lafayette currently plays in the Patriot League at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level...
, in which he graduated from in 1927.
College
While at Lafayette, Kirkleski was known as a hard-hitting back. He played all four of his college years as a varsity halfbackHalfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
. During his freshman season when he shocked LaFayette's archrival, Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
, with a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
run that gave the Leopards a 13-3 last-minute victory in 1923. Lehigh would only score three points in Kirkleski's four years at Lafayette. In his sophomore year, he helped guide Lafayette to a 7-2 record. He was named the team's captain during his senior year. It was then that he helped the Leopards capture their third National Championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
with a 9-0 record. He received second and third team All American honors from the New York Telegraph and The New York World in 1926. He was later inducted into the school's Maroon Club Hall Of Fame in 2001.
Pottsville Maroons
After college Kirkleski played for the Pottsville Maroons of the National Football League. In his professional debut, Kirkleski threw two touchdown passes to led the Maroons over the Buffalo Bisons 22-0. Then on October 16, 1927, he led his team down the field on three passes, where he recovered a fumble, by teammate Tony LatoneTony Latone
Anthony Latone was an American football player of Lithuanian descent who played six seasons in the National Football League.He is unofficially considered the leading rusher of 1920's. Although he never attended college, Tony was considered one of the league's top players...
, in the endzone to give the Maroons a last minute win over the Providence Steam Roller
Providence Steam Roller
The Providence Steam Roller was a professional American football team based in Providence, Rhode Island in the National Football League from 1925 to 1931. Providence was the first New England team to win an NFL championship...
. Kirkleski would haunt Providence again in a rematch on November 24. In that game, he threw a 21 yard pass to Gus Kenneally to give Pottsville a 6-0 victory.
Orange Athletic Club
In 1928, Kirkleski joined the independent Orange Athletic Club from New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. During a game against the NFL's Staten Island Stapletons
Staten Island Stapletons
The Staten Island Stapletons also known as the Staten Island Stapes were a professional American football team founded in 1915 that played in the National Football League from 1929 to 1930. The team was based in the Stapleton section of Staten Island. Under the shortened nickname the "Stapes"...
, he threw for a touchdown and combined, with another quarterback, to throw for 143 yards on 23 passes without an interception, which was an accomplishment in 1928. However Kirkleski gave up a costly interception, in the team's finale against the Stapletons, which was returned for a Staten Island touchdown. That error resulted in a 6-0 Orange loss.