Frank Marion Abruzzino Jr. (January 22, 1908 – June 13, 1986) was an American professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player who played two seasons in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

(NFL) with the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

and

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

. He played

college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...

Colgate University Colgate University is a Private university, private college in Hamilton, New York, United States. The Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York ...

Early life and college

Frank Marion Abruzzino Jr. was born on January 22, 1908, in

Shinnston, West Virginia Shinnston is a city and former coal town in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, along the West Fork River. In 1778, Levi Shinn constructed his log home along what is now Route 19; today it is the oldest standing structure in north-cen ...

. He attended Shinnston High School in Shinnston. He was a member of the

Colgate Raiders The Colgate Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Colgate University. The teams include men and women's basketball, cross country, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming & diving, track and field and tennis. Men's sports include g ...

from 1927 to 1930 and a three-year

letterman Letterman may refer to: * Letterman (sports), a classification of high school or college athlete in the United States People * David Letterman (born 1947), American television talk show host ** ''Late Night with David Letterman'', talk show that ...

from 1928 to 1930.

Professional career

Abruzzino signed with the

of the

(NFL) in 1931. He played in all 14 games, starting seven, for the Dodgers during the 1931 season. The team finished the year with a 2–12 record. Abruzzino became a free agent after the season. He was purchased by the

of the NFL on August 5, 1933. He appeared in nine games, starting four, for the Reds in 1933. On July 1, 1934, Abruzzino was traded to the

Boston Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football franchise based in the Washington metropolitan area. They are members of the NFC East, East division in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the National Football League (NFL). ...

for Tay Brown and Marger Apsit. He was later released by the Redskins.

Personal life

Abruzzino died on June 13, 1986, in

Dade County, Florida Miami-Dade County () is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Florida. The county had a population of 2,701,767 as of the 2020 census, making it the most populous county in Florida and the seventh-most-populous count ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abruzzino, Frank 1908 births 1986 deaths Players of American football from West Virginia American football quarterbacks American football defensive backs American football guards American football ends American football centers American football running backs American football linebackers Colgate Raiders football players Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) players Cincinnati Reds (NFL) players People from Shinnston, West Virginia Sportspeople from Harrison County, West Virginia Boston Redskins players