Ted Topor
Encyclopedia
Ted Peter Topor was an American football
player who played quarterback
and linebacker
. He played college football for the University of Michigan
and professional football for the Detroit Lions
.
in 1930 and graduated from East Chicago Roosevelt High School in 1949. He played on two Indiana state championship teams and was an Honorable Mention All-American high school player in 1948.
where he played football for the Michigan Wolverines football
teams from 1950 to 1952. He played on the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
that won the Big Ten Conference
championship and defeated the University of California
in the 1951 Rose Bowl
. A two-way player, Topor started seven games at quarterback and eight games as linebacker for the 1951 Wolverines. In 1951, Topor also "became the center of a faculty dispute over whether Michigan employed double scholastic standards for athletes and nonathletes." Topor left the campus for a time, but he returned in 1952. Head coach Bennie Oosterbaan
reported that Topor had both improved his school work and "emerged as a man." In September 1952, a feature story from the Associated Press
reported that a fit and dedicated Topor had reinvigorated the Wolverines with a new spirit:
Topor started all nine games at quarterback for the 1952 Wolverines and was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player.
in the 1953 NFL Draft
. Before starting his professional football career, he was inducted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War
. Topor was one of 226 NFL personnel who served in the military during the Korean War. After serving two years in the military, Topor was discharged in September 1955 and played at the linebacker
position for the Detroit Lions
in the 1955 NFL season
. However, his football career was cut short by injuries.
Topor was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame
in 2003.
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 quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and 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...
. He played college football 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...
and professional football 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...
.
Early years
Topor was born in East Chicago, IndianaEast Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Chicago is located at ....
in 1930 and graduated from East Chicago Roosevelt High School in 1949. He played on two Indiana state championship teams and was an Honorable Mention All-American high school player in 1948.
University of Michigan
Topor enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity 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...
where he played football for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
teams from 1950 to 1952. He played on the 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
1950 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1950 Michigan Wolverines football team, coached by Bennie Oosterbaan, won the Big Ten Conference championship with a record of 6–3–1 and defeated the California Bears in the 1951 Rose Bowl, 14–6. The team had two All-Big 10 backs in Don Dufek and Chuck Ortmann and All-American tackle R. Allen...
that won the Big Ten Conference
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...
championship and defeated the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
in the 1951 Rose Bowl
1951 Rose Bowl
The 1951 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1951. It was the 37th Rose Bowl Game. The Michigan Wolverines, champions of the Big Ten Conference, defeated the California Golden Bears, champions of the Pacific Coast Conference, 14–6. Michigan fullback Don Dufek was...
. A two-way player, Topor started seven games at quarterback and eight games as linebacker for the 1951 Wolverines. In 1951, Topor also "became the center of a faculty dispute over whether Michigan employed double scholastic standards for athletes and nonathletes." Topor left the campus for a time, but he returned in 1952. Head coach Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
reported that Topor had both improved his school work and "emerged as a man." In September 1952, a feature story from 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 that a fit and dedicated Topor had reinvigorated the Wolverines with a new spirit:
"Not the least of the factors in Michigan's dark horse role in the 1952 football campaign is an improved team spirit. And Coach Benny Oosterbaan and his staff attribute much of this to Ted Topor, the 212-pound senior quarterback from East Chicago, Ind."
Topor started all nine games at quarterback for the 1952 Wolverines and was selected as the team's Most Valuable Player.
Detroit Lions
Topor was selected by the Detroit LionsDetroit 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...
in the 1953 NFL Draft
1953 NFL Draft
The 1953 National Football League Draft was held on January 22, 1953.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
. Before starting his professional football career, he was inducted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. Topor was one of 226 NFL personnel who served in the military during the Korean War. After serving two years in the military, Topor was discharged in September 1955 and played at the 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...
position 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...
in the 1955 NFL season
1955 NFL season
The 1955 NFL season was the 36th regular season of the National Football League. NBC paid $100,000 to replace DuMont as the national television network for the NFL Championship Game...
. However, his football career was cut short by injuries.
Later years
After his playing career ended, Topor was the coach of the semi-pro Calumet Steelers for several years in the late 1950s and early 1960s.Topor was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame
Indiana Football Hall of Fame
The Indiana Football Hall of Fame is a sports museum and hall of fame in Richmond, Indiana. It honors persons associated with high school, college and professional American football in Indiana. It also works to establish scholarships and endowments to promote football in the state of Indiana...
in 2003.