Background
John Francis Orsi was born on November 11, 1908, in Newark, New Jersey to Italian immigrant parents. The youngest of 7 children, he grew up in Newark and attended Columbia High School in South Orange, New Jersey.
athletics competitor gridiron football player
John Francis Orsi was born on November 11, 1908, in Newark, New Jersey to Italian immigrant parents. The youngest of 7 children, he grew up in Newark and attended Columbia High School in South Orange, New Jersey.
He played college football at University. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. In 1926, the Columbia High football team, with Orsi, made it to the state finals but lost 7-0.
Orsi moved on to The Perkiomen School from 1927-1928.
On his birthday in 1967, he was honored at Perkiomen with "John Orsi Day" to mark his athletic exploits. He also served as the chairman of the Annual Gift Fund at Perkiomen for that school year.
Orsi moved on to University where he was a 3 sport star. He played basketball and ran track, but really made a name for himself playing football for the legendary Andy Kerr.
A standout at end, Kerr always believed that there was none better in the history of college football.
With Orsi starting, teams went 25-3 from 1929-1931. He made headlines in 1930 in a post-season charity game against New York University in Yankee Stadium. With leading 7-0, New York University scored a late touchdown to bring the score to 7-6, but Orsi blocked the ensuing extra point attempt to seal the victory.
Lloyd Jordan, an assistant coach with at the time, later recalled that block as one of the best memories of his coaching career.
The block in 1930 set the stage for Orsi"s All-America year in 1931. had a great year with Orsi as a senior captain, only losing to New York University in Yankee Stadium. Orsi had perhaps his best game against arch-rival Syracuse in Archbold Stadium.
After the season, Orsi was selected to the All-America team and was invited to Hollywood for the filming of "The All-American" (1932). Orsi did not go far after graduating as he joined Andy Kerr"s coaching staff at He was the end coach beginning in 1932 with the famous undefeated, untied, unscored upon, and uninvited team
He held the position as end coach until resigning in 1941.
He moved on to the Penn Charter School as an assistant coach in 1942 and assumed the head coaching position for the 1943 season. From 1944-1945 he was an assistant coach at Germantown Academy, and from 1946-1956 he was the head coach at Episcopal Academy.