Professional Football Player. For ten seasons (1942, 1944, 1946 to 1953), he played at the center, tackle and middle-linebacker positions in the National Football League with the Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions. Born Vincent Joseph Banonis, he attended Catholic Central High School (Redford, Michigan), where he received All-City status, and played collegiate football at the University of Detroit Mercy. While with the Titans, he achieved All-American status by several media outlets. Selected by the Cardinals during the 4th round of the 1942 NFL Draft, his career was interrupted while he served in the US Navy during World War II. In 1944, he played in 2 games with the Chicago-Pittsburgh Car-Pitts (a combined team of the Cardinals and Steelers due to the shortage of player during World War II); they would finish that season with a dismal 0-10 record in the Western Division. In 1947, he captained the NFL Champion Cardinals' squad, and concluded his career as a member of two consecutive NFL Title teams (1952 and 1953 Lions). In 108 career regular season games, he recorded 14 interceptions for 188 yards with 1 touchdown, and earned All-Pro honors four consecutive years (1946 to 1949). Banonis was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1975, and enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Professional Football Player. For ten seasons (1942, 1944, 1946 to 1953), he played at the center, tackle and middle-linebacker positions in the National Football League with the Chicago Cardinals and Detroit Lions. Born Vincent Joseph Banonis, he attended Catholic Central High School (Redford, Michigan), where he received All-City status, and played collegiate football at the University of Detroit Mercy. While with the Titans, he achieved All-American status by several media outlets. Selected by the Cardinals during the 4th round of the 1942 NFL Draft, his career was interrupted while he served in the US Navy during World War II. In 1944, he played in 2 games with the Chicago-Pittsburgh Car-Pitts (a combined team of the Cardinals and Steelers due to the shortage of player during World War II); they would finish that season with a dismal 0-10 record in the Western Division. In 1947, he captained the NFL Champion Cardinals' squad, and concluded his career as a member of two consecutive NFL Title teams (1952 and 1953 Lions). In 108 career regular season games, he recorded 14 interceptions for 188 yards with 1 touchdown, and earned All-Pro honors four consecutive years (1946 to 1949). Banonis was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1975, and enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986.
Bio by: C.S.
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