The Heisman Halfback: Celebrating Frank Sinkwich, Georgia’s First Football Legend
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October 10, 1920 – We honor the birth of Frank Sinkwich, a two-way football sensation from the University of Georgia whose career spanned both the college and professional ranks.
According to the National Football Foundation, Frank did not desire to play halfback because, in that era, halfbacks were responsible for throwing passes. His head coach, Wally Butts, saw his potential and insisted. The awkward, flatfooted Sinkwich worked tirelessly and developed into a prolific passer and runner.
In 1942, Sinkwich was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first recipient from the SEC. He set a National Record for total offense with 2,187 yards and led the Bulldogs to an 11-1 record and a National Championship. His unparalleled toughness was a hallmark of his career: he played most of the 1941 season with a broken jaw wired shut and, later, scored the lone touchdown in the 1943 Rose Bowl victory over UCLA while playing on two sprained ankles.
After college, the Detroit Lions selected Sinkwich 1st overall in the 1943 NFL Draft. In 1944, he was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) before a severe knee injury suffered during WWII military service tragically cut short his career. Frank Sinkwich was rightfully inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.
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