John Wiethe
Encyclopedia
John Albert "Socko" Wiethe (October 17, 1912May 3, 1989) was an early all-around sports star in football, baseball and basketball. He played professional American football
guard
/linebacker
in the National Football League
. He played four seasons for the Detroit Lions
(1939–1942). He also briefly played in the National Basketball League during the late 1930s, and also played independent pro baseball. He later coached both football and then basketball at the University of Cincinnati. In later years, he was also active in local Cincinnati politics as a Democrat.
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...
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....
/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...
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...
. He played four seasons for 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...
(1939–1942). He also briefly played in the National Basketball League during the late 1930s, and also played independent pro baseball. He later coached both football and then basketball at the University of Cincinnati. In later years, he was also active in local Cincinnati politics as a Democrat.