Frank (Coddy) Winters started out as an ice polo player in his home town of Duluth, MN. As ice polo gave way to hockey Winters took up the game, being placed at rover where his great speed could be utilized to the best advantage. Winters played with the Duluth Northern Hardware team through the 1908 season during which the Duluth team played a series of games with a Cleveland All Star team at the new Elysium Rink there. Winters starred in the series and fell in love with Cleveland. That summer he moved there and played the rest of his career for various Cleveland amateur teams.

From 1909-11, Winters played at rover and then switched to defense in 1912. There he proved to be just as good in checking opponents as he had been in carrying the puck down the ice. During Winters' seventeen year career in Cleveland he played on three championship teams 1911-12, 1913-14, and 1921-22.

Winters had tremendous speed and contemporary accounts of games he played in recounts this vividly: "Coddy rushed the chunk of rubber up and down the ice and across the back with his old daring and recklessness and he hurdled and twisted with small ceremony although with much éclat."

While playing in Cleveland Winters coached the Case Tech teams and made several trips to Philadelphia to coach the University of Pennsylvania team. Though having the opportunity to turn professional he preferred to remain an amateur. There were many who felt Winters was equal in talent to Hobey Baker, also an enshrinee of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, who many regard as one of the greatest American bred hockey players.

Following his retirement from the game Winters remained in Cleveland working in the sporting goods business.