Frank Szymanski

Frank Szymanski (July 6, 1923 – April 26, 1987) was an American football player and probate judge in Wayne County, MI. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and played for three teams in the National Football League, winning an NFL Championship with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1948. Szymanski was of Polish descent. Football High school While living in Detroit, Szymanski played football at Northeastern High School and was voted to both All-City and All-State teams. He was elected to All-City teams as both a fullback and guard, and to All-State team as a tackle. College Szymanski played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish under Frank Leahy in 1943 and under Edward McKeever in 1944. In 1943 he started at center and linebacker for all ten games of the Irish's 9–1 season, after which they were named unanimous national champions for the first time since 1930. He also played in the 1943 College All-Star Game defeating the defending NFL Champion Washington Redskins 27–7. Szymanski served in the Navy for the beginning of the 1944 season and rejoined the team after a medical discharge for a 59–0 loss to rival Army which remains the largest defeat in Irish history. The Irish did not lose a game for the rest of the season as Szymanski played both sides of the ball, amounting 173 minutes of playing time in the final 180 minutes of the season.