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A great competitor who played with much heart and skill, Fran Kuszewski is on the top rung of three-sport athletes to ever wear a green and white uniform.
It didn’t matter the season, this sparkplug was at the forefront when Bartlett High School needed something extra. He played four years each on the football, basketball, and baseball teams.
In basketball, Fran was a good rebounder, very quick and had a good shot. The coach would call on him often when a big play was needed – and he usually made it. He was a student of the game.
In football, Fran was one of the main offensive threats at running back, utilizing his speed and ability to change direction for big gains. He was difficult to defend, for on occasion he would throw an option pass, often on target. In addition, he excelled on defense playing free safety.
It is recalled that as a junior he scored three touchdowns on Thanksgiving Day against archrival Mary Wells of Southbridge. Fran was among three players on that team who each scored about 60 points for the season. Fran’s athleticism paved the way for many glorious gridiron moments.
His achievements continued on the baseball diamond, as Fran was a prime player in Bartlett’s successes and was called a natural by one sports columnist. Among his career statistics are: a 13-1 pitching record; only five errors in 46 games played, including a 24-game streak where he committed no errors; a .310 batting average, with 14 extra-base hits and striking out only 12 times for his career.
Fran served as class president his junior and senior years and served on Class Committees both of those years.
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