# Rusty Fricke

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**Herberton** "**Rusty**" **Fricke** (born September 1, 1964) is an American former professional [football](/source/American_football) [placekicker](/source/Placekicker) who played five seasons in the [Arena Football League](/source/Arena_Football_League) (AFL) with the [Pittsburgh Gladiators](/source/Pittsburgh_Gladiators), [Denver Dynamite](/source/Denver_Dynamite_(arena_football)) and [Cincinnati Rockers](/source/Cincinnati_Rockers). Fricke played [college football](/source/College_football) at [Lycoming College](/source/Lycoming_College).

## Early life

Herberton Fricke was born on September 1, 1964.[1] He played [soccer](/source/Soccer) growing up.[2] He did not play football until his junior year of high school in [Willow Grove, Pennsylvania](/source/Willow_Grove,_Pennsylvania).[2]

## College career

Fricke was a member of the [Lycoming Warriors](/source/Lycoming_Warriors) of [Lycoming College](/source/Lycoming_College) from 1983 to 1986 and was a three-year starter.[1][3] In 1984, he earned [Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) honorable mention [Little All-American](/source/Little_All-American) and [Pizza Hut](/source/Pizza_Hut)/SID honorable mention All-American honors.[3] He made eight of 12 field goals his senior year while also converting 39 extra points, garnering Pizza Hut/SID honorable mention All-American honors for the second time.[3] Fricke set school records for longest field goal with a 56-yarder in 1984 and best career extra point percentage (95.3% on 101 of 106 kicking).[3] He was also a two-time first-team All-[Middle Atlantic Conferences](/source/Middle_Atlantic_Conferences) selection.[3] He was inducted into the school's athletics hall of fame in 1994.[3]

## Professional career

Fricke signed with the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles) on April 30, 1987, after going undrafted in the [1987 NFL draft](/source/1987_NFL_draft).[4] He was cut by the Eagles on July 20, 1987.[5]

Fricke played in all 12 games for the [Pittsburgh Gladiators](/source/Pittsburgh_Gladiators) of the [Arena Football League](/source/Arena_Football_League) (AFL) in 1988, converting seven of 37 field goals and 28 of 55 extra points while also posting four solo tackles and two assisted tackles.[6][1] The Gladiators finished the year with a 6–6 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the [Detroit Drive](/source/Detroit_Drive).[7] Fricke appeared in all four games for Pittsburgh in 1989, scoring four of 24 field goals and five of eight extra points.[6][1] The Gladiators finished the year 3–1 and lost to the Drive in [ArenaBowl III](/source/ArenaBowl_III).[8] Fricke played in all eight games for the Gladiators during the 1990 season, recording six of 29 field goals and 21 of 29 extra points.[6][1] Pittsburgh finished the season 3–5 and lost to the Drive in the playoffs for the third year in a row.[9]

Fricke played in all ten games for the [Denver Dynamite](/source/Denver_Dynamite_(arena_football)) of the AFL in 1991, totaling 13 of 35 field goals, 40 of 49 extra points, and five solo tackles.[6][1] The Dynamite finished the 1991 season with a 6–4 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the [Tampa Bay Storm](/source/Tampa_Bay_Storm).[10] On July 26, 1991, against the [Columbus Thunderbolts](/source/Columbus_Thunderbolts), Fricke became the first kicker in AFL history to make a 60-yard field goal.[3][11] He earned first-team [All-Arena](/source/All-Arena) and [AFL Kicker of the Year](/source/AFL_Kicker_of_the_Year) honors for his performance during the 1991 season.[12]

Fricke appeared in all 12 games for the AFL's [Cincinnati Rockers](/source/Cincinnati_Rockers) in 1993, converting 22 of 52 field goals and 30 of 37 extra points while also posting three solo tackles and one assisted tackle.[6][1] The Rockers finished the season with a 2–10 record.[13] In 1996, Fricke was named the kicker on the [AFL's 10th Anniversary Team](/source/Arena_Football_League_10th_Anniversary_Team).[12]

## References

1. ["Rusty Fricke"](https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/f/fric00260.html). Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. Krauss, Dave (June 16, 1991). ["Fricke's still kicking, waiting for shot at NFL"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-record/172311275/). *[Daily Record](/source/Daily_Record_(New_Jersey))*. pp. C4. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["Rusty Fricke"](https://lycomingathletics.com/aa.aspx?hid=55). [Lycoming College](/source/Lycoming_College). Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["Lycoming kicker signs with Eagles"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-patriot-news/172309305/). *[The Patriot-News](/source/The_Patriot-News)*. May 1, 1987. pp. D5. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["Transactions"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lima-news/172309527/). *[The Lima News](/source/The_Lima_News)*. July 21, 1987. pp. B3. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["Herberton 'Rusty' Fricke"](https://www.arenafan.com/players/544/). ArenaFan.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["1988 Pittsburgh Gladiators (Arena)"](https://www.profootballarchives.com/1988arflpit.html). Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["1989 Pittsburgh Gladiators (Arena)"](https://www.profootballarchives.com/1989arflpit.html). Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["1990 Pittsburgh Gladiators (Arena)"](https://www.profootballarchives.com/1990arflpit.html). Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["1991 Denver Dynamite (Arena)"](https://www.profootballarchives.com/1991arflden.html). Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["1991 Denver Dynamite"](https://www.arenafan.com/teams/Denver_Dynamite-4/history/1991/). ArenaFan.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["Herberton 'Rusty' Fricke - Awards"](https://www.arenafan.com/players/?page=players&player=544&pageview=bio). ArenaFan.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

1. ["1993 Cincinnati Rockers (Arena)"](https://www.profootballarchives.com/1993arflcin.html). Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 13 May 2025.

## External links

- [Stats Crew profile](http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=frickrus001)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rusty Fricke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Fricke) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Fricke?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.