John Wysocki
Encyclopedia
John Wysocki was an American football
player who played for Villanova University
from 1936-1938 and was selected as a consensus All-American at the end position in both 1937 and 1938.
Wysocki first gained national media attention after an October 1937 game in which he scored 19 of Villanova's 20 points (three touchdowns and an extra point) in a 20-0 victory over Manhattan. In November 1937, noted sports writer Alan Gould wrote of Wysocki: "Villanova's sensational John Wysocki, who put on a one man scoring show against Manhattan, had another big afternoon against Detroit." Wysocki was also known as a kick-blocker and had three career touchdowns on blocked kicks. In the 1937 Bacardi Bowl, Villanova was trailing Auburn 7-0 in the fourth quarter, when Wysocki and Valentine Rizzo blocked a kick inside the Auburn 15-yard line, and the kick was recovered by a Villanova lineman for a touchdown that led to the final game score of 7-7. Wysocki repeated as an All-American in 1938 despite suffering injuries that prevented him from playing a full schedule. In November 1938, NEA syndicate sports editor Harry Grayson
said the following of the two-time All-American:
Wysocki was drafted by the Chicago Bears
in the third round (21st pick overall) of the 1939 NFL Draft
. However, Wysocki instead took a job as a high school teacher and coach. Upon graduating in 1939, Wysocki became a teacher and coach of football, basketball and track at Clifton Heights High School in a suburb of Philadelphia. He later became the football and baseball coach and athletic director at Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
, from 1944-1946. From 1947-1965, he was a sales representative for a distilling firm. He lived in his later years in Highland Park, Pennsylvania
, and died in Philadelphia's Osteophathic Hospital at age 49 in 1965. Wysocki was survived by his wife, Mary Wysocki, a son and four daughters.
Wysocki was inducted into the Villanova Walk of Fame in 1994.
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 played for Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
from 1936-1938 and was selected as a consensus All-American at the end position in both 1937 and 1938.
Wysocki first gained national media attention after an October 1937 game in which he scored 19 of Villanova's 20 points (three touchdowns and an extra point) in a 20-0 victory over Manhattan. In November 1937, noted sports writer Alan Gould wrote of Wysocki: "Villanova's sensational John Wysocki, who put on a one man scoring show against Manhattan, had another big afternoon against Detroit." Wysocki was also known as a kick-blocker and had three career touchdowns on blocked kicks. In the 1937 Bacardi Bowl, Villanova was trailing Auburn 7-0 in the fourth quarter, when Wysocki and Valentine Rizzo blocked a kick inside the Auburn 15-yard line, and the kick was recovered by a Villanova lineman for a touchdown that led to the final game score of 7-7. Wysocki repeated as an All-American in 1938 despite suffering injuries that prevented him from playing a full schedule. In November 1938, NEA syndicate sports editor Harry Grayson
Harry Grayson
Harry Markey Grayson was an American sportswriter. He was the sports editor of the Newspaper Enterprise Association from 1934 to 1963.-Baseball:* , February 5, 1936*, March 18, 1938...
said the following of the two-time All-American:
"John Wysocki is a raw-boned kid who made more All-America teams last year than did any other end. As a sophomore Wysocki had little polish. He was just a big fellow with a desire to put on bone-crushing blocks, a fervor for knocking people down, and obsessed with the idea that end play should be confined to the opponent's backfield. There was a finesse to his blistering blocking, brisk tackling and uncanny forward pass receiving this year. He gave Maurice (Big Clipper) Smith a chance to turn the foemen's desire to sock Wysocki into a Villanova advantage. Wysocki was all team player. He was the ideal decoy on pass plays and a demon on defense. Wysocki, a Wilkes-Barre boy, played with a pair of ankles that would have benched a less hardy individual."
Wysocki was drafted by 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...
in the third round (21st pick overall) of the 1939 NFL Draft
1939 NFL Draft
The 1939 National Football League Draft was held on December 9, 1938.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round Two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. However, Wysocki instead took a job as a high school teacher and coach. Upon graduating in 1939, Wysocki became a teacher and coach of football, basketball and track at Clifton Heights High School in a suburb of Philadelphia. He later became the football and baseball coach and athletic director at Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
King of Prussia is a census-designated place in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 19,936. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named the King of Prussia Inn, which was named after...
, from 1944-1946. From 1947-1965, he was a sales representative for a distilling firm. He lived in his later years in Highland Park, Pennsylvania
Highland Park, Pennsylvania
Highland Park is a census-designated place in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,446 at the 2000 census.-General information:*ZIP Code: 17044*Area Code: 717*Local Phone Exchanges: 242, 247, 248...
, and died in Philadelphia's Osteophathic Hospital at age 49 in 1965. Wysocki was survived by his wife, Mary Wysocki, a son and four daughters.
Wysocki was inducted into the Villanova Walk of Fame in 1994.