Sport: Football
Born: April 24, 1915
Died: November 18, 1992
Town: Jersey City, New Jersey
Edmondo Guido Franco was born April 24, 1915 in Brooklyn and grew up in Jersey City, NJ. The son of Italian immigrants, Ed was a raw-boned athlete who showed early promise in baseball. After enrolling at Dickinson High School, he became the star catcher for the Rams and a standout lineman for the football team. A natural leader, he attracted the attention of several college football recruiters. He accepted a scholarship from Fordham University in 1934 and was immediately voted president of the freshman class.
As a sophomore in 1935, Ed earned a spot on the offensive line for coach Jim Crowley, which would earn nationwide acclaim as the “Seven Blocks of Granite.” Fellow New Jerseyan Alex Wojchiechowicz played beside Ed at center and Vince Lombardi played on his right. In 1936 and 1937, Ed was a consensus All-American. In 1938, he captained the East squad in the East-West Shrine Game. During his college career, the 5’8” tackle was nicknamed the “Devil Doll.”
Ed was selected by the Cleveland Rams in the 1938 NFL Draft but the prospects of joining a team coming off 1–10 season didn’t hold much appeal, so he chose to go into coaching instead. He returned to Fordham and tutored the line. The Rams earned bowl bids in 1941 and 1942. The manpower shortages of World War II prompted the Boston Yanks to reach out to Ed—now 29 years old—with an offer to play in the NFL. He started 9 of 10 games for the team, which went 2–8. That marked his one and only NFL season.
After the war, Ed operated a sporting goods store in Jersey City and coached the minor-league Jersey City Giants. He also worked as a scout for Lombardi on his staff in Green Bay and later Washington. After football, Ed was employed at the Meadowlands Racetrack. He passed away at the age of 77 from a heart attack.
In 1980, Ed was inaugurated into the College Football Hall of Fame.