29 Facts About Bruiser Kinard

Bruiser Kinard was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a charter member in 1951 and into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971.

Bruiser Kinard was the first player from any Mississippi school to receive first-team All-American honors, receiving those honors in both 1936 and 1937.

Bruiser Kinard was selected as a first-team All-Pro in six of his seven years in the NFL.

Bruiser Kinard served as an assistant coach for New York Yankees in 1947 and for the Ole Miss football program from 1948 to 1970, as Ole Miss' athletic director from 1971 to 1973, and as its assistant dean of student personnel from 1974 until 1978.

Bruiser Kinard's father worked variously as a farmer, a laborer, and the proprietor of a lunch room in Utica, Mississippi.

Bruiser Kinard began high school as a freshman at Rolling Fork High School and then played his sophomore through senior years at Central High School in Jackson, Mississippi.

Bruiser Kinard was the president of the senior class, ranked in the top third of his class, and graduated in 1933.

Bruiser Kinard attended the University of Mississippi, lettered for the Ole Miss Rebels from 1935 to 1937 and served as co-captain of the 1937 Ole Miss squad.

Bruiser Kinard was an above-average student at Ole Miss, president of the sophomore class, and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa.

Bruiser Kinard graduated from Ole Miss in 1938 with a Bachelor of Science degree in commerce.

Bruiser Kinard was selected by the Brooklyn Dodgers in the third round of the 1938 NFL draft.

Bruiser Kinard spent seven seasons with the Dodgers from 1938 to 1944 and developed a reputation as one of the toughest and most durable players in the NFL.

Bruiser Kinard was a regular on the NFL's annual All-Pro teams receiving first-team recognition from one or more selectors in six of his seven years in the NFL: in 1938 from the Pro Football Writers Association ; in 1940 from the NFL, Associated Press, United Press, and International News Service ; in 1941 from the NFL and UP; in 1942 from the INS; and in 1943 and 1944 from the AP.

Bruiser Kinard received second-team All-Pro honors in 1939 from the NFL, UP, and PFWA.

Bruiser Kinard was named to the All-Service football team selected by West Coast sports writers in December 1945.

Bruiser Kinard returned to the Yankees in 1947 and appeared in all 14 games, but in only three as a starter.

Bruiser Kinard was an assistant coach for the Yankees during the 1947 season.

Bruiser Kinard announced his retirement as a player in January 1948 at age 33.

Bruiser Kinard received numerous honors and awards for his accomplishments as a football player, notably including induction into the two major football halls of fame.

Bruiser Kinard was inducted as a charter member into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951, and in 1971 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In February 1948, Bruiser Kinard was hired as the line coach at Ole Miss under Johnny Vaught.

Bruiser Kinard had offers to become a head coach in the NFL for the Boston Patriots and New York Giants, but opted to stay at Ole Miss.

Bruiser Kinard served as acting head coach at Ole Miss for the last half of the 1970 season after Vaught suffered a heart attack on October 20.

Bruiser Kinard remained employed by Ole Miss and was appointed assistant dean of student personnel in June 1974.

Bruiser Kinard held that position until he retired in 1978.

Bruiser Kinard married Mildred Frances "Midge" Kirk in 1933 while they were seniors in high school.

Bruiser Kinard suffered from Alzheimer's disease that eventually resulted in the near total loss of his memory.

Bruiser Kinard died in 1985 at age 70 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson.

Bruiser Kinard was buried at Lakewood Memorial Park in Jackson.