In todays mail, one of my collecting buddies sent me two hits to my 1951 Topps "Magic" Football set #33 John Petitbon and #10 Vic Janowicz. Only two more cards to complete my set! Then I look in my trusted "Standard Catalog" and discover the Janowicz is not only his RC, but the most expensive card in the set?
And as I have proven over and over again here on the football board, I know nothing about the guys pictured on these little pieces of cardboard. I'm a baseball card collector at heart, and I know that I've seen Janowicz pictured on some early 50s Topps and Bowman baseball cards.
Janowicz played college football at Ohio State University and he won the Heisman Trophy in 1950 as a junior.
After college, Janowicz passed up offers to play professional football in order to pursue a baseball career. He reached the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but hit only .214 over two seasons as a bench player. He returned to football late in the 1954 season with the Washington Redskins, and was their starting halfback in 1955. During training camp in 1956, he suffered a serious brain injury in an automobile accident that left him partially paralyzed and ended his athletic career.
Janowicz eventually made a full recovery and became a broadcaster of Buckeye football games.
Vic Janowicz died in 1996.
Larry
