| No. 89 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Defensive back /Halfback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1925-11-23)November 23, 1925 South Bend, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||||
| Died | August 5, 2012(2012-08-05) (aged 86) South Bend, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Washington (South Bend, Indiana) | ||||||||
| College | Notre Dame | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1950: 5th round, 62nd overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
Playing | |||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
Coaching | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Head coaching record | |||||||||
| Career | 24–13–4 (.634) | ||||||||
Ernest Raymond Zalejski (November 23, 1925 – August 5, 2012) was an American professionalfootballback who played one season with theBaltimore Colts of theNational Football League (NFL). He was selected by theChicago Bears in the fifth round of the1950 NFL draft after playingcollege football at theUniversity of Notre Dame.
Zalejski playedhigh school football atWashington High School inSouth Bend, Indiana, earning all-state honors three times from 1942 to 1944. He was named Most Valuable Player of theNorth Indiana Conference in 1944. He also won two state championships in 1943 and 1944.[1]
Zalejski joined theUnited States Army after graduating from high school in 1945. He served in thePhilippines and was in the U.S.occupation force in Japan. He was then shortly stationed in Seattle before being discharged and enrolling at the University of Notre Dame.[2]
Zalejski played for theNotre Dame Fighting Irish from 1946 to 1949. The Fighting Irish won 39 games and were undefeated during his time there. They were also national champions in 1946, 1947 and 1949. Zalejski was named to theBlue Gray All Star Game in 1949.[1]
Zalejski was selected by theChicago Bears of the NFL with the 62nd pick in the1950 NFL draft.[3] He officially signed with the team on June 29, 1950.[4]
On September 9, 1950, Zalejski,George Blanda,Bob Perina, Tank Crawford, andBob Jensen were traded to theBaltimore Colts forDick Barwegan.[5] Zalejski played in eleven games for the Colts during the1950 season.[6]
Zalejski signed with theWashington Redskins in 1951.[4] He was later released on September 24, 1951.[4]
Zalejski was signed by theDallas Texans on May 6, 1952, but later released on August 18, 1952.[4]
He signed with theBC Lions of theWestern Interprovincial Football Union in 1954 but was later released.[4]
Zalejski served ashead coach atJoliet Catholic High School from 1954 to 1958, accumulating a record of 24–13–4. He retired from coaching in 1959.
Zalejski was inducted into theIndiana Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and theSouth Bend Hall of Fame in 2004.[1][2][7] He was also area manager of the U.S. Saving Bonds Division of theU.S. Treasury Department.[8]