Tony Plansky

Who was Tony Plansky?

Anthony Joseph Plansky was an American football running back in the National Football League for the New York Giants and Boston Braves. He attended Georgetown University. He participated in Cross Country at Williams College for 43 years. The track at Williams is now named after him. Much more than this - Plansky was a classic down-to-earth counselor of young men throughout his years at Williams. This writer remembers admirable attempts to keep the super-confident George Steinbrenner's feet on the ground during indoor track trips to Boston and New York. An Olympic decathlete and accomplished golfer, Plansky was famous for playing his ball during New England amateur championship matches straight along the edge of the fairway shade, chipping up on the green, and holing out before the sun could get to him. A noble and loyal man in every way, he met his wife Betty and commuted 140 miles to see her for ten years until the younger children in her family, whom she cared for after her mother died, had grown and left the family nest. Betty found his Olympic medal in his sock drawer after his death. P.S. My first view of Plansky when I arrived at Williams as a freshman: waiting for a P.E. class to show up on the basketball court, he was drop kicking basketballs from center court, making about 90% - honest truth!! Long-time Columbia football coach Lou Little once declared Plansky America's best all-around athlete, with Jim Thorpe #2!