This week in South Central Mississippi history.
Frank “Bruiser” Kinard died September 7, 1985; NFL star from Pelahatchie
Frank “Bruiser” Kinard died on September 7, 1985, in Jackson, Mississippi. The cause was complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He was born in Pelahatchie on October 23, 1914. He played college football at Ole Miss from 1935 to 1937. He became the first player from a Mississippi school to earn first-team All-American honors. He was later drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1938 NFL Draft. Kinard played in the NFL for seven seasons and earned All-Pro recognition in six of those. He served in the Navy during World War II and played for the Fleet City Bluejackets. After the war, he joined the New York Yankees of the AAFC and continued as a player and assistant coach. He returned to Ole Miss as a coach in 1948 and later served as athletic director and assistant dean. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. Kinard was born and raised in Pelahatchie.
