Bo Molenda

Bo Molenda

Molenda cropped from 1925 Michigan Wolverines team photograph
Sport(s)	Football
Biographical details
Born	(1905-02-20)February 20, 1905 Oglesby, Illinois
Died	July 20, 1986(1986-07-20) (aged 81) Banning, California
Playing career
1925–1926	Michigan
1927–1928	New York Yankees
1928–1932	Green Bay Packers
1932–1935	New York Giants
Position(s)	Fullback, quarterback, halfback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1936–1941	New York Giants (assistant)
1947–1948	Green Bay Packers (backfield)
1949	Chicago Hornets (backfield)
1950–1969	Menlo

John Joseph "Bo" Molenda (February 20, 1905 – July 20, 1986) was an American football player, primarily a fullback, who played for the University of Michigan and nine seasons in the NFL. He played for two Big Ten Conference championship teams and four NFL championship teams (three with the Green Bay Packers and one with the New York Giants) and later became a football coach.

Molenda was born in Illinois and attended school in Decatur. He helped the Durfee School in Decatur win the Major School league cup. He moved with his family to Detroit, where he attended Detroit Northeastern High School. At Northeastern High, he was considered one of the best athletes ever produced by the city's school system. When Molenda and Bennie Oosterbaan both enrolled at the University of Michigan in September 1924, a newspaper report called them "two of the greatest all round athletes ever turned out in Michigan prep school ranks." In high school, Molenda excelled in football, baseball, basketball and track. He was selected as an All-American center in basketball at the national basketball tournament as a senior in high school.

Molenda played fullback for the Michigan Wolverines teams that won Big Ten championships in 1925 and 1926. In 1925, Molenda made a name for himself with his defensive performance against the University of Illinois team led by Red Grange. In 1924, Grange had scored four touchdowns against Michigan in the span of ten minutes, and stopping Grange was the key to beating Illinois in 1925. Michigan won the game and stopped Grange, and the Associated Press credited Molenda's efforts: "Molenda was the principal reason why the Illini's aerial attack was unsuccessful. Time after time he got in the way to make the pass incomplete or to gather it in his arms." Molenda was reported to have intercepted five passes in the Illinois game. Molenda also scored three touchdowns in Michigan's 1925 victory over Navy. Molenda was picked as a second-team All-American in 1925. Michigan Coach Fielding Yost said the 1925 team with Benny Friedman, Bennie Oosterbaan, and Molenda was the best team he ever coached. The 1925 team outscored its opponents 225-3, but lost to Northwestern, 3-2, on a muddy Soldier Field in Chicago.