Tennessee fans with long memories will remember Edward Molinski as a hard-charging guard on University of Tennessee football teams from 1938 to 1940. Those teams compiled an astonishing 31-2 record and played in three bowl games. They might also remember Molinski played for two of the greatest coaches of all time – the legendary Paul Brown at Massillon High School in Ohio and UT’s General Robert Neyland.
At Tennessee, Molinski was a two-time All-American selection. He teamed with Bob Suffridge to give the Vols an amazing guard combo unmatched in the school’s history. The steady Molinski was the perfect counterpoint to the more flamboyant Suffridge. Together, they were part of the 1939 Vols, the last team to go the entire regular season without giving up a point!
Molinski was a prototypical Tennessee guard of that time, combining speed and strength in one lethal package. But football was not the only sport in which Molinski excelled. He was also captain of the UT boxing team and a state Golden Gloves champion.
After his sporting days, he became Dr. Ed Molinski, turning his attention to medicine. The fighter became a healer, a respected general practitioner in Memphis until his death in June 1986. In 1990 Ed Molinsky was posthumously inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, the fourth Vol player of his generation so honored. Included in that group, of course, was Molinsky’s old buddy, Bob Suffridge. Once again, the legendary duo were side by side.