John Regeczi
Encyclopedia
John M. Regeczi was an American football
player. He played at the fullback
, halfback
positions for the University of Michigan
teams from 1932 to 1934, including the undefeated national championship
teams of 1932
and 1933
.
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and grew up in Muskegon
in the western Lower Peninsula
of Michigan. He was the captain of the football and basketball teams at Muskegon Heights High School. He also set school records in the 100-yard dash, the 220-yard dash and the javelin throw. In high school, he was a running back and punter and was selected by the Detroit News as a first-team All-State football player for the State of Michigan in both 1929 and 1930.
in 1933, a game in which Regeczi rushed for 101 yards. Regeczi gained the majority of his yards against Cornell on an 85-yard touchdown run from punt formation in the first quarter. Regeczi also played an important role in the 1933 Michigan-Ohio State game. The game was played at Michigan Stadium
in front of 93,508 fans -- the largest crowd to see a Big Ten
football game to that date. Regeczi kept Ohio State at bay with his punting and also playing at the fullback position. While he was regarded as a good running back, Regeczi won his greatest acclaim as a punter. In October 1933, George Kirksey, writing for the United Press, said: "Regeczi, the Hungarian halfback, is probably the greatest punter for distance and accuracy in the country ..."
Regeczi suffered a knee injury at the start of the 1934 season and had difficulty regaining his speed after the injury. He was kept in the lineup in 1934 mostly due to his punting ability. The Associated Press
reported in November 1934 that after three years in the starting lineup, Regeczi "found himself in the position of battling for a starting position."
Due in part to injuries to Regeczi and quarterback Bill Renner
, Kipke's offense in 1934 was sometimes referred to as "Punt, Pass and Prayer." A September 1934 newspaper story described Regeczi's role in the system:
Regeczi was teammates with Gerald Ford
, who later served as the U.S. President, on the Michigan teams from 1932 to 1934. In 1994 interview, Ford praised Regeczi's punting in discussing the "Punt, Pass and Prayer" offense:
Ford was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1934 team.
Despite the injury and limited playing time in 1934, Regeczi was selected to play on the College All‑Star team after his senior year. Regeczi and Gerald Ford
were the only two Wolverines selected to play on the 1935 College All-Star team. Although the Chicago Bears
beat the College All-Stars 5 to 0, Regeczi's punting was singled out for praise in the press coverage of the game: "And the punt. The game showed this weapon the important thing in football. You noticed the Bears never came close to while Regeczi was kicking."
organization. In August 1935, he was hired to coach football at L'Anse High School in L'Anse, Michigan
. He later taught and coached at Burton Junior High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan
. He coached junior high school athletics for 36 years and retired in 1973.
Regeczi was inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Regeczi died in 2003 in Aurora, Colorado
at age 90.
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 played at the fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
, halfback
Halfback (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...
positions for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
teams from 1932 to 1934, including the undefeated 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...
teams of 1932
1932 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1932 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1932 college football season. The team's head football coach was Harry Kipke...
and 1933
1933 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1933 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1933 college football season. The team's head football coach was Harry Kipke...
.
Early years
Regeczi was born in IronwoodIronwood, Michigan
Ironwood is a city in Gogebic County in the U.S. state of Michigan, about south of Lake Superior. The population was 6,293 at the 2000 census. The city is on US 2 and is situated opposite the Montreal River from Hurley, Wisconsin. It is the westernmost city in Michigan, situated on the same line...
in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and grew up in Muskegon
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
in the western Lower Peninsula
Lower Peninsula of Michigan
The Lower Peninsula of Michigan is the southern of the two major landmasses of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is surrounded by water on all sides except its southern border, which it shares with Ohio and Indiana. Geographically, the Lower Peninsula has a recognizable shape that many people...
of Michigan. He was the captain of the football and basketball teams at Muskegon Heights High School. He also set school records in the 100-yard dash, the 220-yard dash and the javelin throw. In high school, he was a running back and punter and was selected by the Detroit News as a first-team All-State football player for the State of Michigan in both 1929 and 1930.
Michigan
Regeczi enrolled at the University of Michigan where he won letters in football, basketball and baseball. Regeczi played in Harry Kipke's offense that won back-to-back national championships in 1932 and 1933. Regeczi had one of his best games in a 40–0 win over CornellCornell Big Red football
The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Championship Subdivision college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation...
in 1933, a game in which Regeczi rushed for 101 yards. Regeczi gained the majority of his yards against Cornell on an 85-yard touchdown run from punt formation in the first quarter. Regeczi also played an important role in the 1933 Michigan-Ohio State game. The game was played at Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
in front of 93,508 fans -- the largest crowd to see a Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
football game to that date. Regeczi kept Ohio State at bay with his punting and also playing at the fullback position. While he was regarded as a good running back, Regeczi won his greatest acclaim as a punter. In October 1933, George Kirksey, writing for the United Press, said: "Regeczi, the Hungarian halfback, is probably the greatest punter for distance and accuracy in the country ..."
Regeczi suffered a knee injury at the start of the 1934 season and had difficulty regaining his speed after the injury. He was kept in the lineup in 1934 mostly due to his punting ability. The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported in November 1934 that after three years in the starting lineup, Regeczi "found himself in the position of battling for a starting position."
Due in part to injuries to Regeczi and quarterback Bill Renner
William Renner
William Renner was an American football player. He played at the quarterback position for the University of Michigan teams from 1931 to 1935. He was a member of the undefeated national champion 1933 Michigan football team also the captain of the 1935 Michigan football team.-University of...
, Kipke's offense in 1934 was sometimes referred to as "Punt, Pass and Prayer." A September 1934 newspaper story described Regeczi's role in the system:
"A punt, a pass and a prayer. By Harry Kipke's own words, that's all they have over there. But when it's a Regeczi punting, a Renner passing, and a typical Michigan squad of good ends, good tackles, good guards, and a great center 'preying', how are you going to stop them?"
Regeczi was teammates with Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
, who later served as the U.S. President, on the Michigan teams from 1932 to 1934. In 1994 interview, Ford praised Regeczi's punting in discussing the "Punt, Pass and Prayer" offense:
"In '32 and '33, we were undefeated, and then in '34 we had a tough, tough year. In those years, our offense was called a punt, a pass, and a prayer. We had an outstanding passer, Bill Renner, who broke an ankle before the season started. Our punter, John Regeczi, was the greatest college punter I ever saw and he ruined his knee. All we had left was the prayer."
Ford was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1934 team.
Despite the injury and limited playing time in 1934, Regeczi was selected to play on the College All‑Star team after his senior year. Regeczi and Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
were the only two Wolverines selected to play on the 1935 College All-Star team. Although 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...
beat the College All-Stars 5 to 0, Regeczi's punting was singled out for praise in the press coverage of the game: "And the punt. The game showed this weapon the important thing in football. You noticed the Bears never came close to while Regeczi was kicking."
Later years
After graduating from Michigan, Regeczi turned down an offer to play professional baseball in the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
organization. In August 1935, he was hired to coach football at L'Anse High School in L'Anse, Michigan
L'Anse, Michigan
L'Anse is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Baraga County. The population was 2,107 at the 2000 census. The village is located within L'Anse Township....
. He later taught and coached at Burton Junior High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
. He coached junior high school athletics for 36 years and retired in 1973.
Regeczi was inducted into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.
Regeczi died in 2003 in Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
at age 90.