Frank M. Polancic

Class of 1947 Frank Polancic held the rank of 2nd lieutenant of the first platoon of Company D in the Ottawa Township High School military program during his senior year, where his unit finished first in both the military and athletic competitions. After graduation from OTHS, he entered the workforce later to be drafted into the U.S. Army. During his service in the Korean War he was a radio operator in the Signal Corps. After his honorable discharge from the service, he enrolled in and attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. Three years later he was awarded a bachelors degree in finance and went to work for International Business Machines (IBM) in Chicago, Illinois. He later left IBM and opened a toy store back in Ottawa, Illinois that ultimately transformed to a sporting goods store. He successfully operated that business for more than 42 years. In addition he served his community as a member of the Board of Education of the Ottawa Elementary School District #141 for 37 years. He volunteered as a baseball manager for numerous teams, and served as a board member for the City of Ottawa Police and Fire board, the Salvation Army, the Ottawa Industrial Development Board, and as president of the Ottawa Lions Club. In honor of his service to the community and the school district, in 2012 the Ottawa Youth Football League and the Ottawa Elementary School District dedicated the Frank M. Polancic Field near Central Intermediate School.