Notably, he was a catcher and pitcher on the Illinois High School Association(IHSA) championship Baseball Team his junior year and an All-State quarterback during his senior year of High School and attended the University of Illinois, on a football scholarship only to lose his eligibility due to playing several baseball games for Southern Illinois University, and quit college altogether. He served in the United States military during the Korean War.
He was a catcher and pitcher on the IHSA championship Baseball Team during his junior year, an All-State quarterback in his senior year of high school, attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship but lost eligibility due to playing baseball games for Southern Illinois University, and quit college altogether. He served in the United States military during the Korean War.