Toni Fritsch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Toni Fritsch
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toni Fritsch (left)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 10 July 1945 Petronell-Carnuntum, Austria
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 13 September 2005 (aged 60) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Football career |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15, 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position: | Kicker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 1971 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anton K. "Toni" Fritsch (born July 10, 1945 – died September 14, 2005) was an amazing athlete from Austria. He first played soccer and then became a successful American football player in the United States.
Toni Fritsch made history as the first Austrian to play in the National Football League (NFL). He is also the only player ever to win major professional titles in both soccer and American football! He won the Austrian soccer league three times and the Super Bowl in American football.
Contents
Toni Fritsch's Soccer Career
Toni Fritsch started playing soccer when he was very young. At age 13, he joined Rapid Vienna, a famous Austrian team. He became a professional player in 1964.
During his time with Rapid Vienna, he played 123 games and scored 15 goals. His team won the Austrian Championship three times (in 1964, 1967, and 1968). They also won the Austrian Cup twice (in 1968 and 1969). People described Toni as a small but very fast player.
He also played for the Austria national football team nine times. He scored two goals when Austria beat England 3–2 in London in 1965. This famous game earned him the nickname "Wembley-Toni." It was a big deal because it was only the third time a team from mainland Europe had beaten England at home.
Toni Fritsch's American Football Career
Toni Fritsch was a soccer player who had never played American football before. But the Dallas Cowboys saw his talent and turned him into a placekicker.
Joining the Dallas Cowboys
In 1971, the Dallas Cowboys were looking for soccer players who could kick. They traveled to Europe and found Toni Fritsch in Vienna. Even though he barely spoke English, he decided to sign a contract. He moved to the United States to join the team.
Toni started playing for the Cowboys in November 1971. In his first NFL game, he kicked a field goal that helped his team win 16–13. That year, he was part of the team that won Super Bowl VI. He earned a Super Bowl ring, which is a huge achievement!
In 1972, Toni set a club record by making 21 field goals. He also made a very unusual kick during a playoff game. It was a special kind of kick called a "crossed-kick" or rabona. This kick helped the Cowboys make an amazing comeback victory.
In 1975, Toni Fritsch led the NFL in points scored (104) and field goals (22). In 1976, he was traded to the San Diego Chargers.
Playing for Other Teams
Toni played five games for the San Diego Chargers. Then, in 1977, he joined the Houston Oilers. He became a very important player for the Oilers during their "Luv Ya Blue" period.
In 1979, Toni was named an All-Pro player and chosen for the Pro Bowl. These are big honors in American football. The next year, he led the league with a 79.2% field goal average. He stayed with the Oilers until 1982.
Later in 1982, Toni Fritsch signed with the New Orleans Saints. He played for them briefly before announcing his retirement. He finished his NFL career with 758 points in 125 games over 11 seasons. He led the NFL in field goal percentage three times.
Houston Gamblers (USFL)
In 1984, Toni came out of retirement to play for the Houston Gamblers in the United States Football League (USFL). He was named to the All-League team that season. In two seasons with the Gamblers, he made 42 out of 50 field goals and 126 out of 131 extra points.
Toni Fritsch's Life After Football
After retiring from football, Toni Fritsch worked as a sports commentator in Europe. He also helped Austrian business people who wanted to move to the United States.
Even though he worked for his old soccer club, Rapid Vienna, for a year, he lived in Houston for the rest of his life.
Toni Fritsch passed away on September 13, 2005, in Vienna, Austria. He was 60 years old.
Toni Fritsch's Achievements
- Austrian Football Bundesliga (3):
- 1964, 1967, 1968
- Austrian Cup (2):
- 1968, 1969
- Super Bowl (1):
- 1972
