Hippo Gozdowski
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | March 26, 1902 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died: | September 19, 1952 (aged 50) Toledo, Ohio |
| Position: | Fullback, guard, center |
| Career history | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
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 September 20, 2022.
- ^ "Hippo Gozdowski NFL Stats - Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ "The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio on October 4, 1928 · Page 32". Newspapers.com. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ "Bulldogs and Toledo Make Real Problem". Canton Daily News. November 5, 1922. p. 10.
- ^ a b "Toledo Victor". Canton Daily News. October 30, 1922. p. 11.
- ^ "Toledo Babe Ruth Too Much for Eagles Who Lose Game; Score 3-2". Sandusky Star-Journal. May 4, 1925. p. 10.