.jpg) Flowers in 1953 | |||||
| No. 77, 81 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | End | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born: | (1930-02-14)February 14, 1930 Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||
| Died: | April 14, 2011(2011-04-14) (aged 81)[1] Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. | ||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school: | Erie (PA) Central Tech | ||||
| College: | Purdue | ||||
| NFL draft: | 1953: 2nd round, 14th pick | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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| Career CFL statistics | |||||
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Benjamin Bernard Flowers (bornBenjamin Bernard Kwiatkowski, February 14, 1930 – April 14, 2011) was anAmerican football player who played at theend position for thePurdue University where he became a consensus first-teamAll-American in 1952.
Flowers was drafted by theBaltimore Colts in the second round (14th overall pick) of the1953 NFL draft but chose to play inCanada with theOttawa Rough Riders, where his 9 touchdowns scored made him an all-star. He played one game for the Colts in 1956.
Born February 14, 1930, inErie, Pennsylvania, Flowers was born Benjamin Bernard Kwiatkowski to a Polish family, and translated his last name to Flower ("kwiat" is Polish for flower).[2] He attendedCentral Tech High School.[3]
Flowers continued his football career atPurdue University following his graduation from Tech. Flowers lettered 3 years for the Boilermakers, from 1950 to 1952.[3] In 1952, Flowers helped lead the Boilermakers to a share of theBig Ten Conference title, and was named a Consensus All-American.[3]
Flowers was drafted with the 14th overall selection in the1953 NFL draft.
Flowers choose not to play with the Colts in 1953, opting to play for theOttawa Rough Riders of theCanadian Football League instead. Flowers posted 9 receiving touchdowns, and was named an East All Star.
After serving in theU.S. Navy from 1954 to 1955, Flowers returned to professional football, appearing in one game with the Colts during the 1956 season.
