Leo John Katalinas (February 4, 1915 – July 8, 1977) was an American football tackle and boxer. He played college football and boxed for the Catholic University Cardinals, being the runner-up in the NCAA Boxing Championship as a senior. He was not selected in the National Football League Draft but nonetheless signed with the Green Bay Packers in 1938, playing one season with them. He later played from 1939 to 1942, then in 1946 with the Paterson Panthers of the American Association (AA).
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| Position: | Tackle | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | February 4, 1915 Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||
| Died: | July 8, 1977 (aged 62) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 240 lb (109 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | J. W. Cooper (PA) | ||||
| College: | Catholic University (1934–1937) | ||||
| Undrafted: | 1938 | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| As a coach: | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Early life and education
editKatalinas was born on February 4, 1915, in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania,[1] and was of Finnish descent.[2] He was the second-youngest of four brothers who played football; two of his brothers—Ed and Joe—each played at Georgetown, with Joe continuing on to play professionally. The youngest, John, played football at least through high school.[3][4] He was nicknamed "Kats" or "Katz"; both Ed and Joe also were given the same nickname.[3][5] Leo Katalinas attended J. W. Cooper High School in Shenandoah and is their only alumnus to play in the NFL.[6]
College football
editAfter graduating from J. W. Cooper, Katalinas began attending the Catholic University of America in 1934.[7] He was a standout player on the freshman squad in his first year at the school.[5] As a sophomore, he made the varsity team and became the backup to Ed Karpowich at tackle.[3] He filled in at several points for Karpowich and received "high praise" for his play, with the Republican and Herald noting that the line functioned just as well with Katalinas as they had with Karpowich.[3] He became a starter at tackle as a junior in 1936, earning his second varsity letter.[7][8]
Katalinas remained a starter as a senior in 1937, being called a "star lineman."[9][10] He placed second in voting and was thus selected to the Eastern College All-Star team, which played the Philadelphia Eagles in August 1938.[11] He was the largest player on the All-Star team and received the nickname "Thor" (the German god of thunder) for his size (6 ft 2 in, 230 lb).[11] Katalinas ended up sitting out the game after tearing a ligament in his knee 10 days prior.[12]
College boxing
editKatalinas also took up boxing as a sophomore at Catholic University, earning a knockout in his first match against Johnny Birkland while in the heavyweight category.[13] A reporter for The Washington Herald noted afterwards that Katalinas so outclassed his opponent that "Birkland was forced to go through with a fight that might have maimed him for life. Smashed to the floor seven times, his face beaten lopsided in a bloody smear ... Katalinas, this towering giant, came rushing forward, taunted into a frenzy by Birkland's harmless blows, throwing terrific punches hard enough to kill a man less rugged and courageous ... Finally, with Birkland beaten to a pulp, his legs instinctively trying to regain the floor, a towel came from Maryland's corner."[13]
Katalinas finished his first season with a record of 6–1, losing only one bout by decision.[14] He was very successful in his collegiate boxing career and was described as a "sensation" in the ring;[15] by midway through his senior season, he had not been knocked out a single time.[16] His first defeat of 1938 came in his final collegiate match, losing by decision in the national championship to Ashby Dickerson of Virginia.[17] The Washington Herald sportswriter Dick O'Brien called the fight "one of the greatest collegiate heavyweight battles ever witnessed in Virginia's memorial gymnasium."[18]
Professional career
editPrior to finishing his college football career, Katalinas had been contacted by the NFL's New York Giants about a future tryout.[19] He was not selected in the 1938 NFL draft but immediately after was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.[7][11] He made the final roster as their third-string tackle and made his NFL debut in their season-opening win over the Cleveland Rams.[20] Katalinas appeared in eight or nine[a] games, all as a backup, and helped the Packers reach the 1938 NFL Championship Game, where they lost to the Giants by one score.[21][22]
Katalinas was released by the Packers in August 1939.[23] Shortly afterwards, he joined the Paterson Panthers of the minor league American Association.[24] He appeared in 11 games, 10 as a starter, for the 1939 Panthers, helping them win the divisional championship.[7][25] He continued playing for them through 1942, additionally serving as line coach in 1940, and appeared in 33 games for the team across his first four seasons, 27 of which he started.[7][26] Following a stint in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, Katalinas returned to Paterson for a final season in 1946, playing nine games, eight of which he started.[7] He finished his football career having played eight or nine games in the NFL and 42 games with Paterson.[7]
Later life and death
editKatalinas later lived in Teaneck, New Jersey.[27] He died on July 8, 1977, at the age of 62, due to injuries he sustained in a car crash on June 30.[27]
Notes
edit- ^ a b Pro-Football-Reference.com and Pro Football Archives conflict.[1][7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Leo Katalinas Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
- ^ "Five Years Ago Today". Green Bay Press-Gazette. January 18, 1943. p. 11. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d "Leo Katalinas Is Star At C. U." Republican and Herald. October 29, 1935. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Joe Katalinas Stats". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ a b "Play In Orange Bowl Grid Brawl Today". Republican and Herald. January 1, 1936. p. 6. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "J.W. Cooper (Shenandoah, PA) Alumni Pro Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Leo Katalinas Stats". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Sophomores Find C.U. Berths Hard". Evening Star. September 13, 1936. p. 26. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas At L. T. As C. U. Down Canisius". Republican and Herald. September 27, 1937. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Al Babartsky Shines On College Gridiron". Republican and Herald. November 4, 1937. p. 11. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Baumgartner, Stan (July 8, 1938). "Leo Katalinas Biggest Man on All-Star Squad". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 23. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Local Stalwart Fails To Cavort With All-Stars". Republican and Herald. August 25, 1938. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Leo Katalinas Wins By K. O. In Debut As Boxer". Republican and Herald. January 22, 1936. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas Won Six Bouts For C. U. Boxers". Republican and Herald. April 8, 1936. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas In Knockout Action". Republican and Herald. January 20, 1937. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Answer To Query". Republican and Herald. February 14, 1938. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "On The Ball". Republican and Herald. April 4, 1938. p. 8, 9. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Wallenfeldt, E. C. (September 29, 1994). The Six-Minute Fraternity: The Rise and Fall of NCAA Tournament Boxing, 1932-60. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 66. ISBN 9780275948672. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Giants Invite Leo Katalinas". Republican and Herald. November 23, 1937. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas Making Good With Green Bay". Republican and Herald. September 15, 1938. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "1938 Green Bay Packers (NFL)". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "In Title Tiff". Republican and Herald. December 10, 1938. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Announce Four Grid Releases". Green Bay Press-Gazette. August 26, 1939. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas Joins Paterson". Republican and Herald. September 6, 1939. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas Helps Paterson To Pennant". Republican and Herald. November 20, 1939. p. 8. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Leo Katalinas Coaching Record". Pro Football Archives. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ a b "Leo Katalinas". Republican and Herald. July 12, 1977. p. 2. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 24, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
