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Walter Matuszczak

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Walter Matuszczak
Personal information
Born:(1918-02-05)February 5, 1918
Lowville, New York, U.S.
Died:November 18, 2001(2001-11-18) (aged 83)
Syracuse, New York, U.S.
Career information
College:Cornell
Position:Quarterback
NFL draft:1941 / round: 10 / pick: 87
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team All-American (1939)
  • First-team All-Eastern (1940)
  • Second-team All-Eastern (1939)
  • Second-team Polish-American (1939)
  • Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame (1979)

Walter John Matuszczak later changed the spelling of his last name to Matuszak (February 5, 1918 – November 18, 2001)[1] was an American football player and veterinarian. Founder of DeWitt Animal Hospital in New York, he practiced there until 1971. Dr. Matuszak owned Wa-Noa Golf Club in East Syracuse, New York. A World War II veteran, Dr. Matuszak served as a captain in the Army Veterinary Corps.[2]

A native of Lowville, New York, son of a Polish immigrants- Kasper J. Matuszczak and Marianna; Matuszczak was the youngest of twelve children. He played college football for the Cornell Big Red football team and was selected by the New York Sun as the first-team quarterback on the 1939 College Football All-America Team.[3] He was named to the Second 1939 College Football All Polish-American Team.[4] He was also elected as the captain of Cornell's 1940 football team. He also played for Cornell's basketball and baseball teams.[5] He was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979.[6]
Graduation from Cornell in 1941 - the same year he was selected by the New York Giants in the 10th round of the draft[7] - he entered the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, where he graduated in 1943.[8]

He married Mildred C. Nohle on August 22, 1942; two daughters: Judith L. Hodhe, Diane J. Tsibulsky, two sons: W. David Matuszak, Charles Matuszak.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Matuszczak Family Tree".
  2. ^ "In Memoriam".
  3. ^ "N.Y. Sun Picks All American". Modesto Bee And News-Herald. December 2, 1939.
  4. ^ Rosiak, A. J. (December 24, 1939). "In The Polish Colony". The Sunday Morning Star. p. 14. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  5. ^ "Matuszczak '41 Elected 1940 Football Captain". The Cornell Daily Sun. November 27, 1939.
  6. ^ "Walter J. Matuszczak". Cornell University. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  7. ^ "1941 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  8. ^ "Watertown Daily Times | Matuszczak a part of Cornell's history". www.watertowndailytimes.com. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013.