Robert Chuprinski

• Post by: mcalibrary
• January 12, 2024
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INDUCTEE

Bob Chuprinski becomes the latest Red Tornado football player to be inducted into the Ed Romance Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Bob was an outstanding offensive lineman during Mount Carmel’s “Golden Era” of football from 1966-1974. During that time, MCA won 91 games, while only losing 10 and posting one tie. They also won 5 Southern Division titles and three Eastern Conference Crowns. “Churper” joins 12 other teammates to achieve the honor. During his time with the Red Tornadoes from 1967-69, MCA would win 33 games, while losing 2 by a total of 16 points. They would win the 68 Southern Division Championship before losing to Blakely 13-0 and would be the dominant team in Eastern Pennsylvania by going 12-0 in 1969. They not only won the Southern Division, but proceeded to defeat Valley View 47-6 to win its first Eastern Conference Championship since 1954.

Chuprinski was considered the “doorman” of the 1969 offensive line that paved the way for backs Gary Diminick, Henry Hynoski, and Carm DeFrancesco to run for 3849 yards and 63 touchdowns. They averaged 7.29 yards per carry for the season, 320.7 yards per game and scored 504 points – 42 points per game. The 320 yards per game and 42 points per game are the best ever in the Red Tornadoes 120 year history. Coach Diminick was quoted as saying that “Chuprinski was the best blocking tackle I’ve ever had at Mount Carmel.”

Churp also contributed 48 tackles and 3 fumble recoveries to a defense that allowed 89 points in 12 games, mostly after the games were essentially over. Following the season, Bob was named to the Associated Press all state team and was given honorable mention to the UPI all state team and Pennsylvania Big 33.

Following graduation, Chuprinski would entertain many offers and chose to attend C.W. Post College in New York on a full athletic scholarship where he played freshman football for Coach Dom Anile and was a team co-captain. Chirp then decided to transfer to Temple University where he would join former teammate Henry Hynoski and the Temple Owls. He would remain on scholarship from 1972-1974 along with future pros Hynoski, Joe Klecko and Nick Mike-Meyer. He graduated in 1975 with a BS in Sociology. He later received a Masters in Public Administration (Health Care) from Penn State in 1985. In 1992, Bob moved to Butte, Montana to pursue a health care administrative position and is currently the CEO of the Flathead Orthopedic Center in Kalispell, Montana.

Churpinski and his wife, the former Diane Marcinek of Shamokin, are the proud parents of two children: Patrick, a sophomore at the University of Montana, and Annie, an incoming freshman at the University of Montana.