Roman Piskor Explained

Roman Piskor
Number:41, 45
Position:Tackle
Birth Date:9 August 1917
Birth Place:North Tonawanda, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Niagara, New York, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lbs:245
High School:North Tonawanda
College:Niagara University
Pastteams:
Highlights:
  • AAFC champion (1947)
Statlabel1:Games
Statvalue1:34
Pfr:PiskRo20

Roman John "Ray" Piskor (August 19, 1917 – August 1981) was an American football tackle who played three seasons in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) between 1946 and 1948. Piskor played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Browns and the Chicago Rockets. Piskor grew up in North Tonawanda, New York and attended Niagara University, where he was a star lineman. After several years in the Army Air Force during World War II, he was signed by the Yankees in 1946. Piskor was traded to the Browns the following year, when the team won the AAFC championship. He spent a final season with the Rockets in 1948.

High school and college career

Piskor attended North Tonawanda High School in North Tonawanda, New York.[1] He enrolled at Niagara University in 1938 and was a star lineman on the school's football team. Piskor joined the Army Air Force in July 1942 during World War II and did his basic training in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[2] Piskor was a member of an Eastern All-Army team coached by Robert Neyland in 1942.[3] He later transferred to a base in Greensboro, North Carolina and played for its Tech Hawks football team. He went to fight overseas in 1944 with the Third Air Force.

Professional career

After his discharge from the Air Force, Piskor joined the New York Yankees of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946. The Yankees finished the year with a 10–3–1 win-loss-tie record and faced the Cleveland Browns in the AAFC championship.[4] The Yankees lost the game 14–9. Piskor, who worked for the Yankees as an accountant in the offseason, was sent to the Buffalo Bills in 1947 and then traded to the Browns for John Duda and Jack Carpenter.[5] Cleveland finished the season with a 12–1–1 record and won the AAFC championship, beating the Yankees in the title game for the second year in a row. Piskor was sent to the Chicago Rockets in 1948 as part of a league-led effort to balance out talent among the AAFC's teams.[6] He spent one season with the Rockets before retiring from professional football.[7]

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. News: Niagara Has Candidate In Roman Piskor. September 23, 2012. The Pittsburgh Press. October 20, 1939. 45.
  2. News: Ex-Mates Piskor, Kasprazak To Clash in Service Contest. September 24, 2012. The Evening News. October 11, 1945. 1.
  3. News: Browns Land Big Lineman In Trade. Cleveland Plain Dealer. August 23, 1947. Bowling Green, O.. 14.
  4. Web site: 1946 New York Yankees Players & Statistics. Pro Football Reference. September 23, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121018092907/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/naa/1946.htm. live. October 18, 2012.
  5. News: Roman Piskor, Former Niagara Star, May Play with Bisons Next Season. September 24, 2012. The Niagara Falls Gazette. March 22, 1947. 16.
  6. News: 'Gift' Gridder Is Rocket Headache. Cleveland Plain Dealer. February 17, 1948. Associated Press. Chicago. 16.
  7. Web site: Roman Piskor NFL Football Statistics. Pro Football Reference. September 24, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121116172710/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PiskRo20.htm. live. November 16, 2012.