Art Murakowski
Encyclopedia
Arthur Raymond "Art" Murakowski (May 15, 1925 – September 13, 1985) was an American football
player. He played fullback
for the Northwestern University
football team from 1946 to 1949. He was selected as a first-team All-American and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
trophy in 1948 as the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference
. He played professional football for the Detroit Lions
in 1951 and served as an Indiana state legislator and civil servant from 1954 to 1985.
, in 1925. He attended East Chicago's Washington High School where he won four varsity letter
s in football and was selected as an Indiana all-state fullback
. He also won a letter in track and field as a shot putter. Murakowski played on a Washington High School team that also featured future Northwestern teammates Alex Sarkisian
and Ed Nemeth. The Los Angeles Times
described Murakowski's high school play as follows: "Virtually as big then as now Murakowski was one of those battering-ram, interference-follow me fullbacks in high school. It must have been some fearsome!"
and served 32 months in the U.S. Navy. He played football for Tony Hinkle on the Great Lakes Naval Training Station team in 1944 before being assigned to sea duty. He served for 18 months as a fireman first class on a destroyer mine layer that participated in the Battle of Okinawa
in the spring of 1945. Off Okinawa, a Japanese kamikaze
plane crashed into the ship's superstructure, killing 19 crew members. Murakowski was unharmed in the attack and later recalled, "I felt a little funny. I was below handling five inch ammunition."
. As a freshman, he won a varsity letter for Pappy Waldorf
's Wildcats football
team.
moved Murakowski to the right halfback
, but the experiment was not successful and Murakowski was returned to the fullback position. He was the leading ground gainer and scorer for the 1947 Wildcats and was selected as the team's most valuable player.
called him the "key" to the Wildcats' offense:
In addition to playing offense in 1948, he also played on defense as a right halfback. He had game-saving tackles against Ohio State
and Wisconsin
that helped the Wildcats win a berth in the 1949 Rose Bowl
. Murakowski noted at the time, "It's tough for the guys on the bench, but when you're playing you want to keep on playing -- and defense is just as interesting as offense." Northwestern coach Voigts in late 1948 praised Murakowski for adapting to the defensive assignment:
One of the highlights of the 1948 season for Murakowski was his 91-yard touchdown run after intercepting a pass against Notre Dame
. In a post-season poll by the Associated Press
, Murakowski's interception return tied with Bobby Stuart
's 103-yard kickoff return for Army
as the most spectactular play of the 1948 season.
At the end of the 1948 football season, Murakowski was selected as a first-team All-American by the Associated Press
. In selecting him as an All-American, the Associated Press wrote: "Art Murakowski, Northwestern's 195-pound fullback, played a prominent part in the success of the Wildcats. He excelled both on offense and defense."
Murakowski also won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
trophy in 1948 as the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference
. The Silver Football award was based on voting by the conference's football coaches, Big Ten Commissioner Tug Wilson
and the Chicago Tribunes sports editor and football writer.
from playing in consecutive Rose Bowl games. Accordingly, the Wildcats were invited to play in the 1949 Rose Bowl
against the University of California
. Northwestern won the game 20-14 on the strength of a controversial touchdown scored by Murakowski in the second quarter. Murakowski fumbled the ball as he ran into the endzone from the one-yard line, and field judge Jay Berwanger
ruled that the ball crossed the goal line before the fumble, thus allowing the touchdown to stand. Photographs published the next day by the Los Angeles Times
showed the ball having left Murakowski's arms while his feet were still short of the goal line. The Times reported: "The Times picture clearly shows that Murakowski's feet still are on the field of play and that he has lost the ball. If his was the case, Cal's recovery of the fumble made it Cal's ball on the 20-yard line." The Associated Press article featured the headline, "Did Murakowski Socre or Didn't He?" and noted, "Photographs show clearly that Murakowski fumbled about a yard out when he scored the Wildcat's second touchdown in Saturday's Rose Bowl game." Murakowski said at the time, "I was sure I was across. There was only a yard to go on the play and I was over. Somebody tackled me from behind and pulled me back. That's when I fumbled." California fans protested the "phantom touchdown" and continued decades later to insist that the Rose Bowl committee should put an asterisk in the record book next to the game's final score, because of the disputed touchdown.
for 20-6 Victory And in early November, Murakowski scored Northwestern's only touchdown against Wisconsin on a 79-yard punt return. The Racine Journal Times described the return as follows: "As he made the catch Murakowski bobbled the ball a bit. Then getting the thing tucked away under his arm he set out for the sidelines. At the 30 Wisconsin tacklers appeared to have him pinned against the sideline, but he slipped through and after another 10 yards was out in front with only Christensen having a chance to pursue him." He was honored at the end of the 1949 season by being selected to play for the East team in the East-West Shrine Game
. Murakowski helped lead the East team to 28-6 win and tied for the most yards gained in the 1949 Shrine Game with 108 yards on 21 carries.
in the third round (31st overall pick) in the 1950 NFL Draft
. He did not sign a contract with the Lions in 1950 and did not play professional football that year. He signed with the Lions in January 1951 and was the first player signed by the Lions' new coach Buddy Parker
. Murakowski appeared in all 12 games for the 1951 Detroit Lions, mostly as a linebacker
on defense.
In March 1952, the Lions traded Murakowski and Bob Momsen to the Chicago Cardinals for veteran quarterback Jim Hardy
. Although the Chicago Tribune reports that Murakowski played for the Chicago Cardinals, he apparently did not play in any regular season games for the team.
and North Township, Indiana
. He was the chief clerk in the county assessor's office from 1954 to 1968. In 1968, he took a position as a supervisor in the assessor's office of North Township. He was also elected as a Democrat
to several terms in the Indiana House of Representatives
starting in 1964 and continuing into the 1970s.
. He was survived by his wife, Lucille Murakowski, three sons, and three daughters.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
football team from 1946 to 1949. He was selected as a first-team All-American and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
trophy in 1948 as the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. He played professional football for the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in 1951 and served as an Indiana state legislator and civil servant from 1954 to 1985.
Early years
Murakowski was born in East Chicago, IndianaEast Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Chicago is located at ....
, in 1925. He attended East Chicago's Washington High School where he won four varsity letter
Varsity letter
A varsity letter is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its winner was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met.- Description :...
s in football and was selected as an Indiana all-state fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. He also won a letter in track and field as a shot putter. Murakowski played on a Washington High School team that also featured future Northwestern teammates Alex Sarkisian
Alex Sarkisian
Alex Sarkisian was an American football player. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. His father was an immigrant steelworker.-References:...
and Ed Nemeth. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
described Murakowski's high school play as follows: "Virtually as big then as now Murakowski was one of those battering-ram, interference-follow me fullbacks in high school. It must have been some fearsome!"
Military service
Murakowski graduated from high school during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and served 32 months in the U.S. Navy. He played football for Tony Hinkle on the Great Lakes Naval Training Station team in 1944 before being assigned to sea duty. He served for 18 months as a fireman first class on a destroyer mine layer that participated in the Battle of Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
in the spring of 1945. Off Okinawa, a Japanese kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
plane crashed into the ship's superstructure, killing 19 crew members. Murakowski was unharmed in the attack and later recalled, "I felt a little funny. I was below handling five inch ammunition."
1946 season
In 1946, Murakowski was discharged from the Navy and enrolled at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. As a freshman, he won a varsity letter for Pappy Waldorf
Pappy Waldorf
Lynn Osbert "Pappy" Waldorf was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, , Kansas State University , Northwestern University , and the University of California, Berkeley ,...
's Wildcats football
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
team.
1947 season
In 1947, Northwestern's new coach Bob VoigtsBob Voigts
-External links:...
moved Murakowski to the right halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
, but the experiment was not successful and Murakowski was returned to the fullback position. He was the leading ground gainer and scorer for the 1947 Wildcats and was selected as the team's most valuable player.
1948 season
Murakowski won his greatest acclaim as a junior in 1948. For the second consecutive year, he was Northwestern's starting fullback and its leading ground gainer and scorer. The Chicago Daily TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
called him the "key" to the Wildcats' offense:
"As long as the Wildcats retain the services of Art Murakowski, line smasher extraordinary, their full backing worries will be practically non-existent. ... It's no secret Northwestern's attack centers around the power plunges and sweeps of Mr. Murakowski. He's been the key to the offense since 1946 and last year [1948] he reached his peak performance as he gained 622 yards in 119 carries for a 5.2 average."
In addition to playing offense in 1948, he also played on defense as a right halfback. He had game-saving tackles against Ohio State
1948 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1948 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1948-1949. The Buckeyes compiled a 6–3 record but still failed to beat Michigan. OSU outscored opponents 184-94.-Schedule:...
and Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
that helped the Wildcats win a berth in the 1949 Rose Bowl
1949 Rose Bowl
The 1949 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 35th Rose Bowl Game, and the third since the Big Nine Conference and Pacific Coast Conference agreed to an exclusive agreement to match their conference champions. The Northwestern Wildcats defeated the California Golden Bears 20-14...
. Murakowski noted at the time, "It's tough for the guys on the bench, but when you're playing you want to keep on playing -- and defense is just as interesting as offense." Northwestern coach Voigts in late 1948 praised Murakowski for adapting to the defensive assignment:
"He has terrific speed. We started using him on defense midway in the season and he adapted to that very quickly. He's as good a defensive back as there is in the conference, being exceptionally fine on trap plays. His speed makes him very good on end sweeps."
One of the highlights of the 1948 season for Murakowski was his 91-yard touchdown run after intercepting a pass against Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. In a post-season poll by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Murakowski's interception return tied with Bobby Stuart
Bobby Stuart
Bobby Stuart was a professional footballer who played as a defender for Middlesbrough, Plymouth Argyle and Whitby Town. He was born in Middlesbrough, England. During the 1934-35 season, he scored 5 own goals against Middlesbrough....
's 103-yard kickoff return for Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
as the most spectactular play of the 1948 season.
At the end of the 1948 football season, Murakowski was selected as a first-team All-American by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. In selecting him as an All-American, the Associated Press wrote: "Art Murakowski, Northwestern's 195-pound fullback, played a prominent part in the success of the Wildcats. He excelled both on offense and defense."
Murakowski also won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
trophy in 1948 as the most valuable player in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. The Silver Football award was based on voting by the conference's football coaches, Big Ten Commissioner Tug Wilson
Tug Wilson
George Archer "Tug" Wilson was an American Major League Baseball player who played in center field and catcher for the Brooklyn Atlantics during the 1884 baseball season. In 24 games played, Wilson batted .232, scored 13 runs, and hit four doubles...
and the Chicago Tribunes sports editor and football writer.
1949 Rose Bowl
The 1948 Northwestern Wildcats finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference, but conference rules prevented conference champion Michigan1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan during the 1948 college football season. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium.-Schedule:...
from playing in consecutive Rose Bowl games. Accordingly, the Wildcats were invited to play in the 1949 Rose Bowl
1949 Rose Bowl
The 1949 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 35th Rose Bowl Game, and the third since the Big Nine Conference and Pacific Coast Conference agreed to an exclusive agreement to match their conference champions. The Northwestern Wildcats defeated the California Golden Bears 20-14...
against the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. Northwestern won the game 20-14 on the strength of a controversial touchdown scored by Murakowski in the second quarter. Murakowski fumbled the ball as he ran into the endzone from the one-yard line, and field judge Jay Berwanger
Jay Berwanger
John Jacob "Jay" Berwanger was an American football halfback born in Dubuque, Iowa. He was the first winner of the Downtown Athletic Club Trophy in 1935 ; the trophy is awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding college football player...
ruled that the ball crossed the goal line before the fumble, thus allowing the touchdown to stand. Photographs published the next day by the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
showed the ball having left Murakowski's arms while his feet were still short of the goal line. The Times reported: "The Times picture clearly shows that Murakowski's feet still are on the field of play and that he has lost the ball. If his was the case, Cal's recovery of the fumble made it Cal's ball on the 20-yard line." The Associated Press article featured the headline, "Did Murakowski Socre or Didn't He?" and noted, "Photographs show clearly that Murakowski fumbled about a yard out when he scored the Wildcat's second touchdown in Saturday's Rose Bowl game." Murakowski said at the time, "I was sure I was across. There was only a yard to go on the play and I was over. Somebody tackled me from behind and pulled me back. That's when I fumbled." California fans protested the "phantom touchdown" and continued decades later to insist that the Rose Bowl committee should put an asterisk in the record book next to the game's final score, because of the disputed touchdown.
1949 season
As a senior in 1949, Murakowski shared the starting fullback position with Gaspar Perricone. In September, he ran for a 30-yard touchdown against Purdue.for 20-6 Victory And in early November, Murakowski scored Northwestern's only touchdown against Wisconsin on a 79-yard punt return. The Racine Journal Times described the return as follows: "As he made the catch Murakowski bobbled the ball a bit. Then getting the thing tucked away under his arm he set out for the sidelines. At the 30 Wisconsin tacklers appeared to have him pinned against the sideline, but he slipped through and after another 10 yards was out in front with only Christensen having a chance to pursue him." He was honored at the end of the 1949 season by being selected to play for the East team in the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
. Murakowski helped lead the East team to 28-6 win and tied for the most yards gained in the 1949 Shrine Game with 108 yards on 21 carries.
Professional football
Murakowski was selected by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the third round (31st overall pick) in the 1950 NFL Draft
1950 NFL Draft
The 1950 National Football League Draft was held on January 20–21, 1950.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
. He did not sign a contract with the Lions in 1950 and did not play professional football that year. He signed with the Lions in January 1951 and was the first player signed by the Lions' new coach Buddy Parker
Buddy Parker
Raymond "Buddy" Parker is a former football player and coach in the National Football League who served as head coach for three teams: the Chicago Cardinals, the Detroit Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers....
. Murakowski appeared in all 12 games for the 1951 Detroit Lions, mostly as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
on defense.
In March 1952, the Lions traded Murakowski and Bob Momsen to the Chicago Cardinals for veteran quarterback Jim Hardy
Jim Hardy
James Fred Hardy is a retired American football quarterback.-High school career:Hardy attended and played high school football at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles.-Professional career:...
. Although the Chicago Tribune reports that Murakowski played for the Chicago Cardinals, he apparently did not play in any regular season games for the team.
Government service
After retiring as a football player, Murakowski worked for 31 years for county and local government in Lake CountyLake County, Indiana
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2010, its population was 496,005, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point. This county is part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area. The county contains a mix of urban,...
and North Township, Indiana
North Township, Lake County, Indiana
North Township is one of eleven townships in Lake County, Indiana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 162,855.-External links:* *...
. He was the chief clerk in the county assessor's office from 1954 to 1968. In 1968, he took a position as a supervisor in the assessor's office of North Township. He was also elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to several terms in the Indiana House of Representatives
Indiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
starting in 1964 and continuing into the 1970s.
Family and death
Murakowski died in 1985 at age 60 at his home in Hammond, IndianaHammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
. He was survived by his wife, Lucille Murakowski, three sons, and three daughters.