Bob Skoronski
{{Short description|American football player (1934–2018)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name =
| image = Bob Skoronski.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|3|5|mf=y}}
| birth_place = Ansonia, Connecticut, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|10|30|1934|3|5|mf=y}}
| death_place = Middleton, Wisconsin, U.S.
| number = 76
| status =
| position = Offensive tackle
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 3
| weight_lbs = 249
| high_school = Fairfield Prep {{nowrap|(Fairfield, Connecticut)}}
| college = Indiana
| draftyear = 1956
| draftround = 5
| draftpick = 56
| teams = * Green Bay Packers (1956, 1959–1968)
| highlights = * 5× NFL champion (1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1967)
| pfr = SkorBo00
}}
Robert Francis Skoronski{{cite web |last1=Mayko |first1=Michael P. |title=Derby's Bob Skoronski, Green Bay Packer legend dies |url=https://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Green-Bay-Packers-lineman-Valley-native-Bob-13350609.php |website=News Times |date=November 2018 |publisher=Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC |access-date=November 3, 2018}} (March 5, 1934 – October 30, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers for 11 seasons.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U-sgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8nEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=854%2C291838 |newspaper=The Day |location=New London, Connecticut |last=Montgomery |first=Roger |title=Bob Skoronski may begin new career |date=February 3, 1975 |page=26}} He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Early life
Born in Ansonia, Connecticut, Skoronski grew up in Derby with three brothers and a sister.{{cite web |last1=Mayko |first1=Michael P. |title=Derby's Bob Skoronski, Green Bay Packer legend dies |url=https://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Green-Bay-Packers-lineman-Valley-native-Bob-13350609.php |website=News Times |date=November 2018 |publisher=Hearst Media Services Connecticut LLC |access-date=November 6, 2018}} He went to high school at Fairfield College Preparatory School, graduating in 1951.{{cite web |last1=Harrison |first1=Don |title=A Gridiron Great |url=http://www.townvibe.com/Fairfield/Holiday-2015/A-Gridiron-Great/ |website=Townvibe Fairield |access-date=November 6, 2018}} He then attended Admiral Billard Academy in New London for a year. He played college football at Indiana University in Bloomington.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OshGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MfgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6873%2C2542670 |newspaper=The Day |location=New London, Connecticut|title=Skoronski wins key; Billard stay helped |date=November 15, 1974 |page=20 }} As a senior in 1955, he was the Hoosiers' most valuable player and averaged 50 minutes per game.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n0xQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eQ8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5909%2C2397143 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel | last = Lea | first = Bud | author-link = Bud Lea |title=Packers sign Burris, Morris, Skoronski |date=January 25, 1956 |page=4, part 2}}
Playing career
Skoronski was selected in the fifth round of the 1956 NFL draft, 56th overall, by the Green Bay Packers. He started at left tackle in his rookie season in 1956 under third-year head coach Lisle Blackbourn, and then served two years in the U.S. Air Force.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aMsVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GBAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4564%2C435526 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |title=Skoronski, Knafelc join Packer fold |date=April 11, 1959 |page=6, part 2 }} Skoronski returned to the team in 1959, the first season under head coach Vince Lombardi.
Skoronski was the offensive left tackle and offensive captain on Lombardi's five NFL championship teams. He played in the Pro Bowl following the 1966 season (and the first Super Bowl).{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IUgwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=y0kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7189%2C4071893 |newspaper=Deseret News |location=Salt Lake City, Utah |agency=UPI |last=St. Amant |first=Joe |title=Unitas gets Pro Bowl nod over Starr |date=January 20, 1967 |page=2C }}
Following his 11th season in the NFL, Skoronski retired in June 1969,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3AMqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KygEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6057%2C6578266 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |title=Career ends for Skoronski |date=June 10, 1969 |page=15, part 2 }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DnlQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hhEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2401%2C2316724 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel | last = Lea | first = Bud | author-link = Bud Lea |title=Retirements force Pack to revamp line |date=June 11, 1969 |page=1, part 2}} and was elected to the Packers Hall of Fame in 1976.{{Cite web | url = https://www.packers.com/history/hof/bob-skoronski | title = Bob Skoronski | last = Christl | first = Cliff | author-link = Cliff Christl | website = Packers.com | access-date = September 20, 2023 | archive-date = April 19, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230419143619/https://www.packers.com/history/hof/bob-skoronski | url-status = live }}
In 2017, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Skoronski to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.com/hall-of-very-good-2017.htm|title=PRFA Hall of Very Good Class of 2017|access-date=December 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020123531/http://www.profootballresearchers.com/hall-of-very-good-2017.htm|archive-date=October 20, 2018|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Skoronski met his wife Ruth in college and they married in 1956. They had four children, three boys and a girl (Bob, Steve, Ron and Patti), and four grandchildren.
He died of Alzheimer's disease on October 30, 2018, in Middleton, Wisconsin.{{Cite web |url=https://www.packers.com/news/heralded-former-packers-offensive-lineman-bob-skoronski-dies-at-84 |title=Heralded former Packers offensive lineman Bob Skoronski dies at 84 |website=www.packers.com |language=en-US |access-date=October 31, 2018}}[https://fox6now.com/2018/10/30/former-green-bay-packers-ol-bob-skoronski-dies-at-84/ Former Green Bay Packers OL Bob Skoronski dies at 84]{{Cite web |last=Ryman |first=Richard |date=October 31, 2018 |title=Bob Skoronski, Packers Hall of Fame tackle, dead at 84 |url=https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2018/10/31/bob-skoronski-green-bay-packers-hall-fame-tackle-dead-84/1831572002/ |access-date=November 6, 2018 |website=Green Bay Press Gazette}}
His grandson, Peter Skoronski, played offensive tackle at Northwestern University and was picked by the Tennessee Titans 11th overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Scott |date=April 26, 2023 |title=NFL Draft prospect Peter Skoronski ready to honor legendary Packers grandfather as NFL journey begins |url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nfl-draft-prospect-peter-skoronski-ready-honor-legendary-packers-grandfather-nfl-journey-begins |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Hernandez |first=Victoria |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Peter Skoronski honors grandfather, a Packers legend and Air Force vet, with his draft journey |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2023/04/26/peter-skoronski-honors-grandfather-packers-legend-nfl-draft-path/11735206002/ |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Organ |first=Mike |date=April 27, 2023 |title=Tennessee Titans draft pick Peter Skoronski's grandfather played for Vince Lombardi: What else to know |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nfl/titans/2023/04/27/peter-skoronski-tennessee-titans-2023-nfl-draft-vince-lombardi/70160819007/ |access-date=July 20, 2023 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160310141052/http://www.polishsportshof.com/?page_id=514 National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame] – Bob Skoronski
{{Green Bay Packers 1956 NFL draft picks}}
{{1961 Green Bay Packers}}
{{1962 Green Bay Packers}}
{{1965 Green Bay Packers}}
{{Super Bowl I}}
{{Super Bowl II}}
{{Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skoronski, Bob}}
Category:American football offensive linemen
Category:Indiana Hoosiers football players
Category:Green Bay Packers players
Category:People from Ansonia, Connecticut
Category:Players of American football from New Haven County, Connecticut
Category:Western Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:American people of Polish descent