Frank William Kirkleski was a professional football player from Nutley, New Jersey.
Education
While at Lafayette, Kirkleski was known as a hard-hitting back. He played all four of his college years as a varsity halfback. During his freshman season, he shocked Lafayette"s archrival, Lehigh University, with a touchdown run that gave the Leopards a 13-3 last-minute victory in 1923.
Lehigh would only score three points in Kirkleski"s four years at Lafayette.
In his sophomore year, he helped guide Lafayette to a 7-2 record. He was named the team"s captain during his senior year.
lieutenant was then that he helped the Leopards capture their third National Championship with a 9-0 record. He received second and third team All American honors from the New York Telegraph and The New York World in 1926.
He was later inducted into the school"s Maroon Club Hall Of Fame in 2001.
Career
He played during the early years of the National Football League for the, Orange Tornadoes, Newark Tornadoes and the After college Kirkleski played for the of the National Football League. In his professional debut, Kirkleski threw two touchdown passes to lead the Maroons over the Buffalo Bisons 22-0. Kirkleski would haunt Providence again in a rematch on November 24.
In that game, he threw a 21-yard pass to Gus Kenneally to give Pottsville a 6-0 victory.
In 1928, Kirkleski joined the independent from New Jersey. However Kirkleski gave up a costly interception, in the team"s finale against the Stapletons, which was returned for a Staten Island touchdown.
That error resulted in a 6-0 Orange loss. In 1929 he joined the Orange Tornadoes.
That year Kirkleski had 1 rushing touchdown and 1 receiving touchdown.
When the team was renamed the Newark Tornadoes in 1930, Kirkleski rushed for one touchdown. Kirkleski"s final year in professional football, in 1931, was spent with the He only played three games that season and did not register a score for that season.
