Mike Michalske
Encyclopedia
August Mike Michalske was an American football
player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 1964.
Originally a member of the short-lived New York Yankees
National Football League
team from 1927 to 1928, Michalske arrived in Green Bay
in 1929 for the first of what would be nine seasons with the team. An All-America
fullback
during his Penn State career, the 6-foot, 210 pound Michalske convinced Packers coach Curly Lambeau
to try him on the offensive line, where he became the first great guard
in pro football, known for his combination of speed, agility and power.
The first guard
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
, Michalske was a key blocker in the Packers
' championship seasons in 1929, 1930, and 1931, opening holes for the likes of Johnny "Blood" McNally
and Bob Monnett
. Michalske also played on the defensive line and was dubbed "Iron Mike" because despite playing 60 minutes a game, he missed only 9 of 104 games during his Packers tenure, 5 of them in his final season. Moreover, throughout his football career he played with an unrepaired congenital abdominal hernia.
Michalske was a six time consensus first team All-Pro in 1927-1931 and 1935. He wore nine uniform numbers over his Packers
career, the most by any one player in team history: 19 (1932), 24 (1934), 28 (1931), 30 (1932), 31 (1933), 33 (1935), 36 (1929-30, 37), 40 (1935) and 63 (1934). Following his Packers career, Michalske became a coach, including a head coaching stint at Iowa State
from 1942 to 1946.
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 and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 1964.
Originally a member of the short-lived New York Yankees
New York Yankees (NFL)
The New York Yankees were a short-lived professional American football team from 1926 to 1928. The team was a member of the first American Football League in 1926, and later the National Football League from 1927-1928. They played their home games at Yankee Stadium...
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...
team from 1927 to 1928, Michalske arrived in Green Bay
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in 1929 for the first of what would be nine seasons with the team. An All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
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...
during his Penn State career, the 6-foot, 210 pound Michalske convinced Packers coach Curly Lambeau
Curly Lambeau
Earl Louis "Curly" Lambeau was founder, player, and first coach of the Green Bay Packers professional American football team...
to try him on the offensive line, where he became the first great 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....
in pro football, known for his combination of speed, agility and power.
The first 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....
inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, Michalske was a key blocker in the Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
' championship seasons in 1929, 1930, and 1931, opening holes for the likes of Johnny "Blood" McNally
John McNally
John Victor "Blood" McNally was an American football player who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.-Early life:...
and Bob Monnett
Bob Monnett
Robert C. Monnett was a professional American football player who played halfback for six seasons for the Green Bay Packers. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1973....
. Michalske also played on the defensive line and was dubbed "Iron Mike" because despite playing 60 minutes a game, he missed only 9 of 104 games during his Packers tenure, 5 of them in his final season. Moreover, throughout his football career he played with an unrepaired congenital abdominal hernia.
Michalske was a six time consensus first team All-Pro in 1927-1931 and 1935. He wore nine uniform numbers over his Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
career, the most by any one player in team history: 19 (1932), 24 (1934), 28 (1931), 30 (1932), 31 (1933), 33 (1935), 36 (1929-30, 37), 40 (1935) and 63 (1934). Following his Packers career, Michalske became a coach, including a head coaching stint at Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
from 1942 to 1946.
External links
- http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=150 Mike Michalske's Hall of Fame biography