Mickey Fitzgerald
 | |
| No. 48, 38 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Fullback |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | April 10, 1958 Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | E. C. Glass High School |
| College: | Virginia Tech |
| Career history | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Mickey Fitzgerald (born April 10, 1957) is a former American football player. He played for the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles in 1981[1] and was inducted into the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.[2] In 2007, he was also inducted into the Central Virginia Hall of Fame.[3]
Biography
[edit]Fitzgerald is the oldest of his three brothers.[3] He was raised in a Catholic orphanage after his mother witnessed her lover getting shot, which made her feel that she wasn't fit to parent. Father Paul, a priest, took him and other orphanage residents to ball games.[citation needed] After two years in the orphanage, his grandmother took him and his siblings home. He attended E. C. Glass High School, where he played football. His athletic performance helped him secure college scholarships and he attended Virginia Tech.[4]
After playing fullback in college at Virginia Tech, Fitzgerald was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent in 1981 and made the regular season roster after leading the team in rushing during the preseason.[5][6][7] After playing in the season opener he was cut to make room for the Falcons to sign running back Bo Robinson.[8][6] He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles but was waived by the Eagles to make room to sign running back Booker Russell.[8] He ended up playing one game each for the Falcons and Eagles.[9] He later played for the Memphis Showboats in 1984.[10] He began working in real estate and was a sumo wrestler in Japan.[7] He has one son.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ "Profile at NFL.com".
- ^ "Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame".
- ^ a b "Iraq and Back.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ^ "Fortune Mag Gang Tackle.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ^ "Falcons get surprised with Mickey Fitzgerald". The Herald. August 12, 1981. p. 7. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Reese, Earnest (September 10, 1981). "Brief Falcon career ends for fullback Fitzgerald". Atlanta Constitution. pp. 1-C, 8-C. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Tech, Virginia. "Virginia Tech Magazine | Alumni Shorts". www.vtmag.vt.edu. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
- ^ a b Aubrey, Coult (October 1, 1981). "13-day Eagle, Mickey Fitzgerald, a real card". The Morning Call. p. 48. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mickey Fitzgerald". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ "Mickey Fitzgerald". USFL. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
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- Living people
- American football running backs
- Virginia Tech Hokies football players
- 1957 births
- Players of American football from Lynchburg, Virginia
- Atlanta Falcons players
- Philadelphia Eagles players
- Memphis Showboats players
- 20th-century American sportsmen
- American football running back, 1950s birth stubs