Hippo Gozdowski
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | March 26, 1902 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died: | September 19, 1952 (aged 50) Toledo, Ohio |
| Position: | Fullback, guard, center |
| Career history | |
| Player stats at PFR | |
Casimir "Hippo" Gozdowski (March 26, 1902 – September 19, 1952) was an American football fullback for the Toledo Maroons of the National Football League.[1][2] Nicknamed "Hippo" because of his large size, Gozdowski was a well-known athlete in Toledo, playing professional and semi-professional football and baseball for many years in the city.[3]
Early life[edit]
Casimir Gozdowski was born on March 26, 1902, in Chicago, Illinois, but had moved to Toledo, Ohio by the time he reached his twenties.
Football career[edit]
In 1922, Gozdowski played for the Toledo Maroons of the National Football League, which at the time was only three years old and had just begun to call itself the NFL.[1]
Gozdowski had not played college football, unlike most of the starters on the team.[4] He played backup to starting right guard Cap Edwards.[5]
Gozdowski's most prolific game saw him score two rushing touchdowns in a 39–0 rout of the Louisville Brecks, in which the Brecks failed to even get a first down.[1][5]
Baseball career[edit]
In 1925, Gozdowski played pitcher for a Toledo semi-professional baseball team called the Eagles. Described as "a big Polish boy" and likened to Babe Ruth by the Sandusky Star-Journal, he was considered far and away the best player on the team.[6]
Later life and death[edit]
Gozdowski died in Toledo on September 19, 1952, at the age of 50.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Hippo Gozdowski Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ^ "Hippo Gozdowski NFL Stats - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ^ "The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio on October 4, 1928 · Page 32". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ^ "Bulldogs and Toledo Make Real Problem". Canton Daily News. 1922-11-05. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Toledo Victor". Canton Daily News. 1922-10-30. p. 11.
- ^ "Toledo Babe Ruth Too Much for Eagles Who Lose Game; Score 3-2". Sandusky Star-Journal. 1925-05-04. p. 10.