Fred Trosko
Encyclopedia
Fred Trosko was an American football
player and coach. He played at the halfback
position for the University of Michigan
football team from 1937 to 1939. He later served as the head football coach at Eastern Michigan University
from 1952 to 1964.
where he was a star athlete in football, basketball and baseball, earning three varsity letter
s in each sport. In 1934, he was selected as an All-Michigan football player and broke the All-Valley Conference scoring record with 71 points (breaking his own record of 66 points set in 1933).
in 1936. Trosko was a multi-sport star at Michigan, earning nine letters in football, baseball and basketball. He played three years as a halfback for the Michigan Wolverines football
team from 1937 to 1939. Trosko also handled place-kicking duties for the Wolverines and kicked the extra point that led Michigan to a 7-6 win over Illinois in 1937. He received the Meyer Morton Award in 1937 as the football player who showed the greatest development and most promise as a result of the annual spring practice. In 1939, he led Michigan to a 21-14 win over Ohio State
when he ran 32 yards for the winning touchdown on a fake field goal attempt with 50 seconds left.
Trosko earned both bachelor's and master's degree in education from the University of Michigan.
. With the entry of the United States into World War II
, Trosko joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. He attained the rank of captain and served two of his five years of military service in the European Theater of Operations
. While serving in Europe, he met and married his wife. He was discharged from the military in May 1946.
. He served three years as an assistant coach under Guy Huston, who had been his coach in the 1930s.
In 1949, Trosko was hired as an assistant football coach at Owosso High School in Owosso, Michigan
. He was promoted to head coach in 1950.
(then known as Michigan State Normal College) in Ypsilanti, Michigan
. The team improved markedly during Trosko's early years as head coach. In his first seven seasons, the team attained a record of 41–19–2, including a 7–1–1 record in 1953 and an 8–1–0 record in 1954. His teams won Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ("IIAC") championships in 1954 and 1957.
The team's success came to an abrupt end in 1959. Trosko's teams had a 29-game winless streak (0–27–2) starting with the third game of the 1959 season and continuing through the fifth game of the 1962 season. The precipitous decline followed the decision of the Eastern Michigan administration not to follow an IIAC policy that allowed member schools to award scholarships. Competing with non-scholarship athletes against conference schools with scholarship athletes, Trosko's Eastern Michigan teams were unable to compete. In August 1965, Trosko announced his resignation as the school's head football coach, and it was reported that the resignation was the result of "an apparent break with school administrators over policy."
Trosko had the second longest tenure of any head coach at the school. He also taught at Eastern Michigan and remained on the faculty at Eastern Michigan after retiring as football coach. He ultimately retired in 1981 as a professor emeritus. In 1982, he was inducted into the Eastern Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
in February 1999. He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Leona, a daughter, Maureen, a son, Fred Trosko, Jr., and five grandchildren.
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 and coach. He played at the 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...
position for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
football team from 1937 to 1939. He later served as the head football coach at Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
from 1952 to 1964.
Flint Northern High School
Trosko attended Flint Northern High SchoolFlint Northern High School
Flint Northern High School, is a public secondary school located in Flint, Michigan. The original building was built in 1928, and the current site was erected in the 1970's. It is one of three high schools in the Flint Community Schools district along with Flint Northwestern High School and Flint...
where he was a star athlete in football, basketball and baseball, earning three 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 each sport. In 1934, he was selected as an All-Michigan football player and broke the All-Valley Conference scoring record with 71 points (breaking his own record of 66 points set in 1933).
University of Michigan
Trosko enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1936. Trosko was a multi-sport star at Michigan, earning nine letters in football, baseball and basketball. He played three years as a halfback for the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team from 1937 to 1939. Trosko also handled place-kicking duties for the Wolverines and kicked the extra point that led Michigan to a 7-6 win over Illinois in 1937. He received the Meyer Morton Award in 1937 as the football player who showed the greatest development and most promise as a result of the annual spring practice. In 1939, he led Michigan to a 21-14 win over Ohio State
1939 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 1939 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 1939-1940. The Buckeyes compiled a 6–2 record and outscored foes 189-64. Coach Francis Schmidt fell to hated Michigan for a second straight time, but won a Big Ten title for the...
when he ran 32 yards for the winning touchdown on a fake field goal attempt with 50 seconds left.
Trosko earned both bachelor's and master's degree in education from the University of Michigan.
World War II
After graduating from Michigan, Trosko accepted a position as the high school baseball, basketball and football coach at Hudson, MichiganHudson, Michigan
Hudson is a city in Lenawee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,307 at the 2010 census. The city is located within Hudson Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
. With the entry of the United States into 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...
, Trosko joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. He attained the rank of captain and served two of his five years of military service in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
. While serving in Europe, he met and married his wife. He was discharged from the military in May 1946.
High school coach
In 1946, Trosko was hired as an assistant football coach at his alma mater, Flint Northern High SchoolFlint Northern High School
Flint Northern High School, is a public secondary school located in Flint, Michigan. The original building was built in 1928, and the current site was erected in the 1970's. It is one of three high schools in the Flint Community Schools district along with Flint Northwestern High School and Flint...
. He served three years as an assistant coach under Guy Huston, who had been his coach in the 1930s.
In 1949, Trosko was hired as an assistant football coach at Owosso High School in Owosso, Michigan
Owosso, Michigan
Owosso is a city in Shiawassee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,713 at the 2000 census. The city is located on the eastern side of Owosso Township, but is politically independent...
. He was promoted to head coach in 1950.
Eastern Michigan University
In July 1952, Trosko was hired as head football coach at Eastern Michigan UniversityEastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
(then known as Michigan State Normal College) in Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
. The team improved markedly during Trosko's early years as head coach. In his first seven seasons, the team attained a record of 41–19–2, including a 7–1–1 record in 1953 and an 8–1–0 record in 1954. His teams won Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ("IIAC") championships in 1954 and 1957.
The team's success came to an abrupt end in 1959. Trosko's teams had a 29-game winless streak (0–27–2) starting with the third game of the 1959 season and continuing through the fifth game of the 1962 season. The precipitous decline followed the decision of the Eastern Michigan administration not to follow an IIAC policy that allowed member schools to award scholarships. Competing with non-scholarship athletes against conference schools with scholarship athletes, Trosko's Eastern Michigan teams were unable to compete. In August 1965, Trosko announced his resignation as the school's head football coach, and it was reported that the resignation was the result of "an apparent break with school administrators over policy."
Trosko had the second longest tenure of any head coach at the school. He also taught at Eastern Michigan and remained on the faculty at Eastern Michigan after retiring as football coach. He ultimately retired in 1981 as a professor emeritus. In 1982, he was inducted into the Eastern Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Death and family
Trosko died at his home at Hilton Head Island, South CarolinaHilton Head Island, South Carolina
Hilton Head Island or Hilton Head is a resort town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is north of Savannah, Georgia, and south of Charleston. The island gets its name from Captain William Hilton...
in February 1999. He was survived by his wife of 53 years, Leona, a daughter, Maureen, a son, Fred Trosko, Jr., and five grandchildren.