John Rokisky
 Rokisky while at Duquesne University | |||||
| No. 54 | |||||
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| Position: | End, Placekicker | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | November 30, 1919 Mount Clare, West Virginia, U.S. | ||||
| Died: | December 1, 1993 (aged 74) Wintersville, Ohio, U.S. | ||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 202 lb (92 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Washington Irving, Clarksburg, WV | ||||
| College: | Duquesne University | ||||
| NFL draft: | 1942 / Round: 18 / Pick: 161 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||
John Stanley "Rock" Rokisky (November 30, 1919 – December 1, 1993) was a professional
Early life and college career
Rokisky was the youngest child of Florian Rokisky and Apolonia (Faculak) Rokisky, Slovak immigrants from the town of Lipnica Wielka (now part of Southern Poland). One of nine children, Rokisky grew up in
After he graduated from Duquesne, Rokisky joined the U.S. Navy in February 1942 and was attached to the Seebee's, a construction battalion.[4] He played football for a military team in 1944 while stationed at Camp Peary in Virginia and was selected to play on the Navy's all-star team.[4] Rokisky served in the Navy until October 1945.
Professional career
Rokisky was drafted in 1942 by the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League, but did not sign with the team as he continued his military service.[4] In 1946, following his discharge from the Navy, he signed with the Cleveland Browns, a team under formation in the new All-America Football Conference (AAFC).[4] He was the 21st player signed by the team.[4] Paul Brown, the coach of the Browns, placed Rokisky on the team's inactive list in October to make room for the addition of Bud Schwenk to the team's roster.[8] The Browns went on to win the AAFC championship.[9]
Rokisky played in 1947 for the Chicago Rockets as a kicker, and moved in 1948 to the AAFC's New York Yankees before leaving professional football.[10]
In his later years, Rokisky returned to West Virginia and was the owner of the Potomac Motel & Dining Room and Polish Pines Golf Course in Keyser, West Virginia. He died in Wintersville, Ohio in 1993[10] and is buried in Clarksburg, WV near his parents.
References
- ^ "Pitt Toppled By Duquesne". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. October 21, 1939. p. 11. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ^ a b "Sub End Halts Panthers' Rush". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Pittsburgh, PA. International News Service. October 22, 1939. p. C1.
- ^ a b "Rokisky's Kicks Save Duquesne". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Pittsburgh, PA. Associated Press. December 3, 1939. p. C1.
- ^ a b c d e f "Ex-Duquesne Star Signed By Browns". Cleveland Plain Dealer. February 13, 1946. p. 18.
- ^ "Rokisky On Collier's Team". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. New York. December 5, 1941. p. 19. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ^ "Fordham Works For Sugar Game". The News and Courier. International News Service. December 28, 1941. p. 10. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 29.
- ^ "Fekete Is Slated For Coast Action". Cleveland Plain Dealer. October 30, 1946. p. 19.
- ^ Piascik 2007, p. 64.
- ^ a b "John Rokisky NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
Bibliography
- Piascik, Andy (2007). The Best Show in Football: The 1946–1955 Cleveland Browns. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 978-1-58979-571-6.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Pro Football Reference