Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, he excelled in athletics and became the first athlete at Crane Technical High School to letter in 3 sports (football, basketball, and baseball) since George Halas accomplished the feat at the turn of the century. After college, he joined the Toronto Argonauts and took over the quarterbacking spot for Toronto, leading the Argonauts to a 7-5 record in the 1951 season. In 1952, Wirkowski led Toronto to a Grey Cup championship over the Edmonton Eskimos. He is a member of the Miami University Athletic Hall of Fame.