Frank Manning "Bruiser" Kinard Sr. (October 23, 1914 – September 7, 1985) was an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
tackle and coach and university athletic administrator. He was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
as a charter member in 1951 and into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
in 1971.
A native of
Pelahatchie, Mississippi
Pelahatchie is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The town's population was 1,334 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jackson, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its zip code is 39145.
History
Pelahatchie was founded i ...
, he played college football for
Ole Miss from 1935 to 1937. He was the first player from any Mississippi school to receive first-team All-American honors, receiving those honors in both
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
and
1937
Events
January
* January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua.
* January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Fe ...
.
Kinard was drafted by the
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...
in the third round of the
1938 NFL Draft and played seven years in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL) for the Dodgers/Tigers from 1938 to 1944. He was selected as a first-team
All-Pro
All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list th ...
in six of his seven years in the NFL (1938, 1940–1944). After missing the
1945 NFL season
The 1945 NFL season was the 26th regular season of the National Football League. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals resumed their traditional operations.
The remains of the final Ohio League member Dayton Triangles, then known a ...
due to wartime service in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
, he played two years in the
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the ...
(AAFC) for the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
from 1946 to 1947 and was selected as a first-team All-AAFC player in 1946.
Kinard also served as an assistant coach for New York Yankees in 1947 and for the
Ole Miss football program from 1948 to 1970, as Ole Miss'
athletic director
An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and ...
from 1971 to 1973, and as its assistant dean of student personnel from 1974 until 1978.
Early years
Kinard was born in
Pelahatchie, Mississippi
Pelahatchie is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The town's population was 1,334 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jackson, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its zip code is 39145.
History
Pelahatchie was founded i ...
, in 1914.
His father Major Henry Kinard and mother Pearl (Wooley) Kinard were both Mississippi natives.
[ His father worked variously as a farmer,][1920 U.S. Census entry for Major H. Kinard and family. Son Frank M. was age 5 and born in Mississippi. Census Place: Martinsville, Copiah, Mississippi; Roll: T625_874; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 46. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census atabase on-line] a laborer, and the proprietor of a lunch room in Utica, Mississippi
Utica is a town in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 820 at the 2010 census, down from 966 at the 2000 census. Utica is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Utica was originally an area known as ...
.
Kinard began high school as a freshman at Rolling Fork High School and then played his sophomore through senior years at Central High School in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the Capital city, capital of and the List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, Mississippi, ...
.[ The sheriff of ]Hinds County
Hinds County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. With its county seats ( Raymond and the state's capital, Jackson), Hinds is the most populous county in Mississippi with a 2020 census population of 227,742 residents. Hinds Cou ...
reportedly recruited Kinard, already an excellent football player, to move to Jackson and offered his father a job as a jailer to facilitate the move.[ Kinard acquired the nickname "Bruiser" after tackling one of his teammates during a practice scrimmage at Central High School.][ He was the president of the senior class, ranked in the top third of his class, and graduated in 1933.]
Kinard had four brothers and two sisters.[ Two of his younger brothers, George Kinard and Billy Kinard, also played professional football.][
]
Football player
Ole Miss
Kinard attended the University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi (byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment.
...
(Ole Miss), lettered for the Ole Miss Rebels
The Ole Miss Rebels are the 18 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by and represent the University of Mississippi, located in Oxford. The first was the football team, which began play in 1893.
Originally known as th ...
from 1935 to 1937 and served as co-captain of the 1937 Ole Miss squad. During his three years at Ole Miss, Kinard appeared in all 34 games and averaged 55 minutes per game. During one season, he played all 60 minutes in nine games.[
With Kinard playing tackle, the 1936 Ole Miss team compiled a 9–3 record and played in the school's first ]bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is one of a number of post-season college football games that are primarily played by teams belonging to the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). For most of its history, the Division I Bowl Subdivis ...
, a 20–19 loss to Catholic University
Catholic higher education includes universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education privately run by the Catholic Church, typically by religious institutes. Those tied to the Holy See are specifically called pontifical univ ...
in the 1936 Orange Bowl
The 1936 Orange Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Catholic University Cardinals and Ole Miss Rebels played on January 1, 1936, in Miami, Florida. The second edition of the Orange Bowl, the game was won by Catholic Unive ...
.[ During his junior and senior seasons, Ole Miss went 9–10–3,][ but Kinard nevertheless received recognition as follows:
* In 1936, Kinard was selected by the All-America Board and ]International News Service
The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909. (INS) as a first-team tackle on the 1936 College Football All-America Team
The 1936 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1936. The nine selectors recognized by the ...
. He was the first player from Ole Miss (indeed, from any school in Mississippi) to receive first-team All-American honors. He was also selected by both the Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
(AP) and United Press
United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th c ...
(UP) as a first-team player on the 1936 All-SEC football team.
* In 1937, Kinard was selected by the UP, INS, Newspaper Enterprise Association
The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...
, ''Collyer's Eye'', and ''The Sporting News
The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' as a first-team All-American.[ He was also again a consensus pick by the AP and UP for the All-SEC team.
* Kinard also played in the 1938 ]Chicago College All-Star Game
The Chicago Charities College All-Star Game was a preseason American football game played from 1934 to 1976 between the National Football League (NFL) champions and a team of star college seniors from the previous year. It was also known as the C ...
, the first Ole Miss player to receive that honor.[
Kinard was an above-average student at Ole Miss, president of the sophomore class, and a member of ]Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa (), also known as The Circle and ODK, is one of the most prestigious honor societies in the United States with chapters at more than 300 college campuses. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in ...
.[ He graduated from Ole Miss in 1938 with a bachelor of science degree in commerce.][
]
Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers
Kinard was selected by the Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...
in the third round (18th overall pick) of the 1938 NFL Draft. He made $1,974 as a rookie, a sum that Kinard recalled "was a lot of money back then."[ Even in 1938, Kinard was small for a lineman at 210 pounds, but he noted: "I had enough ability to offset my size. And my speed was a lot better than any of the linemen."][ He was a two-way player known for making "crushing blocks" on offense and as a "smothering, dominant tackler" who made "stops all over the field" on defense.]
Joe Stydahar
Joseph Lee Stydahar (March 17, 1912 – March 23, 1977), sometimes listed as Joseph Leo Stydahar, and sometimes known by the nickname "Jumbo Joe", was an American professioinall football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football H ...
, a fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
inductee who played against Kinard, recalled: "The Brooklyn team used to have plays designed just for the blocking of Kinard. They'd get Frank out there against a defender and he'd just mow them down."
Kinard spent seven seasons with the Dodgers from 1938 to 1944 and developed a reputation as one of the toughest and most durable players in the NFL. According to his Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
biography, he "rarely needed a rest and near-60-minute performances were the rule, rather than the exception." He appeared as a starter at tackle in every game for the Dodgers in 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1944. During his seven years in the NFL, he missed only two games,[ those coming in the 1940 season after an opposing player stepped on his hand and gangrene threatened amputation of the hand.][ Kinard was also a regular on the NFL's annual All-Pro teams receiving first-team recognition from one or more selectors in six of his seven years in the NFL: in ]1938
Events
January
* January 1
** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...
from the Pro Football Writers Association
The Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), sometimes known as Pro Football Writers Association, is an organization that purports to be " heofficial voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve ...
(PFWA); in 1940
A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
*January ...
from the NFL, Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
(AP), United Press
United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th c ...
(UP), and International News Service
The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909. (INS); in 1941
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...
from the NFL and UP; in 1942
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Declaration by United Nations is signed by China, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union, and 22 other nations, in wh ...
from the INS; and in 1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 – ...
and 1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
from the AP.[ He received second-team All-Pro honors in ]1939
This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Third Reich
*** Jews are forbidden to ...
from the NFL, UP, and PFWA.[
Although used principally as a tackle, Kinard scored 42 points for the Yankees, scoring touchdowns on receptions in 1943 and a fumble recovery in 1941, kicking a field goal in 1943, and converting 27 of 30 extra-point kicks.][
With ]Jock Sutherland
John Bain Sutherland (March 21, 1889 – April 11, 1948) was an American football player and coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College (1919–1923) and the University of Pittsburgh (1924–1938) and professional football for the ...
as head coach, the Dodgers ranked among the top teams in the NFL, finishing second in the NFL East with records of 8–3 in 1940
A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
*January ...
and 7–4 in 1941
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...
. Sutherland left the team in 1942, and the club dropped to 2–8 in 1943
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1 – WWII: The Soviet Union announces that 22 German divisions have been encircled at Stalingrad, with 175,000 killed and 137,650 captured.
* January 4 – ...
and 0–10 in 1944
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 2 – WWII:
** Free French General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny is appointed to command French Army B, part of the Sixth United States Army Group in Nor ...
.
Navy/Fleet City
After the Dodgers winless 1944 season, Kinard enlisted in the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
in April 1945. He served until March 1946. Kinard and his brother, George, played at tackle and guard, respectively, for the Fleet City Bluejackets football team based at Camp Shoemaker
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area (PRFTA), commonly known as Camp Parks, is a United States Army base located in Dublin, California, that is currently an active military and training center for U.S. Army Reserve personnel to be used in case o ...
in Dublin, California. Kinard was named to the All-Service football team selected by West Coast sports writers in December 1945.
New York Yankees
In January 1946, Dan Topping
Daniel Reid Topping (June 11, 1912 – May 18, 1974) was a part owner and president of the New York Yankees baseball team from 1945 to 1964. During Topping's tenure as chief executive of the Yankees, the team won 14 American League pennants and ...
, owner of the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
of the newly-formed All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the ...
(AAFC), signed the Kinard brothers and four others from the Navy's Fleet City football team. Bruiser Kinard started all 14 games for Yankees in 1946,[ helping the team to a 10–3–1 record, good for first place in the AAFC's East Division. The team then lost in the AAFC championship game to the 1946 Cleveland Browns. At the end of the 1946 season, Kinard was selected by the AP, UP, and AAFC as a first-team All-AAFC player.][
Kinard returned to the Yankees in 1947 and appeared in all 14 games, but in only three as a starter.][ Kinard was also an assistant coach for the Yankees during the 1947 season.][ He announced his retirement as a player in January 1948 at age 33.
]
Honors and awards
Kinard received numerous honors and awards for his accomplishments as a football player, notably including induction into the two major football halls of fame. He was inducted as a charter member into the College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive attraction devoted to college football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players and coaches of college football that were vote ...
in 1951,[ and in 1971 he was inducted into the ]Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
. Other significant awards and honors include:
* In 1949, he was named to the All-America Board's all-time football team, receiving more votes than any other tackle.
* In 1950, the ''Mississippian'', the Ole Miss campus newspaper selected Kinard as the greatest Ole Miss athlete of all time.
* In 1953, he was honored by Ole Miss with a "Bruiser Kinard Day" in celebration of Kinard's induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Governor of Mississippi also declared a "Frank M. (Bruiser) Kinard Day" throughout the State of Mississippi.
* In 1955, he was inducted into the Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship. Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor, funding the foundation via his ownership ...
's Helms College Football Hall of Fame.
* In 1961, he was inducted as one of four charter members into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (along with Edwin Hale
Edwin Whitfield "Goat" Hale (January 29, 1896 – March 25, 1983) was an American football player for the Mississippi College Collegians who was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. After playing, he served many years as a coach.
Earl ...
, Dudy Noble
Clark Randolph "Dudy" Noble (May 6, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player, track athlete, coach, and college athletics administrator.
College
Born in Learned, Mississippi, Noble attended Mississip ...
, and Stanley L. Robinson).
* In 1969, as part of football's centennial celebration, the Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...
selected an all-time All-America team covering the sport's modern era from 1920 to 1969. Kinard was selected at the tackle position.
* In 1971, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
* In 1986, Ole Miss inducted Kinard posthumously into the Ole Miss Athletic Hall of Fame and also named its men's athletic dormitory as Kinard Hall in his honor.
* In 1993, as part of Ole Miss' celebration of its first 100 years of football, the school named its Ole Miss Team of the Century. Kinard was included as a defensive lineman.
* In 1999, he was one of 83 college football players named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation
The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of foo ...
's All-Century team.
Coaching and administrative career
In February 1948, Kinard was hired as the line coach at Ole Miss under Johnny Vaught
John Howard Vaught (May 6, 1909 – February 3, 2006) was an American college football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 1947 to 1970 and aga ...
. He remained on Vaught's staff for 21 years. During the 12-year span from 1952 to 1963, Ole Miss won six SEC championships and was ranked in the top 11 of the final AP Poll 10 times, including No. 2 finishes in 1959 and 1960 and a No. 3 finish in 1962. Kinard had offers to become a head coach in the NFL for the Boston Patriots and New York Giants, but opted to stay at Ole Miss.[
Kinard also served as acting head coach at Ole Miss for the last half of the 1970 season after Vaught suffered a heart attack on October 20. In six games under Kinard, the 1970 Rebels won three games and lost three, including losses to rivals Mississippi State and LSU and to Auburn in the 1971 Gator Bowl. However, Ole Miss credits the entire 1970 season to Vaught.
In January 1971, Ole Miss hired Kinard as its athletic director and his younger brother Billy Kinard as its head football coach. In 1971, the Kinards led the 1971 Ole Miss team to a 10–2 record and a No. 15 ranking in the final AP Poll. However, the team's fortunes declined in 1972 with a 5–5 record. In September 1973, after Ole Miss lost two of the first three games, the university fired Billy Kinard as head coach and relieved Bruiser of his duties as athletic director.
Bruiser remained employed by Ole Miss and was appointed assistant dean of student personnel in June 1974.] He held that position until he retired in 1978.
Family and later years
Kinard married Mildred Frances "Midge" Kirk (1915–2006) in 1933 while they were seniors in high school.[ They had two sons, Frank Jr. and John.
In 1982, Kinard and his wife moved from ]Oxford, Mississippi
Oxford is a city and college town in the U.S. state of Mississippi. Oxford lies 75 miles (121 km) south-southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, and is the county seat of Lafayette County. Founded in 1837, it was named after the British city of Oxf ...
, to Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the Capital city, capital of and the List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, Mississippi, ...
, where they lived until Kinard's death.[ Kinard suffered from ]Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegeneration, neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in short-term me ...
that eventually resulted in the near total loss of his memory. He died in 1985 at age 70 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson. He was buried at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinard, Frank
1914 births
1985 deaths
American football tackles
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) players
Brooklyn Tigers players
Fleet City Bluejackets football players
New York Yankees (AAFC) players
Ole Miss Rebels athletic directors
Ole Miss Rebels football coaches
Ole Miss Rebels football players
Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees
College Football Hall of Fame inductees
United States Navy personnel of World War II
Coaches of American football from Mississippi
Players of American football from Jackson, Mississippi
Military personnel from Mississippi