Leo Draveling

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Leo Draveling

| image = Leo Draveling.jpg

| caption =

| number = 51

| position = End, tackle

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1907|6|23}}

| birth_place = Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1955|7|2|1907|6|23}}

| death_place = Columbus Township, Michigan, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lbs = 210

| high_school = Port Huron

| college = Michigan (1928–1930)

| teams =

Cincinnati Reds (1933)

| pastcoaching =

Akron High School (NY) (1931)
Head coach
Canisius (1932)
Line coach
Detroit Tech (1934–1935)
Head coach

| pastadmin =

Akron High School (NY) (1931–1932)
Athletic director

| highlights =

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 9

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 = 2

}}

Leo Frank "Firpo" Draveling (June 23, 1907 – July 2, 1955) was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1928 to 1930 and professionally for the Cincinnati Reds of the National Football League (NFL) in 1933. Draveling served as the head football coach at the Detroit Institute of Technology from 1934 to 1935. At Michigan, he also wrestled and competed in the hammer throw for the Michigan track and field team.

Early life

Draveling was born on June 23, 1907, in Port Huron, Michigan.{{cite news |author= |title=Draveling, Of Grid Fame, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald-obituary-for-leo-dravel/161651742/ |newspaper=Port Huron Times Herald |location=Port Huron, Michigan |date=July 2, 1955 |page=1 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} In 1925, he played on the Port Huron High School football team that was "undefeated and unscored upon."{{cite news|last=Jakacki |first=Rick |title='03 class covers major sports |newspaper=The Times Herald |location=Port Huron, Michigan |date=July 22, 2003 }}

University of Michigan

Draveling enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1927 and played football for the Wolverines football teams of 1928, 1929 and 1930. As a sophomore in 1928, Draveling started seven games as Michigan's right end.{{cite news|title=1928 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1928fbt.htm}} Draveling played a key role in the 1928 Michigan–Ohio State game. He put the Wolverines in the lead, 7–6, when he recovered a loose ball in the end zone. An Ohio State player allowed a punt to roll past him thinking it would reach the end zone for a touchback. The Ohio State player was blocked into the ball, and Draveling gained possession long enough for the officials to rule that he had scored a touchdown.Jack Park, The Official Ohio State Football Encyclopedia, p. 113

In 1929, Draveling started eight games (seven at right end) for the Wolverines.{{cite news|title=1929 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1929fbt.htm}} A newspaper feature story on the 1929 Wolverines said the following about Michigan's ends:

"One may search a long time before finding a pair of wingmen to match the ability of Captain Joe Truskowski of Detroit and Leo Draveling. They are six feet tall, weigh 200 pounds each, and play a smart game at the flanks. Each is a master at snagging passes. Truskowski also is a commendable ball-carrier, while Draveling is one of the team's best punters."{{cite news|title=Kipke Grooms Strong Team At Michigan U.|newspaper=Olean Times|date=October 18, 1929}}

As a senior in 1930, Draveling was moved by Michigan's coach, Harry Kipke, to the right tackle position.{{cite news|title=1930 Football Team|publisher=University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1930fbt.htm}} He was six feet, two inches tall, weighed 208 pounds at the start of the 1930 football season and was "looked upon as a likely all-American."{{cite news|title=Michigan To Judge Team By Purdue Game|newspaper=The Vidette-Messenger|date=September 24, 1930}} Due to injuries, Draveling started only four games for the undefeated 1930 Michigan team that tied for the Big Ten Conference championship. Despite limited playing time, Draveling was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten player by sports writer Hank Casserly, and as a third-team All-Big Ten player by the United Press.{{cite news|title=Two Badgers on Casserly's Team|newspaper=The Capital Times|date=November 30, 1930}}{{cite news|title=United Press All-Big Ten Selections|newspaper=Oelwein Daily Register|date=November 24, 1930}}

Draveling also competed for Michigan as a collegiate wrestler in the heavyweight class. He participated in the second NCAA wrestling championship held at Columbus, Ohio, in March 1929.{{cite web|title=2nd NCAA Wrestling Tournament|publisher=wrestlingstats.com|url=http://www.wrestlingstats.com/ncaa/pdf/brackets/NCAA%201929.pdf}} Draveling finished in top four in his weight class, losing a semifinal match to Fairall, Ohio State's best wrestler, in 8 minutes, 45 seconds.{{cite news|title=Buckeye Briefs In Concise Form From Over State: Twenty-Five Wrestlers for Finals in National Event at Ohio University|newspaper=The Van Wert Daily Bulletin (INS wire service story)|date=March 30, 1929}}

Coaching career, professional football, and later life

After graduating from Michigan, Draveling was appointed, in 1931, as athletic director at Akron High School in Akron, New York.{{cite news |author= |title=Draveling To Coach In Akron Hi School |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald/161633491/ |newspaper=Port Huron Times Herald |location=Port Huron, Michigan |date=September 1, 1931 |page=11 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He also coached Akron's football team.{{cite news |author= |title=Draveling's Booter Places Perfect Kick To Win Opening Tilt |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-herald/161655650/ |newspaper=Port Huron Times Herald |location=Port Huron, Michigan |date=September 30, 1931 |page=11 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} In 1932, he was the line coach for the football team at Canisius College—now known as Canisius University—in Buffalo, New York. Draveling played one year of professional football, in 1933, for the Cincinnati Reds of the National Football League (NFL).{{cite news |author= |title=Leo Draveling Sends Linemen Through Races |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/buffalo-courier-express/161652965/ |newspaper=Buffalo Courier-Express |location=Buffalo, New York |date=October 19, 1932 |page=14 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He played in nine NFL games for the Reds as a tackle.{{cite web |author= |title=Leo Draveling |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DravLe20.htm |publisher=Pro Football Reference |access-date=December 27, 2024 }} In 1934, he was hired as head football coach at the Detroit Institute of Technology.{{cite news |author= |title=Leo Draveling to Coach Tech |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/161633454/ |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |location=Detroit, Michigan |date=January 25, 1934 |page=16 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} He also taught science at the school.{{cite news |author= |title=Tech Coaches Teach Classes First |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/161678192/ |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |location=Detroit, Michigan |date=April 14, 1934 |page=3, sport section |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }} After two seasons at Detroit Tech, he was succeeded by Hal Shields.{{cite news |author= |title=Shields Choice at Detroit Tech |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press/161651657/ |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |location=Detroit, Michigan |date=April 24, 1936 |page=19 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}

Draveling died of a heart attack, at age 48, on July 2, 1955, at his home in Columbus Township, Michigan. He was buried at Lakeside Cemetery in Port Huron. In 2003, Draveling was inducted into the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame.

Head coaching record

=College=

{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead

| name = Detroit Tech Dynamics

| conf = Independent

| startyear = 1934

| endyear = 1935

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1934

| name = Detroit Tech

| overall = 0–5

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Entry

| championship =

| year = 1935

| name = Detroit Tech

| overall = 1–8

| conference =

| confstanding =

| bowlname =

| bowloutcome =

| bcsbowl =

| ranking = no

| ranking2 = no

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal

| name = Detroit Tech

| overall = 1–13

| confrecord =

}}

{{CFB Yearly Record End

| overall = 1–13

| bowls = no

| poll = no

| polltype =

| legend = no

}}

{{cite news |author= |title=Michigan College Season Is Ended |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-rapids-press/161696673/ |newspaper=The Grand Rapids Press |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |agency=Associated Press |date=November 25, 1935 |page=17 |access-date=December 27, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}