John Grigas: Difference between revisions

'''John Joseph Grigas''' (August 19, 1920–May1920 – May 19, 2000) was an [[American football]] player. He played college football for the [[Holy Cross Crusaders football]] team from 1940 to 1942 and professional football in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) from 1943 to 1947. He was selected as a second-team All-American in 1941, a first-team All-NFL player in 1944, and led the NFL in all-purpose yards in 1944.

Grigas was born [[Chelsea, Massachusetts]], in 1920 and attended [[Chelsea High School (Massachusetts)|Chelsea High School]].<ref name=PFR>{{cite web|title=John Grigas|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdateaccess-date=February 19, 2016|url=httphttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GrigJo20.htm}}</ref>

==HolyCollege Crosscareer==

Grigas enrolled at the [[College of the Holy Cross]] in 1939 and played [[college football]] for the [[Holy Cross Crusaders football|Crusaders football]] team from 1940 to 1942. He was later inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|title=John J. Grigas Bio|publisher=Holy Cross|accessdateaccess-date=February 18, 2016|url=http://www.goholycross.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=33100&ATCLID=210240270|archive-date=March 9, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309115406/http://www.goholycross.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=33100&ATCLID=210240270|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On September 27, 1941, Grigas gained national attention after he rushed for 192 yards on 26 carries and scored all three Holy Cross touchdown in a 19–13 victory over [[1941 LSU Tigers football team|LSU]] at [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Players Fight as L.S.U. Loses: Holy Cross Wins by 19–13; Grigas Hero|newspaper=Des Moines Register|date=September 28, 1941|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4362914/players_fight_as_lsu_loses/}}</ref> He ranked third nationally behind [[Frank Sinkwich]] and [[Bill Dudley]] with 709 rushing yards in 1941.<ref>{{cite news|title=O'Brien's Pass Record Threatened By Wash. of St. Louis Ace|newspaper=The Big Spring Daily Herald|date=November 20, 1941|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363133/obriens_pass_record_threatened/}}</ref> At the end of his junior season, Grigas was selected by the [[International News Service]] as a second-team back on its [[1941 College Football All-America Team]],<ref>{{cite news|title=1941 INS All-America team|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|date=December 2, 1941|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4362970/1942_ins_all_america_team/}}</ref> and by the [[Newspaper Enterprise Association]] as a third-team All-American.<ref>{{cite news|title=Here is 1941 NEA All-America Team|newspaper=Hope Star|date=November 29, 1941|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363003/1941_nea_all_america/}}</ref>

On November 28, 1942, Grigas was responsible for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) in a 55–12 upset victory over undefeated [[Boston College]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Holy Cross Routs B.C., 55–12|newspaper=Brooklyn Eagle|date=November 29, 1942|pages=B1, B3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363317/holy_cross_routs_bc/}}</ref> He played in the 1942 [[Blue–Gray Football Classic]] and was credited by the Associated Press with "brilliant play" in the game.<ref>{{cite news|title=South All-Stars Trim North, 24–0: Grigas Shines for Yanks|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|date=December 27, 1942|page=30|url=}}</ref>

In March 1943, Grigas reported in Boston for induction into the Army, but he was rejected due to an undisclosed ailment.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grigas, Grid Star, Rejected|newspaper=The Berkshire Eagle|date=April 21, 1943|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363419/grigas_grid_star_rejected/}}</ref> Grigas instead opted to play professional football after being selected by the [[Chicago Cardinals]] in the second round, 14th overall pick, of the [[1943 NFL Draftdraft]].<ref name=PFR/>

During the 1943 season, Grigas appeared in all 10 games, principally as a fullback, for a [[1943 Chicago Cardinals season|Chicago Cardinals]] team that compiled a winless 0–10 record.<ref>{{cite web|title=1943 Chicago Cardinals|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdateaccess-date=February 19, 2016|url=httphttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/1943.htm}}</ref> In his rookie season, he was the Cardinals leading rusher and gained 558 yards from scrimmage, 333 rushing yards, and 225 receiving yards.<ref name=PFR/>

During the 1944 season, Grigas appeared in nine games for the [[Card-Pitt]] (a temporary wartime merger of the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] and [[Chicago Cardinals]]), a team that compiled a winless 0–10 record.<ref>{{cite web|title=1944 Chi/Pit Cards/Steelers|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdateaccess-date=February 19, 2016|url=httphttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/1944.htm}}</ref> Grigas ranked first in the NFL with 1,154 all-purpose yards and 471 kickoff return yards, second with 1,300 yards of total offense and 610 rushing yards, and eighth with 690 passing yards.<ref>{{cite news|title=1944 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdateaccess-date=February 19, 2016|url=httphttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1944/leaders.htm}}</ref> On November 12, 1944, he outgained the entire [[Detroit Lions]] team 123 rushing yards to 78 and 177 passing yards to 41, but the Lions still won, 21–7.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grigas Outgains Whole Lion Team, but Card-Pitts Lose, 21–7|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=November 13, 1944|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4362731/griggs_outgains_whole_lion_team/}}</ref> At the end of the 1944 season, Grigas was selected as a first-team All-NFL player by the [[International News Service]] and as a second-team All-NFL player by the [[United Press International]].<ref name=PFR/> He was also one of six players to receive votes in balloting for the [[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award#Joe F. Carr Trophy|NFL Most Valuable Player Award]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Sinkwich Gets Most Valuable Player Award|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=April 3, 1945|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363664/sinkwich_gets_mvp_award/}}</ref>

Grigas could have accumulated even more impressive statistics in 1944, but he quit the team before the final game, leaving the team with a letter citing his mental exhaustion at playing with a team that had gone 0–9 in the first nine games. Grigas wrote:<refblockquote>{{cite"My news|title=Proaction, Griddersfor Drawwhat I Checksjust did, Gomay Home|newspaper=Pittsburghnot Post-Gazette|date=Decemberbe 5the best in regard to good, 1944|page=14|url=https://www.newspapersethical business.com/clip/4362670/pro_gridders_draws_checks_go_home/}}</ref> ChicagoThink coachwhat [[Philyou Handler]]may laterof explainedme, Grigasbut decisionI assincerely follows:<blockquote>"Hebelieve workedthat daysin all justice it is for the best. I had that desire which you so often mentioned in ayour steellectures, millbut athow long a jobperson wherecan hehave hadany todesire standdepends allon the time.frame of Themind teamunder practicedwhich athe nightplays. andThe becausehuman ofmind ais shortagethe faculty of backsthe Grigassoul, hadwhich tois workinfluenced outby boththe onhuman offensebody. When your mind is changed because of the physical beating, week in and defense.week Thenout, Sundaysyour hesoul playedisn't sixty-minutein the footballgame. . The. strain. wasI tootried greatto stick it out, andbut heit finallyhas gavereached upthe stage where the mind is stronger than the will."<ref>{{cite news|title=WhatPro HappenedGridders ToDraw JohnnyChecks, Grigas?Go Home|newspaper=DetroitPittsburgh Free PressPost-Gazette|date=JanuaryDecember 75, 19451944|page=1114|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43636284362670/what_happened_to_johnny_grigaspro_gridders_draws_checks_go_home/}}</ref></blockquote>

Chicago coach [[Phil Handler]] later explained Grigas decision as follows:<blockquote>"He worked days in a steel mill at a job where he had to stand all the time. The team practiced at night and because of a shortage of backs Grigas had to work out both on offense and defense. Then Sundays he played sixty-minute football. The strain was too great, and he finally gave up."<ref>{{cite news|title=What Happened To Johnny Grigas?|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=January 7, 1945|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363628/what_happened_to_johnny_grigas/}}</ref></blockquote>

In early September 1945, the [[Boston Yanks]] acquired Grigas from the Cardinals in exchange for reserve list players and cash.<ref>{{cite news|title=Boston Yanks Sign Two|newspaper=Ironwood Daily Globe|date=September 8, 1945|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363732/boston_yanks_sign_two/}}</ref> During the 1945 season, Grigas appeared in all 10 games for the Yanks and totaled only 160 rushing yards on 64 carries for an average of 2.5 yards per carry. In 1946, Grigas rebounded with 426 rushing yards (seventh in the NFL) on 84 carries for an average of 5.2 yards per carry.<ref name=PFR/><ref>{{cite news|title=Johnny Grigas Rushing Star|newspaper=Miami (OK) Daily News-Record|date=November 15, 1946|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363809/johnny_grigas_rushing_star/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Grid Yanks Sign Grigas, Star Back|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=April 9, 1947|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4363848/grid_yanks_sign_grigas_star_back/}}</ref>

After retiring from the NFL, Grigas worked for 35 years as an industrial engineer for the American Optical Co. in [[Southbridge, Massachusetts]]. He and his wife, Helen, had two daughters. He died in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], in 2000 at age 79.<ref>{{cite news|title=In Memoriam|publisher=Holy Cross Magazine|date=Summer 2000|url=http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer00/in_memoriam/1927.html|access-date=2016-02-19|archive-date=2016-04-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404144512/http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer00/in_memoriam/1927.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* {{Find a Grave|21618366}}

[[Category:Holy Cross Crusaders football players]]

[[Category:Players of American football from Suffolk County, Massachusetts]]