Walt Zirinsky
| No. 16 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Halfback / Defensive back |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 1, 1920 Northampton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died: | November 30, 2001 (aged 81) Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight: | 187 lb (85 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Northampton (Northampton, Pennsylvania) |
| College: | Lafayette |
| NFL draft: | 1942 / Round: 12 / Pick: 102 |
| Career history | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career NFL statistics | |
| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |
Walter John Zirinsky (August 1, 1920 – November 30, 2001) was an American football halfback who was a member of the Cleveland Rams team that won the 1945 NFL Championship.[1]
Biography
Early years
Walter John Zirinsky, known by the nickname "Walt," was born August 1, 1920, in Northampton, Pennsylvania.[2] He was the son of Cyril Zirinsky and the former Mary Flisak.[3]
Zirinsky attended Northampton Area High School, taking up the sport of football and excelled in it. Following his graduation from high school Zirinsky played college football at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he was a halfback who also handled placekicking duties for the team.[4] He was a star of the team from the 1940 season, scoring three touchdowns in a 46-0 route of arch-rival Lehigh that capped off an unbeaten year.[5]
NFL career
Zirinsky was drafted by the
He was discharged in time to play in the
Zirinsky signed a second NFL contract in March 1946 with Rams General Manager
Zirinsky never played for the Eagles, however, and his NFL career came to an end with just the three carries for the Rams and participation on an NFL championship team to his credit.[10]
Life after football
Zirinsky was married to the former Mary Laubach, with whom he had one son.[3]
Following his retirement from the NFL, Zirinsky worked as a department chief for Western Electric in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he worked for 37 years.[3]
Death and legacy
Walt Zirinsky died November 30, 2001, in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania. He was 81 years old at the time of his death. His family asked for donations to the American Cancer Society in Zirinsky's memory.[3]
Footnotes
- ^ "WALT ZIRINSKY". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
- ^ a b c "Walt Zirinsky," Pro-Football Reference.com, www.profootballarchives.com/
- ^ a b c d e "Walter J. Zirinsky: Obituary," Morning Call, December 2, 2001.
- ^ "Pennsylvania's Reagan Leads Eastern Scorers," Harrisburg [PA] Telegraph, October 21, 1940, pg. 15.
- ^ "Lafayette Romps," [Butte] Montana Standard, November 24, 1940, pg. 22.
- ^ a b Feldman, Chic. "Walt Zirinsky of Lafayette Signed as Playing Mentor By Professional Grid Miners", Scranton Tribune, Scranton, Pennsylvania, May 26, 1946, Page 35.
- ^ a b "Los Angeles Rams Add More Players," New Philadelphia [OH] Daily Times, March 30, 1946; page 5.
- ^ George Strickler (ed.), The National Football League Record and Rules Manual. New York: NFL Commissioner's Office, 1946; pg. 110.
- ^ "Eagles Trade Banta," Harrisburg [PA] Telegraph, April 20, 1946, pg. 6.
- ^ "Walt Zirinsky: Career Stats," National Football League, www.nfl.com/
External links
- Walt Zirinsky statistics at Just Sports Stats