American football player
| No. 22, 29, 18 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Guard | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1905-12-23)December 23, 1905 Whiting, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died: | July 29, 1986(1986-07-29) (aged 80) Hobart, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 221 lb (100 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Whiting (IN) | ||||||||
| College: | Chattanooga | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Joseph Edwards Kopcha (December 23, 1905 – July 29, 1986) was an American professional football player who was a guard for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Chicago Bears.
Kopcha attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he studied to become an obstetrician, and played professional football in order to fund his university studies. Kopcha played for the Detroit Lions when he obtained an internship at Harper Hospital, after previously studying at the Rush Medical College when playing for the Bears. Kopcha used his knowledge to redesign the shoulder pads worn by players, with his basic designs still in use today.
Personal life
Kopcha was of Polish descent.
References
- Layden, Elmer (November 1936). "College Athletics Over-Emphasised? No!". The Rotarian. 49 (5): 60.
- Carroll, John M (2004). Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football. United States: University of Illinois Press. p. 175. ISBN 0-252-07166-2.
- Heise, Kenan. "Dr. Joseph Kopcha, 80, Guard For Bears In '30s". www.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
- Braunwart, Bob. "DR. JOE: A GUARD'S GUARD" (PDF). www.profootballresearchers.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
- Ronkowski, Steve (March 5, 2012). "Pulaski Day Special: All-Time, All-Polish Bears Team". Windy City Gridiron.
 | This biographical article relating to an American football offensive lineman born in the 1900s is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
- 1905 births
- 1986 deaths
- American football offensive guards
- American people of Polish descent
- Chattanooga Mocs football players
- Chicago Bears players
- Detroit Lions players
- People from Whiting, Indiana
- Players of American football from Lake County, Indiana
- Whiting High School alumni
- 20th-century American sportsmen
- American football offensive lineman, 1900s birth stubs