Fred Bruney
Fred Bruney (Martins Ferry High School, Class of 1949). An honored football player at three levels — high school, college and pro, he etched his name in Purple Rider lore as a senior when he led the 1948 team to a 9-0-1 record. Ferry was ranked No. 3 in the Ohio one-class poll behind No. 1 Massillon (8-1) and No. 2 Canton McKinley (9-1). The lone tie was a scoreless struggle with unbeaten Triadelphia (9-0-1) played before 10,961 at Ferry Stadium.
After the mid-season tie with the Triads, Bruney led Ferry to wins over Bellaire, 33-0; East Liverpool, 13-7; Steubenville, 20-0; Linsly, 35-0; and Mansfield, 6-0. Bruney lifted the Riders past East Liverpool with a second half comeback; led Ferry past Steubenville, following a scoreless first half, with a TD run and TD pass; and scored the game’s only TD in a 6-0 win over state-ranked Mansfield. Ferry had seven shutouts and allowed only 19 points.
The four-year football player, who also played basketball and ran track, earned All-Ohio honors from International News Service as well as All-OVAC and All-Eastern Ohio recognition. The triple-threat player led the Riders in rushing and scoring with 97 points plus six TD passes and also led the team in pass interceptions and kick returns.
He went on to Ohio State University where the two-way back had 17 pass interceptions — second on the Buckeye charts, including three in one game. He was a first team All-Big Ten Conference choice and played in the East-West Shrine Game.
Bruney was the 35th overall draft pick, in the third round, by the Cleveland Browns in 1953 and played six years in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Rams. From 1960-62, he played in the upstart AFL with the Boston Patriots and twice earned AFL All-Star status. He ended with 15 pro pass interceptions.
He then served 35 years as an NFL assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts. When he retired in 1997, he had the longest tenure as a player and coach in pro football.
Bruney was the Upper Ohio Valley Dapper Dan Co-Man of the Year in 1981 along with OVAC Hall of Famer Tom Keane and was inducted into the City of Martins Ferry Hall of Fame in 2009.
