JCA Inducts Elmer 'Tippy' Madarik to Hall of Champions

The following is the fifth and final entry in a five-part series showing the recent inductees into Joliet Catholic Academy’s Hall of Champions.

Joliet Catholic Academy has announced Elmer “Tippy” Madarik, class of 1940, as an inductee to the school’s Hall of Champions.

According to a YouTube video posted by JCA, Madarik was the first star football player at Joliet Catholic Academy and played collegiality at Detroit Mercy before enlisting to fight in World War II. He’s also the first Hilltopper to play in the NFL, playing for the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins.

Madarik’s nephew, Terry Ziesmer, said Tippy made Ripley’s Believe It or Not by punting a football and downing his own punt.

“In that same game, he passed the ball and the ball was deflected and he caught the ball and scored a touchdown,” Ziesmer said.

Ziesmer said Madarik’s entire family is thankful for his induction to the Hall of Champions.