We can’t resist recounting an extremely memorable personal anecdote from many years back, with football as the background theme. Since we’ve told it on several occasions to fellow grid game lovers, the readers are kindly asked to accept our humble apology wherever overkill has resulted.
The setting is Los Angeles, with the writer being on a business visit to a local client’s premises. One of the company’s executives dropped by on a midweek afternoon to indicate that he had an extra ticket for a game that night at the Coliseum. The New York Giants had come to town to face the Rams in a pre-season exhibition match.
“Would you care to see it?”, asked the gentleman, whose name happened to be Floyd.
After a leap in the air and a double heel click, the answer was a most enthusiastic “Yep!”
“Fine then,” continued Floyd. “We’ll leave work around five PM, meet my wife for dinner, and afterwards all head to the game together.”
Suddenly a dull thud sensation could be felt in the pit of the stomach. “Oh, Lord,” came the unspoken reaction to the man’s statement. “He’s going to a football game and bringing his wife along. What a ridiculous move!”
Immediate nightmarish thoughts came to mind, due to the prospect of spending some three grandstand hours listening to a female’s endless dumb questions, such as “Why is the whole crowd cheering, Floyd? Did somebody hit a home run?”
Anyway, the countdown toward our five o’clock departure and subsequent rendezvous promptly began. In due course, we found Mrs. F already waiting for us at a spiffy restaurant. After attending to the introduction, hubby excused himself to make a phone call, leaving the two of us seated side-by-side in a plushly upholstered dining booth.
Our acquaintance began with a minute or two of utterly useless small talk, before Floyd’s better half looked up and calmly asked “What do you think of Billy Wade?”, referring to the Rams’ incumbent quarterback.
“Oh, I never cared much for his playing,” was the relatively disinterested response.
She readily carried on, a bit more emphatically this time, “Well, maybe not, but he’s running out of the pocket better than he did last season.”
With these words, a bolt of lightning crackled over this fellow’s head. “Good God,” was the silent but resounding reaction. “The lady speaks fluent football!”
From that point onward, the evening proved to be exceedingly pleasant. Upon arrival at the Coliseum, Floyd’s wife sat in the middle, and the two of us jointly proceeded to plan play-by-play strategy for the home-town Rams. Our accomplishments amounted to little, however, since the Giants gave them a pretty thorough licking.
That was the first and only occasion for meeting Floyd’s unexpectedly grid-cognizant wife, because that initial visit found all needed business matters fully resolved. Still, the entire affair remains a vivid memory. A hitherto disdain for female admittance into hallowed football circles had been irrevocably nullified.
Since that momentous event so long ago, some highly significant evolutionary changes have been effected where the fair sex is concerned. Nowadays, the act of witnessing a National Football League game would prove extremely disappointing if the broadcast failed to feature a most knowledgeable young lady or two down on the playing field, offering meaningful on-the-spot commentary from start to final whistle.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
CLOTHES MAKE THE ATHLETE
In our vast world of sports, we occasionally tend to sit back and speculate just why we personally favor football (the real American kind, that is) over all others. There are numerous reasons, of course, but one which readily comes to mind is the garb the players don. The gridiron performer, in his heavily protective paddedness, appears far more he-manish than any of the rest. When the opposing teams trot onto the field at game’s start, what we essentially see are true hidebound warriors, duly geared to do battle. The spectator can find nothing the least bit sissified from the way they are dressed.
Consider, for example, what we observe whenever participants in fellow sports take the scene. Baseball and (even more so) jockey clothing makes the fellows look slightly leprechaunish. Soccer and rugby chaps resemble English schoolboys romping about. Hockey stars, rugged though they may be, are clad somewhat like girls. Basketball and track performers impress us as running around in their underwear, golfers show up wearing Sunday afternoon picnic attire, and tennis aces might as well be occupying backyard lounge chairs seeking a suntan.
As we’ve already indicated, there are additional reasons in support of our favoritism. At least, though, the gallant, gladiator-like football behemoths definitely lead the pack in the wardrobe department.
Consider, for example, what we observe whenever participants in fellow sports take the scene. Baseball and (even more so) jockey clothing makes the fellows look slightly leprechaunish. Soccer and rugby chaps resemble English schoolboys romping about. Hockey stars, rugged though they may be, are clad somewhat like girls. Basketball and track performers impress us as running around in their underwear, golfers show up wearing Sunday afternoon picnic attire, and tennis aces might as well be occupying backyard lounge chairs seeking a suntan.
As we’ve already indicated, there are additional reasons in support of our favoritism. At least, though, the gallant, gladiator-like football behemoths definitely lead the pack in the wardrobe department.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
OUR OWN PRIVATE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
This blog already contains an article wherein we offer a somewhat disparaging view at how our major sport athletes either have hall of fame honors ceremoniously bestowed upon them by those so empowered, or else summarily cast into limbo for personal off-the-field indiscretions. Although our negative feelings about the process remain unchanged, we do feel that certain special mention is due to carefully selected college and pro football players, non-players, and even games.
We’ve had our fair share of crowd-pleasing ball-toters, super-accurate forward passers, downfield aerial snaggers, quarterback-on-their-rump dumpers, ultra fierce blockers or tacklers, and fellows whose toes have lofted many a long and effective boot. The fame shrines at South Bend, Indiana and Canton, Ohio are chock-full of their revered names.
With all due respect to these lads’ collective prowess, we prefer instead to present what we deem a more compact, yet decidedly qualified compilation of our own. Altogether, our private Hall of Fame includes just 37 choice entries.
The honors list breaks down into three principal categories:
· Innovators, or those men who provided the game’s backbone by what they contributed
in their own manner;
· Milestone Games, by which the sport has evolved from era to era, in some cases rather
explosively;
· Patron Saints, identifying players who will forever remain in memory as those who initially
showed us “how it’s done”, skill by skill.
As for the last element cited above, most of the feats achieved and the records set by our chosen gallants have been exceeded several times over by latter-day aces. Nevertheless, we feel prime accolades are due to the boys who did the mould casting.
Having said as much, here are the persons and events we consider worthy of gridiron gianthood, with according background explanations.
INNOVATORS
1. Although mighty few football fans will recognize the name William Webb Ellis, this chap
deserves a good deal of credit. He was an English soccer player who, in 1823, flagrantly
broke one of the game’s steadfast rules by catching an opponent’s kicked ball and running
with it. Well, Holy Mackerel, Andy! That just wasn’t done, Old Boy!
Young Mr. Ellis’ unforgiveable deed became readily nullified, with due admonishment for
such an outrageous violation. Believe it or not, however, there were a few more
progressive-minded blokes associated with the sport who viewed the idea of carrying the
ball forward as not being all that bad. The simple effort of history’s very first known
leather-lugger eventually led to the development of rugby, a similar game which allowed
tucking and running, as opposed to toe or cranial projection only. Indeed, the lad belongs
among the truly creative innovators of football as we know it today.
2. The first “football” match played on U.S. soil was still soccer, and took place at Rutgers in
1869. The conversion to rugby style didn’t come until 1876. It wasn’t until 1880 that the
seven-man line and four-member backfield configuration we see in today’s considerably
modified form became official.
With the game’s popularity momentum having steadily grown for nearly a decade,
especially in such eastern schools as Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Pennsylvania, et al, Walter
Camp, one of the sport’s more renowned playing, coaching, and journalistic figures, decided
to honor the eleven boys he judged to be the best for the 1889 season at their respective
positions. Consequently, the first All-America team was picked, giving rise to a practice
that has been carried out every year since by various committee-like groups, newspapers,
wire services, and what have you.
Along with his many other contributions to the gridiron game, Mr. Camp therefore earned
lasting recognition as the man who initiated annual player performance honoring. The
foundation bearing his name continues on to the present time, with that being one of its key
programs.
3. It may come as a surprise to find the name Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th U.S. President,
among our select group. Without question, the man belongs there, even though he never
was known to have been an actual player or coach.
By the mid-aught years of the 20th century, football had become so rugged as to be
virtually murderous. Bone-crunching, head-bashing, and violently tackling line play made
up the order of the day. The rules allowed for straight ahead ball-toting, lateral passing, or
kicking offense only. Way too many young fellows had become nearly or actually crippled,
and even killed in some instances, due to the uncompromising roughness.
Before the opening of the 1906 season, with the game under severe fire due to its frightful
excesses, the time had clearly arrived for corrective action. It was at this point when
President Roosevelt stepped in and warned the powers who controlled gridiron affairs that
football absolutely had to be opened up, so to speak, as opposed to the sheer grinding of
opponents into the dirt on play after play.
The historic result, of course, was making it legal for a back to pass the ball forward from
behind the scrum (i.e. scrimmage in our modern parlance) line to certain teammates eligible
to catch and gallop onward with it.
Well, that change saved the day. Although the pass was to remain in very limited use for
several seasons to come, the threat always existed, thus loosening up the action for
improved player safety. The number of crippling and fatal injuries dropped dramatically,
with the end result being the sport’s sheer salvation. We fans of today should be extremely
grateful for that.
4. Football’s first great innovative head coach was Glenn Scobey Warner, known to all as
“Pop”, a former Cornell University guard, who took over the reins at the Carlisle,
Pennsylvania Indian School during the century’s mid-aught years. This educational
institution, created for youthful Native American boys, offered up some of the greatest
player material ever assembled to date, reaching almost unprecedented heights. Among
the many ace warriors was a lad named Jim Thorpe, the closest thing to Superman any
sport had seen up to then and for at least several decades thereafter.
Warner introduced two revolutionary (for the time) offensive attack formations, the first (or
“A”) becoming known as the single wingback, featuring strength concentration on one side
or the other, as deployment dictated, and the other the double wingback, (or “B”), wherein
the power was more evenly balanced to allow movement in either direction.
Pop’s innovations, chiefly the single wingback, soon became the standard modus operandi
for schools across the country. Even after the professional league came into existence in
1920, his system continued to prevail, with a sole notable exception, which we’ll enlarge
upon later. One might say that the Warner systems were clearly the “in” thing from around
1907 until 1941, which adds up to a mighty long reign of influence.
5. If you ask any died-in-the-wool football fan from the old days, particularly if he happens to
have Irish ancestry, he’ll quickly tell you in glowing terms that Notre Dame is the game’s
unmatched representative institution. In actual fact, such words decidedly defy argument.
A look at grid history from 1913 up until the present date makes them awfully hard to
dispute.
Ironically, the cause of it all really stemmed from just one man’s never-in-many-respects
equaled coaching achievements at South Bend. Knute Kenneth Rockne, an immigrant lad
from Norway, covered himself with glory as a pass-catching end during his student days
with the Irish (more about that under MILESTONE GAMES below), but mainly later, as
the man who instilled the unbeatable Notre Dame team spirit, which has carried on long
beyond his tragic plane crash death in 1931.
This writer twice had the privilege of attending that school’s annual early spring alumni
breakfast gathering, to pay homage to their greatest gridiron figure. Never in our
experience anywhere or at any other time have we sat and listened to so many passionately
rendered eulogies paid to the one and only “Rock”, most often by his former players. No
doubt exists in our mind whatsoever as to who is responsible for having created the never-
diminishing-to-the-slightest-degree Notre Dame fighting spirit.
6. On the 20th of August, 1920, several football-connected gentlemen assembled at Ralph
Hay’s Canton, Ohio automobile agency, where they occupied running boards while
discussing the idea of forming a professional football league. An agreement resulted, and
what we respectfully call the NFL today was born. The results, the effect, and the countless
thrills observed ever since are well known to us all.
Two of the more influential attendees at that fateful meeting were George Stanley Halas, a
former Illinois University end, and Earl Lambeau, an ex-Notre Dame back as a freshman.
The newly-conceived National Football League had no more prominent pioneers than these
men, who respectively became owners and coaches of the Chicago Bears and Green Bay
Packers, with both long devotion and immensely successful careers. The professional game
has had no more innovative a pair than field rivals “Papa Bear” and “Curly”.
7. The final creative genius on our opening honors list first became widely known as head
coach at Massillon, Ohio High School, from whence he moved up to a short but memorable
reign at Ohio State. His name was Paul Brown, and his contributions to offensive strategy
and squad organization can never be forgotten.
In 1946, a new pro league, labeled the All-America Football Conference, took the field as a
rival to the firmly-established NFL. It enjoyed only a four-year playing span, not without
turmoil and financial failures, following which just three franchises survived to be absorbed
into the more senior organization.
During the brief four-season stint, two teams dominated the AAFC scene, being the San
Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns, the latter coached by the masterful Paul. What
he accomplished over that short span in regard to offensive attack maneuvering was so
utterly simple, yet extremely effective, that it defied imagination. His forward
pass/mousetrap blocking/screen pass play sequence proved to be the most astounding
methodology seen in a half-century.
Still, Brown’s innovations didn’t end on the field. He also introduced scientific coaching
techniques which had been completely unheard of up until then, but have since become
standard universal practice wherever the game is played, from the pros down to the
junior high teams.
He was the first to conduct detailed written classroom examinations, testing individual
player knowledge as to each teammate’s required role on every play in the squad’s book.
He introduced the stationing of assistant coaches in the upper stands, with open line bench
telephone contact. Using the relatively new unlimited substitution rule to best advantage,
he initiated the means of directing his offensive attack from the sidelines, by sending in
alternating “messenger” guards before each coming play. Never before had movie reruns of
previous games been employed, a practice he inaugurated to better evaluate individual
after-the-fact field performance. Brown preceded all others in installing a radio inside his
quarterback’s helmet, for the purpose of conveying strategic orders more readily, on an
experimental basis.
Indeed, this small in stature, but mighty in status gentleman holds forth to this day as the
most prolific innovator the modern game has seen.
MILESTONE GAMES
Our focus now switches from coaches and other men of influence to what we deem the most significant games, collegiate and professional, in the sport’s evolution.
1. Rutgers vs. Princeton November 6, 1869
We’ve already discussed about where and when the game, actually still soccer, was first
played on American soil. Rutgers, the home team, outgoaled rival Princeton 6-4. This
particular match remains significant, having “started the ball rolling”, as we might say in a
pun-like manner.
2. Latrobe vs. Jeannette August 31, 1895
While college level football held an exclusive position throughout the earliest of eras,
legend tells us that pick-up teams had been assembled on relatively rare occasions here
and there, with participants receiving minor compensation for their efforts, even though
such practices were supposedly forbidden, or at least heavily frowned upon.
The first officially proclaimed professional game took place on the date shown above,
whereby a Latrobe, Pennsylvania gent named John Braillier had organized a team to
challenge another from the nearby town of Jeannette, and winning 12-0. We include this
contest on our list since it paved the way toward eventual future pay-for-play football.
3. Michigan vs. Stanford January 1, 1902
Here we have another start-up encounter of a key nature. The annual west coast
Tournament of Roses pageant in Pasadena, California had begun as far back as 1890, with
numerous events being staged. At the close of the regular 1901 college football season, the
decision was reached to sponsor a special game, along with the yearly gala parade and
other festivities.
Mighty Michigan, a fabulously heroic “point-a-minute” scoring machine wrought by Coach
Fielding H. “Hurry-Up” Yost, received an invitation to travel out and face Stanford, the
best that sector could offer as a host team, but a weak sister in comparison to the
Wolverines.
Not unexpectedly, the visitors from the east thumped the Pacific coasters 49-0, in one of
history’s well-remembered lopsided contests. Again, however, we’ve chosen to site this
pummeling rout as the beginning of what has become so renowned in years since as the
Rose Bowl.
4. Notre Dame vs. Army November 1, 1913
Earlier in this piece we discussed legalization of the forward pass, beginning with 1906.
Despite its authorized existence, such play had been used rather sparingly, chiefly as a
semi-desperation measure, throughout the ensuing seven seasons. However, this day in
1913 changed everything overnight, figuratively speaking.
The West Point Cadets, a ferocious band of gridiron lads in their own right, had invited a
team from (as the local paper stated) South Bend, Illinois to come take its turn being sent
down to defeat. Well, things didn’t quite wind up that way.
As life guards at the Cedar Point, Ohio beach resort during the summer of 1913, Notre
Dame varsity players, quarterback Charles “Gus” Dorais and end Knute Rockne, had
practiced passing and receiving maneuvers whenever there were no swimmers in
imminent danger. Upon their return to school that autumn, the lads had the aerial attack
situation firmly in hand.
Having persuaded Coach Jess Harper to let them try their act on the field against Army,
the pair quickly proceeded to dazzle the future generals. With Rock running hitherto
unseen downfield patterns, and Gus heaving the rugby-style pigskin with utmost accuracy,
the passing offense, duly supplemented by the first-rate alternate line plunging efforts of
fullback Ray Eichenlaub, the Irish rang up 35 points to West Point’s 13, for a decidedly
resounding victory.
Starting with the 1914 season then, college squads from coast-to-coast began augmenting
their previously-established running game with forward passing, albeit still restricted
somewhat by conservatism. Still, a distinctly new gridiron age had been brought to life,
and we’re presently quite aware of what it eventually led to.
From the developmental significance viewpoint, this game therefore stands as the first of
three which rank above all others. The specifics of the other two follow immediately below.
5. Chicago Bears vs. Washington Redskins December 8, 1940; Stanford vs. Nebraska January
1, 1941
Before Glenn Warner donned the coaching mantle at Carlisle circa 1907, and commenced
devising his single and double wing offenses, the standard backfield array had consisted of
a quarterback right behind the center, with three others standing side-by-side-by-side a
few yards to his rear, thus forming, if viewed from overhead, an inverted letter T.
Insofar as we’ve determined, though, nobody ever called said lineup the T-Formation.
Such term didn’t fall into use until many years later.
Meanwhile, of course, the single wing attack was almost exclusively in vogue, with its
two-winged cousin playing a secondary role from the popularity angle. However, the
Warner systems did not enjoy a 100% status.
According to the most factual information we’ve managed to gather, in all the years of
Warner-style domination, the only club throughout the nation carrying on with the ancient
T setup were George Halas’ Chicago Bears. Since the rules also permitted one back to
begin moving laterally prior to the start of any play, they added this feature in 1931.
Up until 1940, the Midway Monsters from Chicago didn’t overly mystify their opponents
with deceptive T-activity, despite a rather consistently winning pattern. Then came the
fateful day (well, two days actually), when a pair of back-to-back victories changed the
game again, most likely forever, as things stand today.
December 8, 1940 found the western conference champion Bears visiting their eastern
counterparts, the Washington Redskins, for the annual NFL title.
Anybody who saw or listened to that game on the radio can’t ever forget it. Quarterback
Sid Luckman’s superb passing and T-attack generalship, plus the open-field running of
George McAfee, Ray “Jolting” Nolting, and Bill Osmanski, aided immensely by marvelous
offensive and defensive line play, chalked up an incredible 73-0 final score. Whatever the
Bears attempted all afternoon had the Midas touch. No championship contest has ever
matched this one in many respects. “Wow! How about that T-Formation?” came the
universal cry.
A mere 24 days later, the phenomenon was compounded on Pasadena Rose Bowl
turf. Despite a much closer point count, Stanford’s 21-13 victory over Nebraska featured
additional T-flavor, as quarterback Frankie Albert directed an attack which resembled the
workings of a Swiss watch, amply aided by the running of halfbacks Pete Kmetovic and
Hugh Gallarneau, along with fullback Norm Standlee’s crunching bucks. Once again, a
powerful front line held its own both ways. On the second occasion in less than a month,
the expressions of “Wow!” were repeated by onlookers almost everywhere.
The 1941 season opened up on a brand new theme, featuring an across-the-board frantic
switchover to the purportedly devastating T, from the NFL ranks down to junior high.
Not since 1914, after Notre Dame’s shocking aerial win on the plains of West Point, had
such a sweeping transformation been brought about. No other suitable course of action lay
open for any school or pro club to follow.
Well, despite what we just said, that wasn’t entirely the case. A few diehard coaches, like
Bob Neyland at Tennessee and John Bain “Jock” Sutherland at Pittsburgh, stuck to the
single-wing, while Dana Bible down at Texas and Jeff Cravath out in Southern California
retained their long-established double-side version. Pop Warner, now in retirement,
offered advice far and wide as to how the T could be effectively defended against. He
didn’t seem to attract many listeners.
Aside from Michigan and Princeton temporarily readopting the single wing formation,
spiced up with a highly successful buck-lateral variation, in the late 1940s, everything
since has been T and cakes, yet subject to refinements and modifications galore. With
different coaches taking command in later years, even Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Texas, and
USC changed their ways.
PATRON SAINTS
Our final honors grouping relates to the boys who either virtually invented or at least initially perfected certain major aspects of field performance.
1. William “Pudge” Heffelfinger, Yale 1891 – Guard Play
Coach John W. Heisman described Heff as “Inventor and finest exponent of guard
interference. The most devastating player I ever saw in action.”
2. Frank Hinkey, Yale 1894 – Defensive Line Play
Although weighing a mere 145 pounds, this fellow has been described by almost countless
bygone day observers as the toughest tackler who ever lived. Whether true or not, it’s been
said that not an inch of ground was gained around his end position in four whole years.
3. Adolph “Germany” Schulz, Michigan 1908 – Center and Linebacker Play
Perhaps the first center deployed to back up the line on defense, he developed such role as a
true science for all others to follow.
4. James Francis “Jim” Thorpe, Carlisle 1912, NFL until 1928 – All-Around Ability
Pop Warner’s gifted do-everything-magnificently halfback possessed more natural athletic
skills than any individual before, and Lord knows for how many decades thereafter.
5. Charlie Brickley, Harvard 1913 – Dropkicking
His five successful field goals against Yale in 1913 tell the whole story. He also played
fullback on Harvard’s greatest team ever.
6. Huntington “Tack” Hardwick, Harvard 1914 – Blocking
Reputed by Heisman and others to be the best blocker the gridiron game ever had, he
applied this quality as both an end and halfback.
7. Wilbur “Fats” Henry, Washington & Jefferson 1919, NFL until 1928 – tackle play
Again we quote Coach Heisman, who called Henry “The perfect tackle in every phase of the
game.”
8. Harold “Brick” Muller, California 1922, NFL in 1926 – All-Around End Play
He not only handled his position like no other of his or most other day, but could drop back
and chuck forward passes with the best.
9. Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden, Notre Dame 1924 – Unified
Backfield Play
This was the most renowned four-man unit in history at quarter, left half, right half, and full,
respectively. There may have been greater backfields since, but probably never one so
beautifully coordinated.
10. Harold “Red” Grange, Illinois 1925, NFL until 1934 – Broken Field Running
From his university days onward at halfback, he was the perennial yardstick against whom
all subsequent thrill-producing ball-carriers were compared for long years afterward. “The
greatest since Grange” accolade became one of the sport’s most commonly applied clichés.
11. Ernest Alonzo “Ernie” Nevers, Stanford 1925, NFL until 1931 – All-Around Backfield Play
As fullback (i.e. essentially tailback) in Stanford’s double-wing offense, he was rated even
superior to Jim Thorpe by Pop Warner, who coached them both.
12. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski, Minnesota 1929, NFL until 1937, to return for a year in 1943
– Line Plunging
In addition, the Bronk did everything so superbly that Dean of Sportswriters Grantland
Rice once said that eleven Nagurskis could probably beat any other team theoretically
made up of a single player. He was as foreboding at the tackle position as he proved to be
at fullback.
13. Don Hutson, Alabama 1934, NFL until 1945 – Pass Receiving
Initially in the 1935 Rose Bowl victory against Stanford, followed by all his years at end
with the Green Bay Packers, the “Alabama Antelope” literally wrote the book on running
downfield patterns, grabbing forward passes, and then eluding enemy defenders, for Jerry
Rice and so many others to read.
14. Samuel Adrian “Sammy” Baugh, Texas Christian 1936, NFL until 1952 – Forward Passing
Tailback “Slingin’ Sammy” overshadowed every passer who had ever come before him,
and quite possibly all those who’ve succeeded him.
15. Sid Luckman, Columbia 1938, NFL until 1950; Frankie Albert, Stanford 1941, AAFC and
NFL until 1952 – T-Formation Quarterbacking
The eminent greatness of this pair has already been evidenced above under MILESTONE
GAMES
16. Lou Groza, Ohio State Frosh 1942, AAFC and NFL from 1946 to 1967 – Place Kicking
“Lou the Toe” introduced hitherto unmatched scientific artistry into field goal and extra
point kicking. He also played offensive tackle with considerable skill.
17. Felix “Doc” Blanchard and Glenn “Junior” Davis, Army 1946 – One-Two Backfield
Punch
“Mr. Inside” (Blanchard) and “Mr. Outside” (Davis) came across as the most dynamic
backfield duo in history, completely unmatched before and most likely ever since.
18. Bobby Layne, Texas 1947, NFL until 1962 – Clutch Quarterbacking
There have been very few quarterbacks, if any, who could match this lad as a third-down
dire situation performer.
19. George Blanda, Kentucky 1948, NFL until 1975 – Playing Longevity
As both quarterback and place kicker, George deserves special honors for his unequaled
years of uninterrupted (except in 1959) gridiron service.
20. Eddie LeBaron, University of Pacific 1951, NFL until 1963 – Deceptive Ball Handling
Eddie was exceeded by few if anyone at this extremely specialized T-quarterback skill.
21. James Nathaniel “Jim” Brown, Syracuse 1956, NFL until 1965 – Composite Running
A modern era running back must be exceptionally versatile, that is fully capable at hitting
the line, sweeping wide, catching short passes, and returning kicks. Jim set all the
requisite standards, and has since been the comparison yardstick for the many great
composite ball-carriers who’ve followed, just as did Grange in former times at his
particular specialty.
22. Francis “Fran” Tarkenton, Georgia 1960, NFL until 1978 – Quarterback Scrambling
Whereas Bobby Layne was expert at getting out of tight jams by his thrilling clutch
performances, Tarkenton cast a new mould in troubled situations by deftly scrambling
around his backfield area to avoid opposing defensive linemen by the ton.
23. Jan Stenerud, Montana State, 1966, NFL until 1985 – Soccer-Style Place Kicking
An immigrant from Norway, where he perfected his kicking style on the soccer field, Jan
became the undisputed master at his art, albeit not the one to introduce it at the outset.
24. Larry Wilson, Utah 1959, NFL until 1972 – Defensive Back Blitzing
Thanks to Larry’s inventive blitzing techniques from a secondary position, pursuit of
enemy quarterbacks is no longer a role played exclusively by defensive linemen and
charging backers-up.
25. Steve Tasker, Northwestern 1984, NFL until 1997 – Specialty Team Play
Blithely ignored until more recent gridiron campaign years, performance on kicking, kick
receiving, or certain other alternate units has now come to warrant mention unto itself.
Although fundamentally cast as a pass receiver, Steve nevertheless deserves prime Patron
Saint honors for his added accomplishments in the long-unheralded specialty teams field.
We’ve had our fair share of crowd-pleasing ball-toters, super-accurate forward passers, downfield aerial snaggers, quarterback-on-their-rump dumpers, ultra fierce blockers or tacklers, and fellows whose toes have lofted many a long and effective boot. The fame shrines at South Bend, Indiana and Canton, Ohio are chock-full of their revered names.
With all due respect to these lads’ collective prowess, we prefer instead to present what we deem a more compact, yet decidedly qualified compilation of our own. Altogether, our private Hall of Fame includes just 37 choice entries.
The honors list breaks down into three principal categories:
· Innovators, or those men who provided the game’s backbone by what they contributed
in their own manner;
· Milestone Games, by which the sport has evolved from era to era, in some cases rather
explosively;
· Patron Saints, identifying players who will forever remain in memory as those who initially
showed us “how it’s done”, skill by skill.
As for the last element cited above, most of the feats achieved and the records set by our chosen gallants have been exceeded several times over by latter-day aces. Nevertheless, we feel prime accolades are due to the boys who did the mould casting.
Having said as much, here are the persons and events we consider worthy of gridiron gianthood, with according background explanations.
INNOVATORS
1. Although mighty few football fans will recognize the name William Webb Ellis, this chap
deserves a good deal of credit. He was an English soccer player who, in 1823, flagrantly
broke one of the game’s steadfast rules by catching an opponent’s kicked ball and running
with it. Well, Holy Mackerel, Andy! That just wasn’t done, Old Boy!
Young Mr. Ellis’ unforgiveable deed became readily nullified, with due admonishment for
such an outrageous violation. Believe it or not, however, there were a few more
progressive-minded blokes associated with the sport who viewed the idea of carrying the
ball forward as not being all that bad. The simple effort of history’s very first known
leather-lugger eventually led to the development of rugby, a similar game which allowed
tucking and running, as opposed to toe or cranial projection only. Indeed, the lad belongs
among the truly creative innovators of football as we know it today.
2. The first “football” match played on U.S. soil was still soccer, and took place at Rutgers in
1869. The conversion to rugby style didn’t come until 1876. It wasn’t until 1880 that the
seven-man line and four-member backfield configuration we see in today’s considerably
modified form became official.
With the game’s popularity momentum having steadily grown for nearly a decade,
especially in such eastern schools as Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Pennsylvania, et al, Walter
Camp, one of the sport’s more renowned playing, coaching, and journalistic figures, decided
to honor the eleven boys he judged to be the best for the 1889 season at their respective
positions. Consequently, the first All-America team was picked, giving rise to a practice
that has been carried out every year since by various committee-like groups, newspapers,
wire services, and what have you.
Along with his many other contributions to the gridiron game, Mr. Camp therefore earned
lasting recognition as the man who initiated annual player performance honoring. The
foundation bearing his name continues on to the present time, with that being one of its key
programs.
3. It may come as a surprise to find the name Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th U.S. President,
among our select group. Without question, the man belongs there, even though he never
was known to have been an actual player or coach.
By the mid-aught years of the 20th century, football had become so rugged as to be
virtually murderous. Bone-crunching, head-bashing, and violently tackling line play made
up the order of the day. The rules allowed for straight ahead ball-toting, lateral passing, or
kicking offense only. Way too many young fellows had become nearly or actually crippled,
and even killed in some instances, due to the uncompromising roughness.
Before the opening of the 1906 season, with the game under severe fire due to its frightful
excesses, the time had clearly arrived for corrective action. It was at this point when
President Roosevelt stepped in and warned the powers who controlled gridiron affairs that
football absolutely had to be opened up, so to speak, as opposed to the sheer grinding of
opponents into the dirt on play after play.
The historic result, of course, was making it legal for a back to pass the ball forward from
behind the scrum (i.e. scrimmage in our modern parlance) line to certain teammates eligible
to catch and gallop onward with it.
Well, that change saved the day. Although the pass was to remain in very limited use for
several seasons to come, the threat always existed, thus loosening up the action for
improved player safety. The number of crippling and fatal injuries dropped dramatically,
with the end result being the sport’s sheer salvation. We fans of today should be extremely
grateful for that.
4. Football’s first great innovative head coach was Glenn Scobey Warner, known to all as
“Pop”, a former Cornell University guard, who took over the reins at the Carlisle,
Pennsylvania Indian School during the century’s mid-aught years. This educational
institution, created for youthful Native American boys, offered up some of the greatest
player material ever assembled to date, reaching almost unprecedented heights. Among
the many ace warriors was a lad named Jim Thorpe, the closest thing to Superman any
sport had seen up to then and for at least several decades thereafter.
Warner introduced two revolutionary (for the time) offensive attack formations, the first (or
“A”) becoming known as the single wingback, featuring strength concentration on one side
or the other, as deployment dictated, and the other the double wingback, (or “B”), wherein
the power was more evenly balanced to allow movement in either direction.
Pop’s innovations, chiefly the single wingback, soon became the standard modus operandi
for schools across the country. Even after the professional league came into existence in
1920, his system continued to prevail, with a sole notable exception, which we’ll enlarge
upon later. One might say that the Warner systems were clearly the “in” thing from around
1907 until 1941, which adds up to a mighty long reign of influence.
5. If you ask any died-in-the-wool football fan from the old days, particularly if he happens to
have Irish ancestry, he’ll quickly tell you in glowing terms that Notre Dame is the game’s
unmatched representative institution. In actual fact, such words decidedly defy argument.
A look at grid history from 1913 up until the present date makes them awfully hard to
dispute.
Ironically, the cause of it all really stemmed from just one man’s never-in-many-respects
equaled coaching achievements at South Bend. Knute Kenneth Rockne, an immigrant lad
from Norway, covered himself with glory as a pass-catching end during his student days
with the Irish (more about that under MILESTONE GAMES below), but mainly later, as
the man who instilled the unbeatable Notre Dame team spirit, which has carried on long
beyond his tragic plane crash death in 1931.
This writer twice had the privilege of attending that school’s annual early spring alumni
breakfast gathering, to pay homage to their greatest gridiron figure. Never in our
experience anywhere or at any other time have we sat and listened to so many passionately
rendered eulogies paid to the one and only “Rock”, most often by his former players. No
doubt exists in our mind whatsoever as to who is responsible for having created the never-
diminishing-to-the-slightest-degree Notre Dame fighting spirit.
6. On the 20th of August, 1920, several football-connected gentlemen assembled at Ralph
Hay’s Canton, Ohio automobile agency, where they occupied running boards while
discussing the idea of forming a professional football league. An agreement resulted, and
what we respectfully call the NFL today was born. The results, the effect, and the countless
thrills observed ever since are well known to us all.
Two of the more influential attendees at that fateful meeting were George Stanley Halas, a
former Illinois University end, and Earl Lambeau, an ex-Notre Dame back as a freshman.
The newly-conceived National Football League had no more prominent pioneers than these
men, who respectively became owners and coaches of the Chicago Bears and Green Bay
Packers, with both long devotion and immensely successful careers. The professional game
has had no more innovative a pair than field rivals “Papa Bear” and “Curly”.
7. The final creative genius on our opening honors list first became widely known as head
coach at Massillon, Ohio High School, from whence he moved up to a short but memorable
reign at Ohio State. His name was Paul Brown, and his contributions to offensive strategy
and squad organization can never be forgotten.
In 1946, a new pro league, labeled the All-America Football Conference, took the field as a
rival to the firmly-established NFL. It enjoyed only a four-year playing span, not without
turmoil and financial failures, following which just three franchises survived to be absorbed
into the more senior organization.
During the brief four-season stint, two teams dominated the AAFC scene, being the San
Francisco 49ers and the Cleveland Browns, the latter coached by the masterful Paul. What
he accomplished over that short span in regard to offensive attack maneuvering was so
utterly simple, yet extremely effective, that it defied imagination. His forward
pass/mousetrap blocking/screen pass play sequence proved to be the most astounding
methodology seen in a half-century.
Still, Brown’s innovations didn’t end on the field. He also introduced scientific coaching
techniques which had been completely unheard of up until then, but have since become
standard universal practice wherever the game is played, from the pros down to the
junior high teams.
He was the first to conduct detailed written classroom examinations, testing individual
player knowledge as to each teammate’s required role on every play in the squad’s book.
He introduced the stationing of assistant coaches in the upper stands, with open line bench
telephone contact. Using the relatively new unlimited substitution rule to best advantage,
he initiated the means of directing his offensive attack from the sidelines, by sending in
alternating “messenger” guards before each coming play. Never before had movie reruns of
previous games been employed, a practice he inaugurated to better evaluate individual
after-the-fact field performance. Brown preceded all others in installing a radio inside his
quarterback’s helmet, for the purpose of conveying strategic orders more readily, on an
experimental basis.
Indeed, this small in stature, but mighty in status gentleman holds forth to this day as the
most prolific innovator the modern game has seen.
MILESTONE GAMES
Our focus now switches from coaches and other men of influence to what we deem the most significant games, collegiate and professional, in the sport’s evolution.
1. Rutgers vs. Princeton November 6, 1869
We’ve already discussed about where and when the game, actually still soccer, was first
played on American soil. Rutgers, the home team, outgoaled rival Princeton 6-4. This
particular match remains significant, having “started the ball rolling”, as we might say in a
pun-like manner.
2. Latrobe vs. Jeannette August 31, 1895
While college level football held an exclusive position throughout the earliest of eras,
legend tells us that pick-up teams had been assembled on relatively rare occasions here
and there, with participants receiving minor compensation for their efforts, even though
such practices were supposedly forbidden, or at least heavily frowned upon.
The first officially proclaimed professional game took place on the date shown above,
whereby a Latrobe, Pennsylvania gent named John Braillier had organized a team to
challenge another from the nearby town of Jeannette, and winning 12-0. We include this
contest on our list since it paved the way toward eventual future pay-for-play football.
3. Michigan vs. Stanford January 1, 1902
Here we have another start-up encounter of a key nature. The annual west coast
Tournament of Roses pageant in Pasadena, California had begun as far back as 1890, with
numerous events being staged. At the close of the regular 1901 college football season, the
decision was reached to sponsor a special game, along with the yearly gala parade and
other festivities.
Mighty Michigan, a fabulously heroic “point-a-minute” scoring machine wrought by Coach
Fielding H. “Hurry-Up” Yost, received an invitation to travel out and face Stanford, the
best that sector could offer as a host team, but a weak sister in comparison to the
Wolverines.
Not unexpectedly, the visitors from the east thumped the Pacific coasters 49-0, in one of
history’s well-remembered lopsided contests. Again, however, we’ve chosen to site this
pummeling rout as the beginning of what has become so renowned in years since as the
Rose Bowl.
4. Notre Dame vs. Army November 1, 1913
Earlier in this piece we discussed legalization of the forward pass, beginning with 1906.
Despite its authorized existence, such play had been used rather sparingly, chiefly as a
semi-desperation measure, throughout the ensuing seven seasons. However, this day in
1913 changed everything overnight, figuratively speaking.
The West Point Cadets, a ferocious band of gridiron lads in their own right, had invited a
team from (as the local paper stated) South Bend, Illinois to come take its turn being sent
down to defeat. Well, things didn’t quite wind up that way.
As life guards at the Cedar Point, Ohio beach resort during the summer of 1913, Notre
Dame varsity players, quarterback Charles “Gus” Dorais and end Knute Rockne, had
practiced passing and receiving maneuvers whenever there were no swimmers in
imminent danger. Upon their return to school that autumn, the lads had the aerial attack
situation firmly in hand.
Having persuaded Coach Jess Harper to let them try their act on the field against Army,
the pair quickly proceeded to dazzle the future generals. With Rock running hitherto
unseen downfield patterns, and Gus heaving the rugby-style pigskin with utmost accuracy,
the passing offense, duly supplemented by the first-rate alternate line plunging efforts of
fullback Ray Eichenlaub, the Irish rang up 35 points to West Point’s 13, for a decidedly
resounding victory.
Starting with the 1914 season then, college squads from coast-to-coast began augmenting
their previously-established running game with forward passing, albeit still restricted
somewhat by conservatism. Still, a distinctly new gridiron age had been brought to life,
and we’re presently quite aware of what it eventually led to.
From the developmental significance viewpoint, this game therefore stands as the first of
three which rank above all others. The specifics of the other two follow immediately below.
5. Chicago Bears vs. Washington Redskins December 8, 1940; Stanford vs. Nebraska January
1, 1941
Before Glenn Warner donned the coaching mantle at Carlisle circa 1907, and commenced
devising his single and double wing offenses, the standard backfield array had consisted of
a quarterback right behind the center, with three others standing side-by-side-by-side a
few yards to his rear, thus forming, if viewed from overhead, an inverted letter T.
Insofar as we’ve determined, though, nobody ever called said lineup the T-Formation.
Such term didn’t fall into use until many years later.
Meanwhile, of course, the single wing attack was almost exclusively in vogue, with its
two-winged cousin playing a secondary role from the popularity angle. However, the
Warner systems did not enjoy a 100% status.
According to the most factual information we’ve managed to gather, in all the years of
Warner-style domination, the only club throughout the nation carrying on with the ancient
T setup were George Halas’ Chicago Bears. Since the rules also permitted one back to
begin moving laterally prior to the start of any play, they added this feature in 1931.
Up until 1940, the Midway Monsters from Chicago didn’t overly mystify their opponents
with deceptive T-activity, despite a rather consistently winning pattern. Then came the
fateful day (well, two days actually), when a pair of back-to-back victories changed the
game again, most likely forever, as things stand today.
December 8, 1940 found the western conference champion Bears visiting their eastern
counterparts, the Washington Redskins, for the annual NFL title.
Anybody who saw or listened to that game on the radio can’t ever forget it. Quarterback
Sid Luckman’s superb passing and T-attack generalship, plus the open-field running of
George McAfee, Ray “Jolting” Nolting, and Bill Osmanski, aided immensely by marvelous
offensive and defensive line play, chalked up an incredible 73-0 final score. Whatever the
Bears attempted all afternoon had the Midas touch. No championship contest has ever
matched this one in many respects. “Wow! How about that T-Formation?” came the
universal cry.
A mere 24 days later, the phenomenon was compounded on Pasadena Rose Bowl
turf. Despite a much closer point count, Stanford’s 21-13 victory over Nebraska featured
additional T-flavor, as quarterback Frankie Albert directed an attack which resembled the
workings of a Swiss watch, amply aided by the running of halfbacks Pete Kmetovic and
Hugh Gallarneau, along with fullback Norm Standlee’s crunching bucks. Once again, a
powerful front line held its own both ways. On the second occasion in less than a month,
the expressions of “Wow!” were repeated by onlookers almost everywhere.
The 1941 season opened up on a brand new theme, featuring an across-the-board frantic
switchover to the purportedly devastating T, from the NFL ranks down to junior high.
Not since 1914, after Notre Dame’s shocking aerial win on the plains of West Point, had
such a sweeping transformation been brought about. No other suitable course of action lay
open for any school or pro club to follow.
Well, despite what we just said, that wasn’t entirely the case. A few diehard coaches, like
Bob Neyland at Tennessee and John Bain “Jock” Sutherland at Pittsburgh, stuck to the
single-wing, while Dana Bible down at Texas and Jeff Cravath out in Southern California
retained their long-established double-side version. Pop Warner, now in retirement,
offered advice far and wide as to how the T could be effectively defended against. He
didn’t seem to attract many listeners.
Aside from Michigan and Princeton temporarily readopting the single wing formation,
spiced up with a highly successful buck-lateral variation, in the late 1940s, everything
since has been T and cakes, yet subject to refinements and modifications galore. With
different coaches taking command in later years, even Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Texas, and
USC changed their ways.
PATRON SAINTS
Our final honors grouping relates to the boys who either virtually invented or at least initially perfected certain major aspects of field performance.
1. William “Pudge” Heffelfinger, Yale 1891 – Guard Play
Coach John W. Heisman described Heff as “Inventor and finest exponent of guard
interference. The most devastating player I ever saw in action.”
2. Frank Hinkey, Yale 1894 – Defensive Line Play
Although weighing a mere 145 pounds, this fellow has been described by almost countless
bygone day observers as the toughest tackler who ever lived. Whether true or not, it’s been
said that not an inch of ground was gained around his end position in four whole years.
3. Adolph “Germany” Schulz, Michigan 1908 – Center and Linebacker Play
Perhaps the first center deployed to back up the line on defense, he developed such role as a
true science for all others to follow.
4. James Francis “Jim” Thorpe, Carlisle 1912, NFL until 1928 – All-Around Ability
Pop Warner’s gifted do-everything-magnificently halfback possessed more natural athletic
skills than any individual before, and Lord knows for how many decades thereafter.
5. Charlie Brickley, Harvard 1913 – Dropkicking
His five successful field goals against Yale in 1913 tell the whole story. He also played
fullback on Harvard’s greatest team ever.
6. Huntington “Tack” Hardwick, Harvard 1914 – Blocking
Reputed by Heisman and others to be the best blocker the gridiron game ever had, he
applied this quality as both an end and halfback.
7. Wilbur “Fats” Henry, Washington & Jefferson 1919, NFL until 1928 – tackle play
Again we quote Coach Heisman, who called Henry “The perfect tackle in every phase of the
game.”
8. Harold “Brick” Muller, California 1922, NFL in 1926 – All-Around End Play
He not only handled his position like no other of his or most other day, but could drop back
and chuck forward passes with the best.
9. Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden, Notre Dame 1924 – Unified
Backfield Play
This was the most renowned four-man unit in history at quarter, left half, right half, and full,
respectively. There may have been greater backfields since, but probably never one so
beautifully coordinated.
10. Harold “Red” Grange, Illinois 1925, NFL until 1934 – Broken Field Running
From his university days onward at halfback, he was the perennial yardstick against whom
all subsequent thrill-producing ball-carriers were compared for long years afterward. “The
greatest since Grange” accolade became one of the sport’s most commonly applied clichés.
11. Ernest Alonzo “Ernie” Nevers, Stanford 1925, NFL until 1931 – All-Around Backfield Play
As fullback (i.e. essentially tailback) in Stanford’s double-wing offense, he was rated even
superior to Jim Thorpe by Pop Warner, who coached them both.
12. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski, Minnesota 1929, NFL until 1937, to return for a year in 1943
– Line Plunging
In addition, the Bronk did everything so superbly that Dean of Sportswriters Grantland
Rice once said that eleven Nagurskis could probably beat any other team theoretically
made up of a single player. He was as foreboding at the tackle position as he proved to be
at fullback.
13. Don Hutson, Alabama 1934, NFL until 1945 – Pass Receiving
Initially in the 1935 Rose Bowl victory against Stanford, followed by all his years at end
with the Green Bay Packers, the “Alabama Antelope” literally wrote the book on running
downfield patterns, grabbing forward passes, and then eluding enemy defenders, for Jerry
Rice and so many others to read.
14. Samuel Adrian “Sammy” Baugh, Texas Christian 1936, NFL until 1952 – Forward Passing
Tailback “Slingin’ Sammy” overshadowed every passer who had ever come before him,
and quite possibly all those who’ve succeeded him.
15. Sid Luckman, Columbia 1938, NFL until 1950; Frankie Albert, Stanford 1941, AAFC and
NFL until 1952 – T-Formation Quarterbacking
The eminent greatness of this pair has already been evidenced above under MILESTONE
GAMES
16. Lou Groza, Ohio State Frosh 1942, AAFC and NFL from 1946 to 1967 – Place Kicking
“Lou the Toe” introduced hitherto unmatched scientific artistry into field goal and extra
point kicking. He also played offensive tackle with considerable skill.
17. Felix “Doc” Blanchard and Glenn “Junior” Davis, Army 1946 – One-Two Backfield
Punch
“Mr. Inside” (Blanchard) and “Mr. Outside” (Davis) came across as the most dynamic
backfield duo in history, completely unmatched before and most likely ever since.
18. Bobby Layne, Texas 1947, NFL until 1962 – Clutch Quarterbacking
There have been very few quarterbacks, if any, who could match this lad as a third-down
dire situation performer.
19. George Blanda, Kentucky 1948, NFL until 1975 – Playing Longevity
As both quarterback and place kicker, George deserves special honors for his unequaled
years of uninterrupted (except in 1959) gridiron service.
20. Eddie LeBaron, University of Pacific 1951, NFL until 1963 – Deceptive Ball Handling
Eddie was exceeded by few if anyone at this extremely specialized T-quarterback skill.
21. James Nathaniel “Jim” Brown, Syracuse 1956, NFL until 1965 – Composite Running
A modern era running back must be exceptionally versatile, that is fully capable at hitting
the line, sweeping wide, catching short passes, and returning kicks. Jim set all the
requisite standards, and has since been the comparison yardstick for the many great
composite ball-carriers who’ve followed, just as did Grange in former times at his
particular specialty.
22. Francis “Fran” Tarkenton, Georgia 1960, NFL until 1978 – Quarterback Scrambling
Whereas Bobby Layne was expert at getting out of tight jams by his thrilling clutch
performances, Tarkenton cast a new mould in troubled situations by deftly scrambling
around his backfield area to avoid opposing defensive linemen by the ton.
23. Jan Stenerud, Montana State, 1966, NFL until 1985 – Soccer-Style Place Kicking
An immigrant from Norway, where he perfected his kicking style on the soccer field, Jan
became the undisputed master at his art, albeit not the one to introduce it at the outset.
24. Larry Wilson, Utah 1959, NFL until 1972 – Defensive Back Blitzing
Thanks to Larry’s inventive blitzing techniques from a secondary position, pursuit of
enemy quarterbacks is no longer a role played exclusively by defensive linemen and
charging backers-up.
25. Steve Tasker, Northwestern 1984, NFL until 1997 – Specialty Team Play
Blithely ignored until more recent gridiron campaign years, performance on kicking, kick
receiving, or certain other alternate units has now come to warrant mention unto itself.
Although fundamentally cast as a pass receiver, Steve nevertheless deserves prime Patron
Saint honors for his added accomplishments in the long-unheralded specialty teams field.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
