Bill Osmanski
Encyclopedia
Bill Osmanski was a college
and professional football
player, playing fullback
. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1973.
in Worcester, MA
. He played fullback for the Crusaders from 1936-1938. These three seasons were some of the most successful in Holy Cross' football history with the record of 23-3-3. "Bullet Bill" was named All-America
in 1938. He was named the Most Valuable Player at the College All-Star Game in 1939. His jersey number, 25, was retired by Holy Cross.
by the Chicago Bears
. The pick paid immediate dividends for the Bears as Osmanski led the NFL in rushing in 1939 with 699 yards. The Bears also selected Hall of Fame
quarterback
Sid Luckman
in the 1st round, forming the backbone of the Bears' great 1940s teams, which won championships in 1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946. Osmanski did not play for the Bears in the 1944 and 1945 seasons due to World War II
. He served in the United States Marine Corps
during these years, in Guam, Guadalcanal, and Okinawa
. Osmanski retired from professional football following the 1947 season.
. Following his coaching years, Osmanski opened a practice in Chicago. He died in Chicago on Christmas Day
, 1996.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and professional football
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, playing 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 was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1973.
College of the Holy Cross
After graduating from Central High School in Providence, Osmanski attended the College of the Holy CrossCollege of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
in Worcester, MA
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. He played fullback for the Crusaders from 1936-1938. These three seasons were some of the most successful in Holy Cross' football history with the record of 23-3-3. "Bullet Bill" was named All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
in 1938. He was named the Most Valuable Player at the College All-Star Game in 1939. His jersey number, 25, was retired by Holy Cross.
Chicago Bears
Osmanski was drafted in the 1st round (6th pick overall) of the 1939 NFL Draft1939 NFL Draft
The 1939 National Football League Draft was held on December 9, 1938.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round Two:-Round Three:-Round Four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:...
by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The pick paid immediate dividends for the Bears as Osmanski led the NFL in rushing in 1939 with 699 yards. The Bears also selected Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
in the 1st round, forming the backbone of the Bears' great 1940s teams, which won championships in 1940, 1941, 1943, and 1946. Osmanski did not play for the Bears in the 1944 and 1945 seasons due to World War II
World 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...
. He served in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during these years, in Guam, Guadalcanal, and 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...
. Osmanski retired from professional football following the 1947 season.
Coaching
After his retirement from the professional game, Osmanski became the head coach at his alma mater, Holy Cross. He coached the Crusaders for two seasons, 1948 and 1949, going 6-14-0.Dentistry career
During his playing years with the Bears, Osmanski attended dental school 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....
. Following his coaching years, Osmanski opened a practice in Chicago. He died in Chicago on Christmas Day
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, 1996.