Background
Ulinski was born in Ambridge, Pennsylvania and attended Ambridge High School, where he played football, basketball and track.
Ulinski was born in Ambridge, Pennsylvania and attended Ambridge High School, where he played football, basketball and track.
After the war, Ulinski attended and played college football at the University of Kentucky under coach Bear Bryant.
He played college football at the University of Kentucky and was selected in the fourth round of the 1950 NFL Draft. After graduating from high school, he served in the United States Army Air Forces during World World War II from 1943 to 1946. He was inducted into the Beaver County, Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.
As a freshman, he shared quarterbacking duties with future Hall of Famer George Blanda but then switched to center and linebacker as a sophomore.
Ulinski considered transferring to Eastern Kentucky University to play basketball, but changed his mind after the marriage rule was rescinded. As team co-captain during his senior year, he led the team to the 1950 Orange Bowl against the University of Santa Clara, which they lost 21-13.
After graduation, he played in the Chicago College All-Star Game against the Philadelphia Eagles and upset the Eagles, 17-7. Ulinski was drafted in the fourth round of the 1950 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins.
He played center for the Redskins for two years before a contract dispute with owner George Preston Marshall forced him to go to the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (Canadian Football League) for the 1952 season.
After the hiring of Curly Lambeau as head coach, Ulinski rejoined the Redskins in 1953 and played for the franchise for four more seasons.
Ulinski became a charter member of the United Kingdom Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.