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]
| 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 | |
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.