American football player and coach (1917–2002)
Ralph C. Fritz (November 23, 1917 – February 4, 2002) was an American football player and coach. A native of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, Fritz attended The Kiski School before enrolling at the University of Michigan. He played guard for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1939 to 1940.[2][3] In 1940, he was chosen by conference coaches as a first-team player on the Associated Press All-Big Ten Conference team.[4] Fritz later played professional football for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1941.[5] He was drafted in the tenth round of the 1941 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.[6] Fritz was one of the more than 1,000 NFL personnel who served in the military during World War II.[7] Starting in 1949, Fritz worked as a high school football coach in Wauchula, Florida.[8][9] In 1954, Fritz was hired as the athletic director and football coach at Lake Wales High School in Lake Wales, Florida.[10] Fritz died in 2002 at age 84 while living in Miami, Florida.[11]
References
