Frank M. McPhee ’53

Frank, one of the finest players during Princeton’s glory days of football from 1950 to 1952, when the team lost only one game, died March 31, 2011, of kidney failure at the Cleveland Clinic.

He was an All-American in 1951-52, team captain in 1952, and a superb offensive end and defensive back. We who watched the 1951 sold-out Penn game at Franklin Field won’t forget his touchdown catch from fellow All-American — and Heisman winner — Dick Kazmaier ’52, when Frank deflected the ball upward, out-maneuvered defenders, and hauled it in for the score.   Frank majored in religion, dined at Cannon, and roomed with Clyde Popowich ’54 and Vince Lamorella, who remembers Frank as “a role model” who never cursed or became intoxicated. He was a top Prudential Insurance official in Houston until retiring to his native city, Youngstown, Ohio.   Vince Lamorella represented ’53 at the funeral. Frank’s survivors include daughters Pam McPhee and Sherry Cooper; his brother, Chester; two grandchildren; and his cousin and classmate, Pulitzer Prize winner John McPhee. To the roster of late legendary footballers like Hobart A. Hare “Hobey” Baker 1914, Harland Felch “Pink” Baker ’22, and Robert E. Lee “Bob” Peters ’42, add the name of Frank Melvin McPhee.