Notable people · Sports
Lou Groza
Born in Martins Ferry, Groza was a tackle and placekicker for the Cleveland Browns for 21 seasons, nicknamed The Toe. He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974.
At a glance
- Born
- 1924-01-25
- Died
- 2000-11-29
- Education
- Martins Ferry High School, Martins Ferry, OH, to 1942
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 1942-1943, one freshman season
- Known as
- Sports
- Organizations
- Cleveland Browns
Life story
Lou Groza was born in Martins Ferry in 1924 to Hungarian-Romanian immigrant parents who ran a tavern, the youngest of four athletic brothers. At Martins Ferry High School he played football, basketball and baseball and captained the 1941 state-champion basketball team.
He played one freshman season at Ohio State, enlisted in 1943 and served as a surgical technician in the Pacific. He signed with the Cleveland Browns in May 1945 and spent 21 seasons with them. The Browns won four straight AAFC titles and later NFL titles; in 1950 his 16-yard field goal won the NFL Championship with 28 seconds left.
He retired in 1967 and entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He lived in Berea after retirement and died on November 29, 2000. The Lou Groza Award for college kickers is named for him.
Timeline
- 1924-01-25: Born (Martins Ferry, OH) source
- 1941: Captains basketball team to state title (Martins Ferry, OH) source
- 1942: Plays freshman season at Ohio State (Columbus, OH) source
- 1943: Enlists in the Army (US) source
- 1945-05: Signs with Cleveland Browns (Cleveland, OH) source
- 1950: Game-winning field goal in NFL Championship (Cleveland, OH) source
- 1954: Named NFL MVP by Sporting News (US) source
- 1964: Final NFL Championship (Cleveland, OH) source
- 1967: Retires after 21 seasons (Cleveland, OH) source
- 1974: Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, OH) source
- 2000-11-29: Dies of a heart attack (Ohio) source
What Lou is known for
- Eight league titles with the Browns (AAFC 1946-49; NFL 1950, 1954, 1955, 1964)
- 1,608 career points; kicked winning field goal in 1950 NFL Championship, 30-28
- Pro Football Hall of Fame 1974
- The Toe: The Lou Groza Story (memoir)
Honors and things named for them
- Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1974
- Lou Groza Award, 1992
- Browns Ring of Honor; retired #76
- Lou Groza Boulevard, Berea, OH
- Lou Groza Field with statue, Berea, OH
- Kicking shoe in the Smithsonian
Family
- parents: Hungarian-Romanian immigrants who ran Groza's Tavern
- brother: Alex Groza
Places in Ohio to see
- Lou Groza Field and statue (statue)
Berea, Cuyahoga County ZIP 44017 (approximate) · Berea · Cuyahoga County
Ohio places
Where Lou Groza was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Martins Ferry, Belmont County ZIP 43935 · Martins Ferry · Belmont County
- School: Columbus (Ohio State University), Franklin County ZIP 43210 · Columbus · Franklin County
- Worked: Cleveland, Cuyahoga County ZIP 44114 · Cleveland · Cuyahoga County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- Lou Groza (Wikipedia) dates, titles, OSU 1942
- Lou Groza (Pro Football Hall of Fame) 1974 induction, 21 seasons 1946-67, 1,608 points, 1950 field goal