American Football Database
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Ken Fritz
Date of birth: (1957-11-21) November 21, 1957 (age 66)
Place of birth: Ironton, Ohio
Career information
Position(s): G
College: Ohio State University
High school: Ironton (OH)
Organizations
Career highlights and awards

Ken Fritz (born November 21, 1957) is a former American football Guard who played for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, and was recognized as a consensus All-American in 1979.

Early life[]

Fritz was born on November 21, 1957 in Ironton, Ohio.[1] He graduated from Ironton High School.[2] At Ironton, he played on the football team where he lettered 3 times.[2] In 1975, he earned several honors including being named Southeastern Ohio Athletic League (SEOAL) Co-Player of the Year and Associated Press Ohio Class AA Lineman of the Year.[2]

College career[]

Fritz played and lettered for the Ohio State Buckeyes football team under coaches Woody Hayes during the 1976, 1977 and 1978 seasons and Earle Bruce in the 1979 season.[2][3] He made All-Big 10 team in both the 1978 and 1979 seasons.[2] At the end of the 1978 season Fritz restrained his coach Woody Hayes after he punched Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman of Clemson University in the Gator Bowl.[4] The television replay and several still photos also show Hayes punching Fritz as he restrained him, but Fritz at the time denied that he was punched.[4] Fritz said “…He was just trying to wrestle his way free. He didn’t want anyone to restrain him.”[4] In 1979, his senior season, he helped the Buckeyes to a Big Ten championship with a perfect 11-0 regular season record, and a berth in the Rose Bowl.[2][5] Following his senior year, as a 6-foot, 3-inch, 238-pound guard, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from several publications and organizations including the Associated Press (AP), and United Press International (UPI).[6] Fritz was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 10th round (277 overall selection) of the 1980 NFL Draft.[7]

References[]

  1. "Ken Fritz". nfl.com. http://www.nfl.com/player/kenfritz/2514457/profile. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Walker, Jim (January 10, 2013). "Ironton inaugural Hall of Fame dinner set". Ironton Tribune. http://www.irontontribune.com/2013/01/10/ironton-inaugural-hall-of-fame-dinner-set/. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  3. "Ohio State Letterwinners". Ohio State. http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/all-time-letterwinners.pdf. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Salituro, Chuck (October 19, 1979). "Woody’s Punch is Still With the Buckeyes". Milwaukee Journal (Milwaukee, WI: Newspaper Inc.) 97 (334): pp. 11 Part 2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19791019&id=EzAgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3ioEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6630,5993164. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  5. "1979 Football Season". Ohio State. http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/1979-season.html. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  6. 2014 NCAA Football Records Book, Award Winners, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, pp. 4 & 14 (2014). Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  7. "1980 Pittsburgh Steelers: Drafted players". pro-football-reference. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/pit/1980_draft.htm. Retrieved August 29, 2014.

Template:Steelers1980DraftPicks

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