| Frank Speer | |
| Birth Date: | 27 May 1907 |
| Birth Place: | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 0 |
| Weight Lb: | 205 |
| Bowlgames: | |
| School: | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets |
| Currentposition: | Tackle |
| Pastschools: | Georgia Tech (1927-28; 1930) |
| Class: | 1930 |
| Currentnumber: | 48; 12; 17 |
| Highlights: |
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Frank R. Speer (May 27, 1907 - June 10, 1938) was a college football player and wrestler.[1]
Speer was an All-American tackle for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets of the Georgia Institute of Technology;[2] part of its national championship team of 1928. He first made the All-Southern team as a sophomore in 1927.[3] One writer in 1930 said Vance Maree and Frank Speer had the reputation as "the toughest pair of tackles in the south."[4] Speer is a member of the Georgia Tech Athletics Hall of Fame.[5]
Speer once lost in a wrestling match with Bronko Nagurski due to a kneeing foul.[6] In another wrestling match, he caused former World Heavyweight Champion Jack Dempsey, who was officiating the contest, to knock him out.[7]
On June 1, 1938, Speer became ill but still participated in a wrestling match with Dorv Roche at Atlanta's Warren Arena.[8] Following the match, he developed a fever and was taken to a hospital, where he died June 10 of bronchial pneumonia.[1]