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AND THE ANSWER IS..... Rutgers Football Trivia Question

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Aug 1, 2001
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The first NFL Draft was held February 8, 1936. Which Rutgers player was the first to be taken in an NFL Draft?

a) Paul Robeson
b) Bill Tranavitch
c) Frank Burns
d) Billy Austin

Answer Friday.
 
My initial thought was Austin, but since I never heard of Tranovitch I’ll go with him
 
AND THE ANSWER IS:

The NCAA started sanctioning college football records in 1937. Rutgers end Bill Tranavitch was the third highest scorer in the nation that year with 90 points behind Byron White’s nation-leading 122. He was the first Rutgers player taken after the NFL instituted a draft on February 8, 1936. He was the 66th overall pick of the Detroit Lions in the 8th round of the 1940 draft but never played in the NFL. He died August 19, 2006.
 
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Bill “Big Train” Tranavitch was the first Rutgers player that participated in a post-season game. He played in the December 30, 1939 Blue-Gray All-Star Classic in Montgomery, Ala. and scored a second half touchdown but the Gray defeated the Blue 33-20. The second player was Billy Vigh who played in the same game in 1947 and saw the Gray win again 33-6.

An AP report in the September 11, 1940 New York Times reported the defending NFL Champion Washington Redskins defeated the Eastern College All-Stars 35-12 before 26,000 at Fenway Park in Boston, “… During the final session, after Rutgers Bill Tranavitch, easily the game’s most outstanding defensive power, intercepted one of Zimmerman’s passes and raced to the Redskins 16, Cahill broke through his right tackle for a touchdown.”
 
Bill T was my guess only because I knew the other 3 guys weren't in the correct timeframe.
 
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