Walter John Matuszczak later changed the spelling of his last name to Matuszak (February 5, 1918 – November 18, 2001)^[1] was an American football player and veterinarian. Founder of DeWitt Animal Hospital in New York, he practiced there until 1971. Dr. Matuszak owned Wa-Noa Golf Club in East Syracuse, New York. A World War II veteran, Dr. Matuszak served as a captain in the Army Veterinary Corps.^[2]

A native of Lowville, New York, son of a Polish immigrants- Kasper J. Matuszczak and Marianna; Matuszczak was the youngest of twelve children. He played college football for the Cornell Big Red football team and was selected by the New York Sun as the first-team quarterback on the 1939 College Football All-America Team.^[3] He was named to the Second 1939 College Football All Polish-American Team.^[4] He was also elected as the captain of Cornell's 1940 football team. He also played for Cornell's basketball and baseball teams.^[5] He was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979.^[6]
Graduation from Cornell in 1941 - the same year he was selected by the New York Giants in the 10th round of the draft^[7] - he entered the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, where he graduated in 1943.^[8]

He married Mildred C. Nohle on August 22, 1942; two daughters: Judith L. Hodhe, Diane J. Tsibulsky, two sons: W. David Matuszak, Charles Matuszak.