Ralph Chesnauskas
 Chesnauskas from 1956 Howitzer | |
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born | c. 1935 |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Brockton (Massachusetts) |
| College | Army |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Ralph Joseph Chesnauskas (January 21, 1934 – January 11, 2018)[1] was an American football player.
Early years
Chesnauskas grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts.[2][3] He was an honor student at Brockton High School and on the school's football team as an end and on the baseball team as an outfielder.[4]
Military Academy
Chesnauskas entered the United States Military Academy in 1952. At the Academy, he was moved from end to guard. As a sophomore, he also converted 21 of 25 extra point kicks. He was also described by Army coach Earl Blaik as a "furious but heady defensive player."[4] He was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on its 1954 All-America college football team.[5] He also played baseball at Army and hit the longest home run ever at West Point.[4]
Later years
Chesnauskas was inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.[6]
Chesnauskas died in Hyannis, Massachusetts on January 11, 2018, at the age of 83.[7]
References
- ^ "Mr. Ralph J. Chesnauskas". West Point. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
- ^ U.S. Military Academy yearbook for 1956 ("Howitzer 1956"), p. 216.
- ^ "Former Boxer Ralph Chesnauskas inducted into West Point Hall of Fame". The Enterprise. October 23, 2009.
- ^ a b c "National Honor for Ralph No Surprise in Brockton". The Boston Globe. December 9, 1954. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chesnauskas All-American". The Boston Globe. December 9, 1954. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Guidance From Coaches Helps Lead To Hall of Fame Career". Army Black Knights. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
- ^ "U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-Current". Ancestry. Retrieved February 12, 2026.