John Mellekas Explained

John Mellekas
Position:Center
Offensive tackle Defensive tackle
Number:76, 75, 65
Birth Date:June 14, 1933
Birth Place:Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Death Place:Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Draftyear:1956
Draftround:4
Draftpick:47
College:Arizona
Teams:
Highlights:
Statlabel1:Games played
Statvalue1:84
Statlabel2:Games started
Statvalue2:9
Statlabel3:Fumble recoveries
Statvalue3:5
Pfr:M/MellJo20

John Stavros Mellekas (June 14, 1933 – June 2, 2015) was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL).[1]

Mellekas played 4 years of football and basketball at Rogers High School in Newport and was named as an inaugural inductee into the Rogers High School hall of fame in January 2008[2] and then played college football at the University of Arizona.[3] He was a 4th round selection (47th overall pick) in the 1956 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears.[4] He played for the Bears (1956–1961),[5] the San Francisco 49ers (1962),[6] and the Philadelphia Eagles (1963).[7]

Following his career, he was employed by the Newport school department as a physical education teacher for 36 years, retiring in 1996. Mellekas died in his hometown of Newport, Rhode Island on June 2, 2015.[8] He was a Greek Orthodox Christian.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: John Mellekas . 2 January 2009 . pro-football-reference.com .
  2. Web site: Hall of fame inductees listed for Rogers High . 2 January 2009 . .
  3. Web site: John Mellekas . 2 January 2009 . databasefootball.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100218042405/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=MELLEJOH01 . 18 February 2010 .
  4. Web site: 1956 NFL Player Draft . 2 January 2009 . databasefootball.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090102101011/http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1956&lg=nfl . 2 January 2009 .
  5. Web site: Chicago Bears All-Time Roster . 2 January 2009 . chicagobears.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20091116161152/http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/AllTimeRoster.asp#m . 16 November 2009 . dead .
  6. Web site: San Francisco 49ers All-Time Roster (I-M) . 2 January 2009 . sf49ers.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081011123213/http://www.sf49ers.com/history/alltime_rosteri-m.php . October 11, 2008 .
  7. Web site: Philadelphia Eagles All-Time Roster . 2 January 2009 . philadelphiaeagles.com .
  8. Web site: John S. Mellekas (June 14, 1933 – June 2, 2015) . 5 June 2015 . The Newport Buzz . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150604065214/http://www.thenewportbuzz.com/rip-john-mellekas-family-man-educator-professional-football-player/1427 . 4 June 2015 .
  9. [List of Eastern Orthodox Christians#Athletes]