Baptiste Manzini facts for kids

Baptiste John "Bap" Manzini was an American football player and a successful high school coach. He was born on August 27, 1920, and passed away on May 9, 2008. Bap Manzini played as a center in the National Football League (NFL). After his professional playing days, he became a well-known high school football coach in Pennsylvania for many years.

Bap Manzini's Early Life and College

Bap Manzini was born in a place called Treveskyn, Pennsylvania. He loved football from a young age. He went to Saint Vincent College, which is a university. While playing football there, he became an "all-state center." This means he was considered one of the best players in his position across the entire state. After finishing college, he joined the United States Air Force to serve his country.

Playing in the NFL

After his time in the military, Bap Manzini played professional football. He joined the National Football League (NFL), which is the biggest professional football league in the United States. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1944 and 1945. Later, in 1948, he played one game for the Detroit Lions. He then returned to the Philadelphia Eagles for three more games that same year. During his time with the Eagles, he even won an NFL championship in 1948!

A Long Coaching Career

When Bap Manzini stopped playing professional football, he decided to become a coach. He coached high school football for 30 years! He worked at two different high schools in Pennsylvania: Bellmar High School and Thomas Jefferson High School. He was a very successful coach. His teams won 203 games, lost only 74, and had 8 ties. This shows he was a great leader and teacher for young football players.