Joe Sabasteanski
Personal information
Born:(1921-03-27)March 27, 1921
Portland, Maine
Died:July 1, 1972(1972-07-01) (aged 51)
Career information
High school:Portland (ME)
College:Fordham
Position:Guard/Linebacker/Center
NFL draft:1943 / Round: 11 / Pick: 94
Career history
Career NFL statistics
Games played:34
Interceptions:3
Player stats at PFR

Joseph Edward Sabasteanski (February 24, 1921 – July 1, 1972) was an American football offensive lineman and linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL).

College career

Sabasteanski was a member of the football and track and field teams while at Fordham University. He replaced Lou DeFilippo as the Rams starting center and started in the team's 1942 Sugar Bowl victory over Missouri. As a senior, Sabasteanski was named to the "Eastern Eleven" and an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press and played in the 1943 East–West Shrine Bowl.[1][2]

Sabasteanski competed in the 16 pound hammer throw on the track and field team. He won the event at the Metropolitan Intercollegiate Track and Field Championships in 1941 and 1942.[3] He gave up his senior track and field season to enter the Marine Corps during WWII.[4]

Professional career

Sabasteanski was selected by the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 11th round of the 1943 NFL Draft.[5] He signed with the Boston Yanks in January of 1946 after being discharged from the Marines.[6][2] He played two seasons with the Yanks and another with the team after they relocated and became the New York Bulldogs.[7][8]

Coaching career and later life

Sabasteanski returned to Fordham as an offensive line coach in 1951.[9] He joined the coaching staff at Adelphi University in 1952 and was the Panthers head coach in 1953, compiling a record of 4-3-1 in the final season before the football program was discontinued.[10]

Sabasteanski died on July 1, 1972. He was posthumously inducted into the Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.[11]

References

  1. ^ "FORDHAM PLAYERS NAMED". The New York Times. December 1, 1942. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "What Happened to The All Star Team of 1943?" (PDF). GrantCountyHistory.org. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  3. ^ Daley, Arthur (May 10, 1941). "Fordham Hammer Throwers First as Metropolitan College Track Meet Starts". The New York Times. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  4. ^ "Roll of Honor: Class of '43". The Fordham Ram. January 22, 1943. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  5. ^ Askeland, Kevin (April 21, 2010). "The best all-time NFL Draft picks from each state". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  6. ^ "Boston Gets Sabasteanski". The New York Times. January 27, 1946. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  7. ^ "Joe Sabasteanski Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  8. ^ "The Probable Line-Ups". The New York Times. September 22, 1949. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  9. ^ "Sabasteanski to Aid Fordham". The New York Times. April 6, 1951. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  10. ^ "ADELPHI COLLEGE DROPS FOOTBALL". The New York Times. January 30, 1954. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  11. ^ "Seven join Maine Sports Hall of Fame". Bangor Daily News. June 4, 1990. Retrieved May 25, 2020.

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