The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr

by Chris Willis

  Star with Forward Pass

  Fred, who plays one of the end positions, is also a star in a particular way. He is also the man who does all of the forward-passing for the famous eleven and he can handle a football with the dexterity of a baseball player handling a baseball. Before the game he will give an exhibition of long distance throwing of the football that will in itself be an attraction.

  The remaining members of the team all balance up this great aggregation and with the exception of the Nesser brothers have all had college experience on the gridiron. The Kuehner brothers, one playing a tackle position and the other one of the end positions, were the stars of the Wellston High football team in 1912. The two half backs, Emmett Ruh and Sid (Lee) Snoots, have had experience on college elevens and their services have been sought by about every high-class eleven in the Middle West. Altogether the Panhandles present a line-up of stars that are seldom seen in one team and their coming to Marion marks a real event in the professional game.15

  On game day the small town of Marion was just that, a small town, as only 400 fans came out to see the game. Just four Nesser brothers playedno Al or John-as the railroaders won 21-0 behind two touchdowns by Emmett Ruh and one by rookie Lou Pickerel. After three convincing wins by a combined score of 106-0, the railroaders were ready for some better competition and they got it. Next up was the great Canton Bulldogs. The Bulldogs were in midst of a season that would change the face of professional football. Late in the season (November), Bulldogs Manager Jack Cusack signed pro football's first national superstar-Jim Thorpe-to play two games against the Bulldogs' chief rival, the Massillon Tigers.

  But in October Thorpe would miss out on playing the Panhandles. Bulldogs manager Cusack made sure the railroaders were in the news as the Canton Daily News promoted the game. "With a reputation of having struggled undauntedly for season after season for the Ohio professional football title, the Panhandle A.C. of Columbus comes to Canton Sunday armed with up to date plays and wonderful striking ability and fully prepared for the meeting with Mgr. Cusack's Canton pro gridders."16

  The Canton Repository had more to say about the Panhandles and they chose to write about the new star of the team.

  The Columbus Panhandles, perennial aspirants to the professional honors of Ohio who battle the Canton "pros" at League Park Sunday, have made just one notable change in their array for this season from that which they used last fall. They have inserted at quarterback a chap named Pickerel who is far from being a dud at the gridiron game.

  In fact, this Pickerel was last season one of the leading men of Ohio college elevens. He wore the scarlet and gray of Ohio State and was named for the All-Ohio by the conference coaches, the critics who are in the best position to form an opinion. Pickerel is a flash on the field, full of speed and hard to stop. He has but one noticeable fault-he is not strong enough physically to stand the gaff of a hard conflict. Although the Panhandle-Canton struggle will be no place for any but a husky, Pickerel will be on the job at quarter for the Columbus bunch."

  The scene was set for a big Panhandles victory and they gave it their best shot. In front of "two thousand rabid fans," the two teams slugged it out in a back-and-forth defensive battle. In the fourth quarter during a scoreless game, Emmett Ruh fumbled a punt that led to the only touchdown of the game and a 7-0 win for the Bulldogs. The Canton Daily News reported on the rough tactics by the railroaders.

  Rich was the harvest reaped by Canton's professional football outfit at League Park Sunday. The big Red and White eleven, in the first important battle for the state title, conquered the vicious Panhandle A.C. of Columbus, founded by the Nesser family, 7 to 0. The Panhandles produced probably the most glaring exhibition of what in football is called "dirty playing" ever seen on a Canton gridiron. Three Canton players were injured, one very seriously.

  The Columbus umpire refused to call penalties for holding and there was constant slugging and unnecessary roughness of the viciously-playing Panhandles. Profanity from the field was heard in the stands. For over 40 minutes the battle scarred rivals struggled scorelessly. Canton's sole touchdown came like a bolt from Jove. A punt by Axtell, a tackle of halfback Ruh of Columbus by Gardner, the contact causing the invader to fumble, a cat-like and successful leap for the uncovered ball by Edwards who [brought the ball back] to the P.A.C.'s 5-yard line-there you have the wedge. Two plays later, both line plunges by fullback Peters, the locals were six points to the good. The touchdown came three minutes and 15 seconds after the beginning of the fourth period.

  Time and again the contest was stopped to quell actions frowned upon by rule makers. In the last half, the feeling ran high due to the rough mark always inaugurated by the visitors. Two injuries, both coming to Cantonians, cast shadows. Dagenhart, local product, retired on the first kickoff after fiercely tackling Fred Nesser. He was aided from the field. Truesby, Cleveland lad playing halfback, went to the sidelines with a broken collarbone, giving Van Allman the opportunity of which he made the most. Gardner went out near the close with an injured leg."

  Despite the big hits laid on the Bulldogs, it was a tough loss for the Panhandles, and just like in 1914, the Panhandles would have another hangover after their first loss of the season. The Panhandles next game was against the Toledo Maroons, and Joe Carr tried to motivate his team as well as get fans to come out and see the game. On October 21 the Toledo Daily Blade reported on Carr's big statement with the headline "Pan Handles to Win by 3 Touchdowns-Carr":

  Columbus Panhandles will beat the Maroons by three touchdowns was the statement made by Joe Carr, manager of the railroaders to Art Gratop Tuesday evening at Columbus. Carr figures that despite his 7 to 0 defeat at the hands of the Canton outfit, the Pan Handles have one of the strongest ag gregations in the state and are capable of giving any team, with the possible exception of the Canton giants, a good trimming.

  On the other hand the Maroons are as confident as ever and figure that by their open style of football they will be able to eliminate the Pan Handles from State Championship consideration. From all indications it will be one of the best contests of the year.19

  Carr always believed his team would win, and if his statement put a few more fans in the stands then the publicity worked. The game turned out to be a hit with the fans, as over 3,500 spectators came out to Armory Park and watched the hometown Maroons beat the railroaders 20-0. Carr's prediction wasn't even close as his team didn't play very well and once again slugged its way through the game. The Toledo News-Bee sent writer Mart Manley to describe the game and he would focus on the fight.

  Took Punch at Sala

  Errett Sala, Maroon end, whose hard tackles jarred the Pan Handle backfield men, was put out of the game for his clash with Fred Nesser, the giant end of the visitors. Sala, a 140-pounder, and Nesser, a 210-pounder, swapped punches. Both were put out by Referee Wright. Nesser started the trouble.

  The Maroon line seemed to be cement to all of the Pan Handle plungers except Snoots. He was the only one of the visitors who could gain consistently. Jule Wise broke through the visitors' line time after time and nailed his man before the Pan Handle could get started.20

  It seems every newspaper wanted to point out the rough "tactics" by the railroaders. The Panhandles and the Nesser brothers physical play-learned on the railroad yards in Columbus-was now the team's trademark and would follow them forever. After a tremendous start the Panhandles were now 3-2, and the rest of the season was in jeopardy. After the consecutive losses the railroaders headed back to Stark County to play the Massillon Tigers. It would be the first meeting between the two teams since 1907. On October 30 the Massillon Independent prepared fans for a great game.

  Massillon Sunday will be the scene of the biggest game of football played here since the old Tiger days of 10 years ago.

  The Tigers, Massillon's professional team, seeking the state title, will receive its first severe test of the season tomorrow when the orange and black stars trot upon the field at the Driving Park grounds to b
attle the Columbus Panhandles, a team controlled by Nesser Bros. & Co.

  Players whose names have been connected with All-American teams, others who have achieved fame with college teams, and still others who have never played college football but have learned the game on sand lots, will be in the aggregation of gridiron talent that assembles here Sunday for the big game.

  The Panhandles are demons on the football field. Big as mountains and strong as lions the railroaders from the capital are among the most feared teams in the state. Led in their efforts by the six Nesser brothers, football players of renown, the Columbus aggregation balks at nothing.

  They fight from the start to finish. Possessing a clever backfield and a heavy line the Panhandles present a battle front hard to pierce. Directed by Pickerel, former Ohio State quarterback and all Ohio choice last year, the Panhandles display an effective brand of football.21

  Two weeks after losing a tough one to the Canton Bulldogs the "big as mountains and strong as lions" Panhandles-with all six Nessers-played perhaps their best game of the season, defeating the Tigers 16-0. In front of 3,000 fans, the railroaders' passing game came alive as John Nesser and Roscoe Kuehner caught touchdown passes from Lou Pickerel. The Coluin- bus Dispatch described the passing attack of the Panhandles.

  By clever use of the forward pass the Pan Handle team of Columbus threw a blanket over the state championship hopes of the Massillon Tigers here Sunday afternoon by defeating the home football players 16 to 0.

  Two of the Pan Handles' touchdowns were down to the expert throwing of the ball by Pickerel at quarter for the Railroaders. The other points were taken when Pickerel shot a drop kick over the bars in the final period. In the second quarter Fred Nesser went over the line when Pickerel gave him a short forward pass and the second Columbus touchdown was made in the fourth period when Kuehner nabbed a Pickerel thrown ball and scampered across the final bar for the six points 22

  The aerial attack helped snap the team's two-game losing streak, and it showed that the railroaders could win a big game. It also was the only time the Panhandles would defeat the famous Massillon Tigers, going 1-4 all time against the Tigers. But the team did suffer one loss; John Nesser's injured leg would keep him out of the next five games. After a month on the road, the traveling didn't affect the team's effort, and most of the players were just happy to get away from work.

  "My dad didn't really mind the traveling at all because it was part of the package. They were working six days a week and then on Saturday you're done at 4 and then you're on a train going to play on Sunday. Then they would return late Sunday night and be right back at work in the railroad shops early Monday morning," says James Brigham, son of Hi Brigham, former Panhandles center. "My dad admired Joe Carr. He thought he was really a great guy. I also think he was somewhat in awe of him despite the both of them being good friends. On the road he roomed with Carr from time to time when they stayed in rooming houses on the road. I never heard the word hotel mentioned. I'd hear rooming houses. But he certainly admired Joe Carr and he was quite proud to have known him."23

  Carr would save money by having the team stay in rooming houses, but every once in a while if they arrived very late into town they would hit the nearest barn. In a 1948 Columbus newspaper interview, former Panhandles halfback Lee Snoots explained traveling with the Panhandles.

  Our trips were wonderful. We preferred the yearly trek to Toledo. We would leave on Saturday night and stay over at a small town called Carrothers. Here I learned how to eat Nesser style. P. Regula owned a saloon and boarding house in Carrothers and in the rear of the house was a barn with the upstairs furnished somewhat. The Nesser boys preferred this barn to the house and after a card session, off to bed they would go. The snoring from that barn was a fright from midnight on. There wasn't a tenor among them. All bassos.24

  It's hard to believe that Joe Carr would hang out and sleep in a barn; he would always stay in the rooming houses while traveling on the road. But anything to save a dollar was definitely something Carr would try at any time during the season.

  The momentum from the Massillon win carried over into the following week when the team traveled to Dayton to play the Gym-Cadets. The Cadets had replaced the Oakwoods as the best pro team in Dayton, and they were no match for the Panhandles. In front of another nice crowd of 3,500, the railroaders gave up an early touchdown before getting the offense rolling. Once again the passing of Lou Pickerel led the attack, as the Panhandles scored twenty-four straight points, and the Ohio State Journal praised the performance: "The Panhandles gave such an exhibition of classy play as has seldom been seen in this city. The team changed its style of offense so often that it completely bewildered the Cadets. First by plunging the line, then a long forward pass, to be followed by a triple pass, the Columbus boys carried the Dayton aspirants for the state championship off their feet."25

  After the back-to-back victories, the railroaders were feeling really good about their chances of having a great season. Manager Carr then scheduled a unique road trip as the team traveled north to play the Detroit Maroons. The pro game was growing outside of the state of Ohio, and this was the first time the Columbus boys played a squad from Michigan. The Panhandles would go on to make five more trips to play teams from the city of Detroit. On November 14 the Panhandles came away with a close 7-0 victory against the tough Motor City crew. Oscar Kuehner scooped up a bad snap on a punt attempt for the only touchdown of the game. The Ohio State Journal reported that "both teams played sensational football,"26 which meant that it was sensational on the defensive side.

  The railroaders were now 6-2, and for the second straight week they traveled to play a team they had never faced before. Joe Carr took his team back up north to play the Youngstown Patricians, a pretty good independent team sponsored by the St. Patrick's Church in the city, who started playing football in 1911. Carr had the team arrive in Youngstown the day before the game and the first thing he did was head over to the local newspaper office and hand them a write-up and a team photo of his squad to help promote the game. On the day of the game (November 21), the Youngstown Vindicator wrote about the Panhandles' arrival:

  The Pan Handles under the direction of Manager Joe Carr, Columbus newspaper man, arrived in this city last night and according to their pilot, are in the finest fettle possible for a strenuous contest. The squad numbered 18 last night, and four others are due to arrive early in the morning, bringing the total up to 22 men eligible for duty.

  The Pan Handles were met at the Pennsylvania station at midnight by Manager Omier of the Patricians, and escorted to the Ohio hotel where they will quarter while in Youngstown. Manager Carr called the Vindicator office soon after his arrival, and while he was strong in his praise of his own outfit, declared the Patricians had won an enviable reputation throughout the state.

  Carr naturally was confident of victory. He declared Youngstown fans might be prepared to see a classy contest and one that would be clean and snappy throughout. The Pan Handles have been in existence for 14 years and during that time have met and defeated some of the best grid teams in the country. He declared he would have no apologies to offer if defeated, and added that if the Patricians won they surely could honestly claim the state title.

  The six Nesser brothers were in the squad which arrived last night (really there was only five). They form the nucleus of the Pan Handle team which is strongly augmented by a half dozen college stars headed by Pickerel, former Ohio State star.27

  After all of the publicity, the two teams were ready to play and over 5,000 fans paying fifty cents a ticket came out to Wright Field to witness the battle. For sixty minutes the two teams slugged it out, but mistakes on both sides cost either team any chance of scoring and the game ended in a 0-0 tie. The railroaders were much heavier than the Pats, but they never took advantage of their size and Carr's team went home disappointed in the final score. But he was extremely pleased with the turnout; his extra work in advertising the game definitely helped. Carr was no
w hitting his stride as a team manager and being able to see the entire picture. He always went the extra yard to promote the games and his Irish work ethic never took a break. Just like Carr the Panhandles couldn't rest for too long, as Carr arranged two games for the upcoming week. First up was a Thanksgiving Day game against the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Friars, and three days later the railroaders would play the Columbus Barracks in a rare home game.

  On November 25 the Panhandles took the rail to Fort Wayne and lost a close game to the Friars, 3-0. After the game the Nesser brothers, Joe Carr, and the rest of the squad were rewarded with a special holiday treat from the victorious Friars. The Fort Wayne journal-Gazette described the postgame celebration.

  The football players who toiled so faithfully throughout the season just closed for the Friars were banqueted last night at the Anthony by the local club. This is an annual event in local football circles and last night's spread was easily the best ever, probably because of that pleasant surprise in the nature of a victory over the Columbus crowd. The Panhandle players were also on hand as guests of the Friar management and the crowd numbered about seventy. After the eats the Nesser brothers quartet sang several songs and (John) Schneider, the clever Columbus guard, told a number of stories which were great.28

  Despite the loss the Panhandles knew how to have a good time, and they were grateful for the Friars' hospitality. Joe Carr made sure the two teams would see each other again, saying, "The Panhandles will be back next season. So many times in independent football the home players and fans will take advantage of the visiting players and hand out some miserable treatment. You seldom get anything like a square deal from the officials and the fans are always looking for a chance to hand you a bum deal. Just the opposite is the case here. Your officials certainly treated us fairly and I like the spirit shown by the crowd which had cheers for the visiting as well as the home players."29

  The loss to the Friars wasn't all that bad as the team from Indiana would finish the season with a 7-1-1 record. When the railroaders returned home-after an amazing eight straight Sunday games on the road-pro football's most famous traveling team was ready to defend its title as city champions. After two tough games over the previous seven days, the railroaders took care of business against the overmatched Columbus Barracks team. Four different players scored a touchdown-Lee Snoots, Charlie Dunn, Frank Nesser, and Ted Nesser-as the Panhandles won easily 26-0.