Del Bjork
{{Short description|American football player (1914–1988)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Del Bjork
| image = Oregondigital-df668q08p.jpg
| caption = Bjork, 1935, University of Oregon
| number = 82
| position = Offensive tackle
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1914|6|27}}
| birth_place = Deep River, Washington, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1988|8|26|1914|6|27}}
| death_place = Astoria, Oregon, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lb = 218
| high_school = Astoria (Astoria, Oregon)
| college = Oregon
| draftyear = 1937
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 58
| pastteams =
- Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1937|1938}})
| highlights =
- Pro Bowl (1938)
- First-team All-PCC (1936)
- Second-team All-PCC (1935)
- Oregon Sports Hall of Fame (1982)
| statlabel1 = Games played
| statvalue1 = 20
| statlabel2 = Games started
| statvalue2 = 9
| pfr =BjorDe20
}}
Delbert Leonard Bjork (June 27, 1914 – August 26, 1988) was an American professional football tackle who played collegiately for the University of Oregon from 1934 to 1936 and for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) in 1937 and 1938.
Despite his short playing career, Bjork was selected for the NFL Pro Bowl in 1938. He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.
Biography
=Early life=
Del Bjork was born in Deep River, Washington and grew up in Astoria, Oregon. He played football for Astoria High School.{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/a/astoriak12.org/ahs-hall-of-fame/del-bjork|title=Del Bjork - AHS Hall of Fame|website=sites.google.com}}
=College career=
In the fall of 1933, Bjork enrolled at the University of Oregon, located in Eugene, Oregon. He was part of the largest turnout in school history to try out for the freshman football squad, with 74 men still on the roster after the first week of practice.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-eugene-guard-largest-squad-in-histor/149993832/ "Largest Squad in History Out For Frosh Football,"] Eugene Guard, Oct. 3, 1933, p. 6. Bjork not only made coach Bill Reinhart's team, but won himself a place on the starting roster at tackle.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-herald-reinhart-drills-fresh/149994669/ "Reinhart Drills Freshmen on Southern Oregon Plays,"] Klamath Falls Evening Herald, Oct. 23, 1933, p. 2.
In 1934 Bjork was promoted to the Oregon varsity football squad and he made his presence known immediately as the outstanding sophomore on the squad, apparently winning a starting position at guard in summer practice filling the hole vacated by graduating senior Bree Cuppoletti.[https://www.newspapers.com/article/medford-mail-tribune-snap-shots-form-the/150000395/ "Snap Shots form the Coast Football Front,"] Medford Mail Tribune, Sept. 19, 1934, p. 8.
Bjork played for the University of Oregon varsity from 1934 to 1936. During summers he returned home to Astoria, where he worked in a creamery.George Jones, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-eugene-guard-university-of-oregon-fo/150002976/ "Life of Ease? Oregon Gridders Have to Work,"] Eugene Guard, July 31, 1935, p. 8.
After receiving his BS in physical education from the University of Oregon in 1937 he was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round.{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/officialarmyregi19601unit|title=Official army register for ..|last=United States. Adjutant General|publisher=Washington : [s.n.]|via=Internet Archive}}{{Cite web |title=1937 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1937/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-21 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
On September 1, 1937, Bjork played with the College All-Stars against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field in Chicago, emerging victorious over the NFL champions by a score of 6–0.{{cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1937/08/10/page/17/article/gus-dorais-leads-poll-by-400-000-votes#text|title=Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers|date=4 August 2023 |publisher=}}
=Professional career=
=Life after football=
In 1940 Bjork earned an MS in education from the University of Oregon. He then went on to have a successful career in the military.
Bjork was awarded the Purple Heart with oak leaf clusters in 1944.{{cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1944/08/02/page/19/article/in-the-wake-of-the-news|title=Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers|date=4 August 2023 |publisher=}} As a captain he was recognized with the Distinguished Service Cross for his World War II service.{{cite web|url=https://valor.defense.gov/Portals/24/Documents/ServiceCross/ArmyDSC-WWII.pdf |title=DSC recipients |website=valor.defense.gov }} After the war he continued his career in the military earning the rank of colonel and was published in Military Review in 1951.{{cite web|url=http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p124201coll1/id/867/rec/3|title=Military Review, February 1951. :: Military Review|website=cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org}}
=Death and legacy=
Del Bjork died August 26, 1988, at Astoria.
Bjork was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.{{cite web|url=http://oregonsportshall.org/?page_id=163|title=Football - Oregon Sports Hall of Fame & Museum|website=oregonsportshall.org}}
References
{{Reflist|35em}}
External links
- {{Find a Grave|175838707}}
{{Bears1937DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bjork, Del}}
Category:American football tackles
Category:Chicago Bears players
Category:Oregon Ducks football players
Category:United States Army personnel of the Korean War
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
Category:United States Army colonels
Category:People from Astoria, Oregon