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| Vic Janowicz | |
|---|---|
| Name | Vic Janowicz |
| Birth date | June 6, 1930 |
| Birth place | Elyria, Ohio |
| Death date | February 17, 1996 |
| Death place | Columbus, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Athlete |
| Known for | 1950 Heisman Trophy winner; Ohio State Buckeyes |
Vic Janowicz was an American multi-sport athlete best known for winning the 1950 Heisman Trophy as a halfback and return specialist for the Ohio State Buckeyes football program. He also competed in baseball, basketball, and later participated in auto racing and sports administration. Janowicz's athletic career intersected with major figures and institutions in mid-20th century American athletics and popular culture.
Janowicz was born in Elyria, Ohio and raised in a Polish-American family in northeastern Lorain County, Ohio. He attended Elyria High School, where he excelled in football, baseball, and track under coaches who had connections to regional programs such as Kent State Golden Flashes, Cleveland Browns, and Akron Zips. As a prep standout he drew recruiting interest from programs including Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Michigan Wolverines, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Purdue Boilermakers. During this period he played against teams from cities like Cleveland, Columbus, Canton, and Toledo, competing in events that featured athletes later associated with the Big Ten Conference and Mid-American Conference.
Janowicz enrolled at Ohio State University and played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football teams coached by Wes Fesler and later Woody Hayes. He became a versatile halfback, kickoff returner, placekicker, and defensive back, starring in matchups versus rivals such as the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Illinois Fighting Illini, Wisconsin Badgers, and Penn State Nittany Lions. Janowicz's 1950 season included performances in contests at Ohio Stadium and bowl discussions involving the Rose Bowl and intersections with athletes associated with programs like USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, and California Golden Bears. His accomplishments earned him the 1950 Heisman Trophy and recognition from organizations including the Associated Press, United Press International, and the American Football Coaches Association.
Beyond football, Janowicz played Ohio State Buckeyes baseball and competed in collegiate basketball activities connected to arenas that hosted teams like the Indiana Hoosiers and Northwestern Wildcats. His college career was covered by media outlets such as the Columbus Dispatch, The New York Times, and Sports Illustrated.
After college Janowicz signed with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League and competed in games against franchises like the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers. His professional trajectory was interrupted by a serious automobile collision that affected his playing career, leading to a shortened tenure with the Redskins and contemporaneous mentions of athletes from the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers as peers. Janowicz's professional era intersected with NFL personalities such as George Preston Marshall, coaches tied to teams like the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions, and players who later entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
Following his football career, Janowicz pursued auto racing, competing in events associated with regional racing circuits and venues in the Midwest that attracted drivers linked to organizations like United States Auto Club and tracks such as Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Midwestern short tracks in Ohio. He was involved with racing contemporaries and team personnel connected to figures from NASCAR and open-wheel racing communities, and later took roles in local sports promotion and youth athletics tied to entities like Ohio State University alumni networks and regional sports commissions in places including Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.
Janowicz married and maintained family ties in Elyria, Ohio and Columbus. His life included periods of media scrutiny involving traffic incidents and legal matters that were reported by organizations such as the Associated Press and local newspapers including the Columbus Dispatch and Cleveland Plain Dealer. These incidents occurred amid interactions with state-level authorities in Ohio and occasionally involved insurance and civil procedures handled in county courts. Janowicz's personal network included former teammates, coaches, and public figures from the Big Ten Conference and professional sports communities.
Janowicz is remembered through honors by the Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame, recognition from the Heisman Trophy trust, and coverage in sports histories alongside inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame and the wider pantheon of mid-century American athletes like Doak Walker, Johnny Lujack, Herman Hickman, and contemporaries from programs such as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Michigan Wolverines. His name appears in retrospectives by outlets like Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and regional historical societies in Ohio. Posthumously he has been commemorated at gatherings of Ohio State Buckeyes alumni, local athletic halls in Elyria and Lorain County, and by scholarship funds and tributes during homecoming events at Ohio State University.
Category:1930 births Category:1996 deaths Category:Ohio State Buckeyes football players Category:Heisman Trophy winners