George Platukis
American football player (1915–1973)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
George Paul Platukis (March 15, 1915–May 17, 1973) was an American professional football end who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Rams. He later became a high school teacher and baseball coach.
West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Hazleton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| No. 26, 34, 70 | |||||||||
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| Positions | End, Defensive end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | March 15, 1915 West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | May 17, 1973 (aged 58) Hazleton, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Listed weight | 196 lb (89 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | West Hazleton | ||||||||
| College | Duquesne (1934-1937) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1938 (6th round, 44th overall pick) | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
Playing | |||||||||
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Coaching | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Early life
Platukis was born in West Hazleton, Pennsylvania and attended West Hazleton High School.[1]
He matriculated at Duquesne University.[1]
Football career
Platukis was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth round of the 1938 NFL draft.[2] He played for the Pirates (renamed the Steelers in 1941) for four seasons.[3]
Platukis was traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers in August 1942 to the Cleveland Rams in exchange for John Binotto and Milt Simington.[4] He spent a final season with the Rams.[3]
Post-football career
After completing his football career, Platukis returned to Hazleton, Pennsylvania where he became a high school teacher and head baseball coach at his alma mater, West Hazleton High School.[5]