Tony Butkovich

Butkovich carrying ball behind blocking from Buscemi (50) and Kasap (64) in 1943
No. 25
Position:	Fullback
Personal information
Born:	(1921-04-04)April 4, 1921 St. David, Illinois, U.S.
Died:	April 18, 1945(1945-04-18) (aged 24) Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, Japanese Empire
Career information
High school:	Lewistown (IL)
College:	Purdue
NFL draft:	1944 / Round: 1 / Pick: 11
Career history
Cleveland Rams (1944)*
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-American (1943)

Anthony J. Butkovich (April 4, 1921 – April 18, 1945) was a Croatian-American football fullback from the University of Illinois and spent his last year at Purdue. He was drafted by the Cleveland Rams in the first round of the 1944 NFL Draft.

Instead of going to the Rams he enlisted in the US Marines and fought in World War II. While serving as a Marine in the 6th Division on Guadalcanal he participated in the Mosquito Bowl.^[1] He died at Okinawa.

Purdue career

He led the nation in rushing in 1943; 833 yards, 142 carries (5.9 average), scoring 16 touchdowns (still tied for a Purdue single season record) and led the Boilermakers to a record of 9–0 and a share of the Big Ten Title. The Boilermakers finished the season as the No. 4 team in the nation. In conference play alone, he led the conference in rushing (629 yards over 95 carries) and scoring (13 touchdowns, 78 points).

He was selected All-American by the Associated Press (AP), International News Service, The Sporting News, United Press International (UPI) and Stars and Stripes; he was also First Team, All-Conference.

Statistics

Source:^[2][3]

Personal life

He was a native of St. David, Illinois and graduated from Lewistown High School in Lewistown, Illinois.

He was killed in action by sniper fire at Okinawa.^[4] Coincidentally, fellow #11 overall NFL draft pick Dave Schreiner (from the year prior) died from sniper fire at Okinawa several months later.