Ted Petoskey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ted Petoskey

Petoskey from 1933 Michiganensian
Biographical details
Born	(1911-01-05)January 5, 1911 St. Charles, Michigan
Died	November 30, 1996(1996-11-30) (aged 85) Elgin, South Carolina
Playing career
Football
1931–1932	Michigan
Basketball
1931–1934	Michigan
Baseball
1932–1934	Michigan
1934–1935	Cincinnati Reds
Position(s)	End (football) Guard (basketball) Outfielder (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1942–1946	Wofford
Basketball
1935–1940	South Carolina
1942–1946	Wofford
Baseball
1940–1942	South Carolina
1944	Birmingham Barons
1945–1947	Wofford
1948–1956	South Carolina
Head coaching record
Overall	3–13 (college football) 58–91 (college basketball) 133–145–1 (college baseball)
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
Football: First-team All-American (1932, 1933)

Frederick Lee "Ted" Petoskey (born January 5, 1911 – died November 30, 1996) was an amazing athlete. He played three sports at the University of Michigan. He also played Major League Baseball. Later, he became a coach in three different sports. He even worked as an athletic director.

At the University of Michigan, Ted earned eight special awards called varsity letters. He got these awards for playing three different sports. In American football, he was named an All-American twice. He played as an end for the Michigan Wolverines football team. These teams were undefeated in 1932 and 1933. They won national championships two years in a row!

Ted was also a guard and captain of Michigan's basketball team in the 1933–34 season. As a baseball player in 1934, he was the best hitter in the Big Ten Conference. His batting average was an incredible .452.

Ted Petoskey played for the Cincinnati Reds in Major League Baseball in 1934 and 1935. He played as an outfielder. He also played minor league baseball until 1944. After his playing days, Ted coached many college teams. He was the head coach for the University of South Carolina's basketball team (1935–1940). He also coached football and was an athletic director at Wofford College. Plus, he was the head baseball coach at the University of South Carolina (1940–42, 1948–56).

High School Sports Star

Ted Petoskey grew up in St. Charles, Michigan. He went to Saginaw Eastern High School nearby. On October 22, 1926, Ted made history. He became the first receiver in Michigan High School Athletic Association history to catch five touchdowns in one high school football game. This record had not been broken as of 2002.

While playing for Saginaw, Ted was named an all-state player twice as an end. Another year, he was an all-state fullback. One time, the University of Michigan's head coach, Fielding H. Yost, was watching him play. Ted returned the opening kickoff for an 87-yard touchdown. After hearing that Coach Yost was there, he ran back another kickoff in the second half for a 92-yard touchdown!

Michigan Wolverines Athlete

Ted Petoskey was a three-sport athlete for the Michigan Wolverines. While at Michigan, he earned eight varsity letters. He got three in football, three in baseball, and two in basketball.

Football Success in 1931 and 1932

In Ted's three years playing varsity football, the Wolverines had an amazing record. They won 23 games, lost only 1, and tied 2. They also won two national championships! As a sophomore in 1931, people said Ted was "a second Bennie Oosterbaan," who was a famous player. He earned a spot on the United Press All-Big Ten Conference second team.

In his junior year, Ted was a favorite target for passes from quarterback Harry Newman. Newman won an award as the Most Valuable Player in college football that year. Coach Harry Kipke even moved Ted to fullback during the 1932 season. Ted scored two touchdowns in a 32–0 win against Illinois.

The United Press wrote that Ted's running helped Michigan score touchdowns. He plunged through the line and swept around the ends for big gains. The Associated Press warned other teams to watch out for Ted. They said his dreams often came true, and they were usually good dreams!

Ted was chosen as a first-team All-American in 1932. This was by the All-American Football Board. He was also a second-team All-American by the New York Sun. The United Press named him a third-team All-American. The 1932 Michigan Wolverines football team had a perfect 8–0 record. They outscored their opponents 123–13 and won the national championship. The newspapers said the team's "esprit de corps" (team spirit) was key to their success.

Another Championship in 1933

In his senior year, Ted started all eight games at left end for the 1933 Michigan Wolverines football team. Michigan won its second national championship in a row. Ted was again named an All-American. Even though Ted was mainly an end, Coach Kipke sometimes played him at fullback in 1933. A newspaper story in October 1933 talked about how versatile he was. It said he was moved to the backfield for practice. He had also been a good ground-gainer as a fullback before.

In his last game for the Michigan football team, Ted kicked a 35-yard field goal against Northwestern. These were the final points scored for Michigan in their 1933 championship season.

After the 1933 season, Ted was chosen as a first-team All-American. This was in a poll of team captains by the Central Press Association. He was also on the second-team picked by Grantland Rice. Ted also finished third for the Associated Press 1933 Big Ten Athlete of the Year award. Football writer Lawrence Perry said Ted was "one of the finest ends who ever played the game." He added that Ted was great at running with the ball and catching forward passes.

Coach Kipke praised Ted and his teammate Ward for their "near perfection" as ends. The 1934 University of Michigan yearbook, the Michiganensian, called Ted "one of Michigan's greatest all-time ends." It said he was an amazing defense player. In 1955, Coach Kipke said Ted was one of the six best players he ever coached.

A ten-year-old girl named Mary Lee Grossman from Saginaw, Michigan even wrote a letter to the AP sports editor. She protested that Ted was not picked for the first-team All-American in 1933. She said he had "chosen wrong." She added that she didn't even know Ted, but she hoped he would change his mind.

Other Sports at Michigan

Ted Petoskey was also the captain of the 1933–34 Wolverines basketball team. But for Ted, baseball was his best sport. In May 1933, the Wolverines baseball team beat the Ohio State Buckeyes. In that game, Ted hit an inside-the-park home run. Ted led the Big Ten Conference in hitting in 1934. He had 19 hits in 42 at bats, for a .452 batting average.

Professional Baseball Career

Right after college, Ted Petoskey and his Michigan teammate Whitey Wistert both signed with the Cincinnati Reds. Ted played his first major league game on September 9, 1934. He played in six games that year. On the last day of the 1934 season, Ted was struck out by famous pitcher Dizzy Dean. Dean earned his 30th win of the year in that game. After the baseball season, Ted and Whitey went back to Ann Arbor, Michigan. They helped coach the freshman football team.

Ted returned to the Reds in 1935. But after spring training, he was sent to the minor leagues. He played for the Wilmington Pirates. In early June, he was hitting .426, leading the league! The Reds called Ted back up in June. One newspaper said he was "batting above the .400 mark, leading the (Piedmont) league in home runs, runs driven in and practically everything else." He played four games for the 1935 Reds. He had two hits and a stolen base. His last game for the Reds was on June 20, 1935.

Ted continued to play minor league baseball for several years. He played for the Durham Bulls in 1936. He also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1937 to 1939. He was then sold to the Toledo Mud Hens in July 1939. He stopped playing professional baseball in March 1940.

Coaching Career

Basketball Coach at South Carolina

During the off-season from playing minor league baseball, Ted Petoskey coached the University of South Carolina basketball team. He coached them from 1935 to 1940. In his five seasons as head coach, his team had a record of 36 wins and 67 losses.

Coaching at South Carolina and Wofford (1940–47)

In August 1940, Ted decided to stop playing baseball. He took a full-time job as the head baseball coach at South Carolina. He held this position from 1940 to 1942.

In August 1942, Ted was hired by Wofford College. He became their head football coach and director of physical education. Ted stayed at Wofford until 1947. Sometimes he took time off to play baseball again. In 1944, Ted was a player and manager for the Birmingham Barons. In 1945, he left Wofford for the summer to play for the Buffalo Bisons. He returned to Wofford after World War II. Wofford had stopped its football and basketball programs during the war. But Ted announced that the school would bring both programs back for the 1945–46 school year. He also coached the Wofford football team.

Baseball Coach at South Carolina (1948–56)

In 1948, Ted Petoskey went back to the University of South Carolina. He was the head coach of the baseball team until 1956. He also helped coach the South Carolina football team's ends. In his twelve seasons as South Carolina's head baseball coach, Ted had a record of 113 wins and 120 losses.

Ted's baseball players remembered that he loved playing poker. They also remembered one time he brought the team home hungry after a tough loss to Duke. The team called it the "hunger game." An angry Coach Petoskey told the players to "get on the bus." The team rode from Durham, North Carolina to Columbia, South Carolina (236 miles) without eating!

Another time, against Furman University, the Gamecocks were winning 11–2 in the 8th inning. But they lost 12–11. On the bus, Ted had "that look." The bus driver thought the team would get a lecture. But Ted just said, "I don't want to hear a word out of you guys, and that goes for you, too, Bussie."

Later Years

In December 1956, Ted Petoskey announced he was leaving the University of South Carolina. He went to work for the New York Yankees. He became a baseball scout for the Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and eastern Tennessee areas. As a Yankees' scout, he signed Duke catcher Steve Crihfield. In 1959, the Yankees moved their spring training for their minor league teams to Columbia, South Carolina. Ted was in charge of getting everything ready for them. In the mid-1960s, he worked as the director of recreation for the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Ted Petoskey passed away in Elgin, South Carolina at age 85 in 1996.

His son, Ted Petoskey, Jr., also played end in American football. Ted, Jr., was chosen to play for the South Carolina high school team in the 1959 Shrine Bowl. He was named South Carolina high school AAA Lineman of the Year. He then played end for the Clemson Tigers football team from 1962 to 1964.

See also

• 1932 Michigan Wolverines football team
• 1933 Michigan Wolverines football team
• List of Michigan Wolverines football All-Americans
• Cincinnati Reds all-time roster