Bernie_Flowers Knowpia

Bernie Flowers
	Flowers in 1953
No. 77, 81
Position:	End
Personal information
Born:	February 14, 1930; Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died:	April 14, 2011 (aged 81) ; Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	Erie (PA) Central Tech
College:	Purdue
NFL draft:	1953 / Round: 2 / Pick: 14
Career history
	Ottawa Rough Riders (1953); Baltimore Colts (1956);
Career highlights and awards
	CFL All-Star (1953); Consensus All-American (1952); First-team All-Big Ten (1952);
Career NFL statistics
Games played:
Games played:	1
Career CFL statistics
Receiving TDs:
Receiving TDs:	9
	Player stats at NFL.com

Benjamin Bernard Flowers (born Benjamin Bernard Kwiatkowski, February 14, 1930 – April 14, 2011) was an American football player who played at the end position for the Purdue University where he became a consensus first-team All-American in 1952.

Flowers was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the second round (14th overall pick) of the 1953 NFL Draft but chose to play in Canada with the Ottawa Rough Riders, where his 9 touchdowns scored made him an all-star. He played one game for the Colts in 1956.

Early life edit

Born February 14, 1930, in Erie, Pennsylvania, Flowers was born Benjamin Bernard Kwiatkowski to a Polish family, and translated his last name to Flower ("kwiat" is Polish for flower).^[2] He attended Central Tech High School.^[3]

College career edit

Flowers continued his football career at Purdue University following his graduation from Tech. Flowers lettered 3 years for the Boilermakers, from 1950 to 1952.^[3] In 1952, Flowers helped lead the Boilermakers to a share of the Big Ten Conference title, and was named a Consensus All-American.^[3]

Professional career edit

Baltimore Colts edit

Flowers was drafted with the 14th overall selection in the 1953 NFL Draft.

Ottawa Rough Riders edit

Flowers choose not to play with the Colts in 1953, opting to play for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League instead. Flowers posted 9 receiving touchdowns, and was named an East All Star.

Return to Baltimore edit

After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1954 to 1955, Flowers returned to professional football, appearing in one game with the Colts during the 1956 season.

References edit

^ "Bernie Flowers:1930-2011". www.purduesports.com. Purdue University. April 15, 2011. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
^ "What's in a Polish name? Sometimes, lots of consonants". ampoleagle.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c Matt Martin (April 16, 2011). "Flowers' career, life blossomed in Erie". www.goerie.com. CyberInk LP and the Erie Times-News. Retrieved November 4, 2013.