Mike Basrak

Michael J. Basrak (November 23, 1912 – December 18, 1973) was an American professional football player for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Duquesne Dukes, earning consensus All-American honors in 1936. The school's first All-American selection, he was the Most Valuable Player of the 1937 Orange Bowl game in Miami, in which Duquesne defeated Mississippi State University, 13–12. Later in the year, Basrak was selected by Pirates (later known as the Steelers) in the first round of the 1937 NFL draft with the fifth overall pick. Pittsburgh Pirates. However, Basrak only played two seasons in the NFL, retiring after the 1938 season. He played his high school football at Bellaire.

Mike Basrak at Duquense, All-American - from Bellaire High School Archives

Mike Basrak

No. 11
Date of birth	(1912-11-23)November 23, 1912
Place of birth	Bellaire, Ohio, U.S.
Date of death	December 18, 1973(1973-12-18) (aged 61)
Place of death	Skokie, Illinois, U.S.
Career information
Position(s)	Center
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg)
US college	Duquesne
High school	Bellaire
NFL draft	1937 / round: 1 / pick: 5
Career history
As player
1937–1938	Pittsburgh Pirates
Career highlights and awards
Consensus All-American (1936) First-team All-Eastern (1936) Orange Bowl MVP (1937)
Career stats
Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Basrak was an officer in the United States Navy during the Second World War. In later life Basrak served as football coach at Niles East High School (1954–62) and then Niles West High School (1963–73), both in Skokie, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago.

Basrak died at home in Skokie on December 18, 1973, aged 61. After his death, the Niles West football field was named Mike Basrak Field in his honor. He was posthumously inducted into the Bellaire High School Hall of Fame.