Ralph Milton Wenzel (July 22, 1918 – November 6, 2001) was an American football player and officer in the United States Marine Corps. He was a first-team All-American at Tulane University in 1939, playing at the end position. He later played for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1942 season while awaiting assignment to active duty in the Marine Corps.

Early years

Wenzel was born in the town of Ferda, Arkansas, located to the southeast of Little Rock, and grew up in Dudley Lake, Jefferson County, Arkansas.1930 U.S. Census entry for Ralph M. Wenzel, age 12. Census Place: Dudley Lake, Jefferson, Arkansas; Roll: 78; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0010; Image: 800.0; FHL microfilm: 2339813. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census atabase on-line His father, Frank H. Wenzel, was a Georgia native who was employed as a bookkeeper at a department store.1920 U.S. Census entry for Ralph M. Wenzel, age 1-5/12, born in Arkansas. Census Place: Dudley Lake, Jefferson, Arkansas; Roll: T625_67; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 118; Image: 174. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census atabase on-line

Tulane University

Wenzel attended Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and played

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

at the end position for the Tulane Green Wave football team. He was selected by the Associated Press as a second-team all- SEC player in 1938. The following year, he was selected by the

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(CP) and the '' New York Sun'' as a first-team player on the

1939 College Football All-America Team The 1939 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 1939. The nine selectors recognized by the N ...

. Wenzel also participated in Glee Club, A Capella Choir, and The Bardics while attending Tulane.

Coaching and professional football

Wenzel was drafted by the

in the second round with the 12th overall pick in the

1940 NFL Draft The 1940 National Football League Draft was held on December 9, 1939, at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With the first overall pick of the draft, the Chicago Cardinals selected George Cafego. Player selections Round one Round ...

. He initially opted to pursue a career in coaching rather than playing professional football. In January 1940, he was appointed as the ends coach at Tulane. After spending the 1940 season as the ends coach at Tulane, Wenzel spent the 1941 season as the assistant football coach at Greenville High School in Greenville, Mississippi. In the summer of 1942, Wenzel resigned from his position at Greenville High School to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. After being told not to report until December 1942, Wenzel signed a contract to play professional football with the Steelers. He appeared in six games for the Steelers during the

1942 NFL season The 1942 NFL season was the 23rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, many players left for service in World War II, thus depleting the rosters of all the teams. The Chicago Bears finished the regular season at 11 ...

Later years

Wenzel had served in the Marine Corps reserve since 1938 and began active duty in December 1942, reporting for officer training at the Marine Corps school at Quantico, Virginia. He served in the military for several years thereafter, attaining the rank of major in 1954. Ancestry.com. U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985 atabase on-line Wenzel died in 2001 in

Lexington, Kentucky Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...

, at age 83.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wenzel, Ralph 1918 births 2001 deaths American football ends Pittsburgh Steelers players Tulane Green Wave football coaches Tulane Green Wave football players United States Marine Corps officers People from Jefferson County, Arkansas Players of American football from Arkansas United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II United States Marine Corps reservists