Frank Tripucka

Frank Tripucka

Tripucka on a 1950 Bowman football card
No. 28, 18, 8
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1927-12-08)December 8, 1927
Place of birth:	Bloomfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of death:	September 12, 2013(2013-09-12) (aged 85)
Place of death:	Woodland Park, New Jersey, U.S.
Career information
High school:	Bloomfield (NJ)
College:	Notre Dame
NFL Draft:	1949 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9
Career history
Detroit Lions (1949) Chicago Cardinals (1950–1952) Dallas Texans (1952) Saskatchewan Roughriders (1953–1958) Ottawa Rough Riders (1959) Saskatchewan Roughriders (1959) Denver Broncos (1960–1963) Saskatchewan Roughriders (1963)
Career highlights and awards
AFL All-Star (1960) Denver Broncos No. 18 retired Denver Broncos Ring of Fame
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Francis Joseph Tripucka (December 8, 1927 – September 12, 2013), known as Frank Tripucka, was an American collegiate and professional football quarterback, at Notre Dame, in the National Football League, in the Canadian Football League, and in the early American Football League.

Originally from Bloomfield, New Jersey, Tripucka (truh-PEW-kuh) graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1945.

The 6-2, 172-pound Tripucka was a three-time letter-winner at Notre Dame. His first two seasons, he played backup quarterback to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack on unbeaten Notre Dame squads in 1946 and 1947. As a freshman backup in 1945, he completed his only pass for 19 yards, and carried twice for eight yards. In 1946 as a sophomore he hit one of his five throws for 19 yards in relief on the national championship squad. Despite playing behind an All-American He took approximately 1/4 of Frank Leahy's 1947 squad's pass attempts, connecting on 25 of 44 throws for 422 yards, three TDs, and one interception and a remarkable passer rating of 155.3, and helping the Irish to a second consecutive national championship. With Lujack's graduation, Tripucka became the undisputed starter his senior year. He completed 53 of 91 for 660 yards and a school-record 11 touchdowns, en route to a 9-0-1 record and the Irish's 3rd consecutive season without a loss. A tie against USC in the final game bumped them down to #2 behind undefeated Michigan. He played in the college All-Star Game that year.