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

by Chris Willis

  Advance sale at Altman's and Simpson's cigar stores, Riehl's and the Great Northern Billiard Rooms and Arcade Saloon.41

  The hype continued on game day as the Repository ran a full page article previewing the game-with a great photo of the six Nesser Brothers.

  Long and short, lean and stocky, the six Nesser "boys" and eight or ten other panthers in human form come to Canton today. That statement alone is sufficient to tell the whole tale. It means that the Canton professionals are in for a scrap, a battle royal against the most fearless football crew in existence-the Columbus Panhandles. There's always something doing when the Panhandles come to town.

  These Nessers are no strangers by any means. Canton first became acquainted with the name about 11 years ago, when Ted held down a backfield position with the great Massillon Tiger team that ripped Canton's aspirations toward a world's championship into little shreds. He's been playing football, brilliant football, ever since and has gradually introduced other Nessers into the game. He has five of 'em helping him this year, all from the same sturdy stock.

  The invasion by the Panhandles means a tough, rough game for Canton, but Big Jim Thorpe has his red and white machine in readiness to repel the attack. He and Manager Jack Cusack have assembled what looks like the most powerful gridiron crew that has ever represented Canton, not even barring the Bulldogs of a decade ago. The present Bulldogs, every one of them a star, present an array of which a Percy Haughton or a Hurry-up Yost might well be proud.

  What betting has been done favors the Bulldogs to win. Some of the more optimistic have gone so far as to wager that Canton will pile up 30 points or more. Others have placed the limit at 25 and still others, entertaining wholesome respect for the prowess of the Columbus huskies, will go no higher than three touchdowns. A few have such regard for the Canton defense that they will bet on no touchdowns for the Panhandles. It's a bold risk.

  There's one safe bet though. This is that Canton will have to fight, and fight hard, for every inch and every point. That's the beauty of any scrap between the Panhandles and a strong opponent. There's never a dull moment or a relaxation in the efforts of the principals. Just one continual battle, with the breaks of the game playing a leading role.42

  The Panhandles were prepared to play the Bulldogs tough and facing the great Jim Thorpe for the first time didn't intimidate them. On October 29 over 4,500 fans filled League Park in Canton to watch the big game. Playing without an injured Fred Nesser, the railroaders fell behind by two touchdowns in the first half and never recovered. The second half became a hard-hitting affair, and the Bulldogs came away with a 12-0 win. The railroaders played a good game but couldn't control Thorpe. The Canton Daily News recapped the action.

  Canton's Bulldogs did not bite off more than they could chew Sunday at League Park in meeting the Panhandles of Columbus. The local professional footballers, scenting the U.S. title, managed to digest a 12 to 0 victory over the five Nessers-Fred Nesser accompanied the team but did not don a uniform having broken a small bone in his right hand in the game with Cleveland the previous week-and their associates in the presence of a crowd which went above the 4500 mark.

  True to form played the Panhandles. The spectator was unschooled who didn't know the invaders delighted in roughing matters. Rough it they did likewise Canton. Both lines were miniature productions of English "tanks" and if the British government ever runs short of such vehicles a mistake would not be made to write Ohioward.

  Players tackled with abandon; they threw themselves against the advance like lost souls, caring not for consequences. Every yard meant something to the 22 strugglers, zealous in protecting their territory, and hungry for some of the enemy's. Despite titanic maneuvers, only one player was injured to the extent of being carried from the field-halfback Conley of Canton being dazed by a collision with Capt. Ted Nesser of Columbus. Conley was severely stunned, but he did not lose consciousness.

  Individually, no player ranked higher than fullback Julian of Canton, exMichigan Aggie star. He made the biggest impressions on the rushline of the foe, and was omnipresent in backing up the Bulldogs' first stretch of defense. It is safe to say that Julian played his most spectacular game since joining Canton in 1915.

  But arm in arm with the lanky fullback was "Indian Jim" Thorpe, whose educated toe, gained yard after yard in a punting duel with Frank Nesser, and who came through on several occasions when Canton needed ground for first downs. The untiring defense of Canton's line also brought comment, as well as the sensational play of ends Soucy and Stewart. Thorpe as a windup to his work lifted two punts, each over 75 yards, the first one rolling an additional 15 yards to the back of Columbus' goal line. For Columbus the bulk of the offense fell to Ted and Frank Nesser who bored through Canton's forwards several times for 10 yards or more, much to the excitement of the crowd which was orderly, despite the tension, and which was admirably handled by the Canton management 43

  Joe Carr was so impressed by the Canton team he gave the Canton Daily News a quote as he left town with the headline "Panhandle Manager Rates Canton Team To Sky; His Reasons."

  "The greatest football team I've ever seen," declared Joe Carr of Columbus, manager of the Panhandle team who has been in charge of the railroaders' business affairs for the last nine years.

  Carr's statement pertained to Canton's professional aggregation. He was enthusiastic over Columbus' showing up to Sunday but did not hesitate to throw a bouquet to the Red and White.

  "I know this much about forming football elevens: Nothing but a big expenditure of money and the devotion of a lot of time can bring such a team together, and it will take miraculous work from Massillon, Cleveland and Youngstown to lay the Canton team in defeat 44

  Carr also gave his thoughts to the Columbus Citizen about seeing Thorpe for the first time: "Thorpe is the only man I ever saw that it took two or three of our men to stop. In every department he played a most wonderful game, and I never saw anyone who can kick as he did. At one time he stood back of his own goal posts and punted back of ours."45

  Thorpe was the best player in professional football and he helped lead the Bulldogs to a record of 9-0-1 and the Ohio League professional championship. He also brought out the biggest crowds of the season. At the end of the year in the two games (November 26 and December 3) against the Massillon Tigers, Thorpe brought out over 20,000 fans total for both games, once again proving that he was the biggest draw in pro football. The railroaders might have lost to the Bulldogs-snapping their six-game winning streak-but the team continued to grab headlines. On November 2 the Toledo Daily Blade ran an article previewing the Panhandles upcoming game against the Toledo Maroons.

  The Columbus Pan Handles are staging the greatest "come-back" in Ohio professional football. Up to two years ago they were one of the strongest elevens in the country, but then something went wrong and they began losing games-by small margins, to be sure-but losing, nevertheless.

  Everybody figured that the Nesser brothers had shot their bolt; that age was beginning to tell and that the grand old Pan Handle machine was about to throw a tire. The Panhandles, however, came right back, upset the dope, and are playing a better game than ever-and as good an article of football as any team in the country.

  They are doing it with the same six Nesser brothers, the Kuehner brothers, the Ruh brothers and Brigham, and Snoots. Up to date they have defeated Lancaster, Marion, Detroit Heralds, Peggy Parratt's Cleveland Indians and last Sunday held Thorpe's wonderful all-college star Canton team, 12 to 0.

  The Pan Handle team as it stands is as good as the Massillon team that played here. The team is at the top of its game and the Maroons will have to travel faster than ever if they hope to defeat them.46

  At this time the press was very positive for the Panhandles and it was paying off in a big way. The railroaders played before 17,500 fans in their last three road games-at Detroit, Cleveland, and Canton. Carr's hard work and ability to promote his team was now convincing him that there was a big future in the
sport of professional football. This was where his heart was. The big crowds continued as the Toledo game was also getting some major headlines and one big advertisement in the Toledo Daily Blade.

  Only seventy-five cents admission would get the fans of Toledo a chance to see the great Nesser brothers-what a bargain. On the eve of the game though the Panhandles and the Nesser brothers suffered a family tragedy. Geneva Nesser, the infant daughter of Frank Nesser, suddenly died and big Frank would not make the trip to Toledo. The rest of the team traveled to Toledo with a heavy heart, including four of Frank's brothers, Phil, Al, John, and Ted, who all played the next day. Fred was still out because of the broken hand. With their minds elsewhere, the railroaders lost 23-7 to the Maroons. Under the circumstances the result was just about right. The Toledo News-Bee recapped the game with the headline "Maroons Down Nesser Family"

  Johnny Barrett's wonderful 43-yard dodging, side-stepping, twisting and straight-arming run was the spectacular splurge in the Maroons' 23 to 7 triumph over the slashing, battering and rough-housing Panhandles at Armory Park on Sunday afternoon.

  It was one of the most intensely interesting gridiron contests ever played here during the regime of professional football. It was a rough battle a giveand-take fracas, where knees and elbows and roughly-shod feet played a conspicuous part.

  As is customary, the massive Columbus gladiators left their drawing room manners somewhere along High St. They played the kitchen or woodshed variety of the sward pastime, but it was very successful for two-thirds of the game .41

  The Toledo Daily Blade reported that Phil Nesser was the "chief offender" of the rough play and "time and time again dropped upon tackled men with his knees, slugged, or stopped runners by means of a forearm thrown against their necks. He seldom tackled according to the code."49 Who could blame the Nessers for trying to take out their grief against the Maroons. The Panhandles headed home with a loss, and the team had now suffered numerous injuries heading into their next game against the Massillon Tigers. In a letter sent to the Massillon Independent, Carr explained to the Massillon fans what happened against Toledo.

  Fred Nesser was out on account of an injured arm and the doctor insisted that he stay out of the game until next Sunday. Emmett Ruh was hardly able to move and about two hours before the team left Columbus the infant child of Frank Nesser died. The child became ill Saturday morning. One can re ally see that news of this kind would affect a team that had been together for years. With Frank and Fred Nesser out of the game we were without a kicker or a passer and were practically at the mercy of our foes. However, we are coming to Massillon with our strongest lineup and we expect to take the Tigers into camp.5°

  Carr wanted to assure the folks in Massillon that his team was still competitive and would put up a great effort. Then, for the second straight week, the railroaders had a death in the family as halfback Lee Snoots lost his father. But just like the week earlier the team showed up and played a football game. The Panhandles would play their hearts out, as five Nesser brothers were in the lineup, including a still grieving Frank. On November 12 over 4,000 fans came out to Driving Park in Massillon to watch the Tigers win 10-0 over the tough Panhandles. Playing with a depleted roster, the railroaders played a great game against a team that would finish the season with a record of 7-1-2 with their only loss to the unbeaten Canton Bulldogs.

  It was the third straight loss for the Panhandles, and nobody would have blamed the team if they didn't win another game under the current circumstances, but that wasn't the Panhandle way. It was time to prove how good they could be, and on November 14 the Columbus Citizen reported on Carr's next move: "Arrangements were consummated Tuesday morning where-by the Panhandles will play an All-Star eleven at Neil Park on Sunday, Dec. 10. The makeup of the All-Star aggregation is as yet indefinite, but there is more than a possibility that Jim Thorpe will be on the team which will oppose the railroaders. His presence here will depend on whether the Canton eleven has finished its season by that time or not."5'

  Carr was preparing his squad for a strong finish to the season and next up for the team was a return trip to Detroit to face the Heralds-a team they defeated 13-7 earlier in the season. Fred Nesser and Lee Snoots returned to the lineup and helped the railroaders get back in the win column with a 15-0 victory. Both Homer Ruh and Al Nesser scored touchdowns. The team celebrated the big win on the trip back to Columbus; after a month of losing football games and family members, the team deserved to let off some steam. The win made the work week a little easier and practice was fun again as the team prepared to play three games in seven days.

  First up was a rematch with Peggy Parratt's Cleveland Indians, who wanted revenge against the railroaders. "If we defeat the Nessers we will have broken even at least with every team played this season. We were caught napping early in the season, but I think I have the team now to stop the Panhandles," said Parratt to the Cleveland Plain Dealer the day before the game 52 Parratt loaded up his team with some top talent but that didn't matter to the Panhandles, who never brought in any "ringers" to help the cause; they always played with the same players. With all six Nesser brothers in the lineup the Panhandles matched the Indians hit-forhit but a touchdown early in the third quarter was the difference as the Indians won a close one 7-0.

  Four days after the tough loss to Cleveland the railroaders followed it up with an equally tough loss at Fort Wayne on Thanksgiving Day. A second quarter field goal by the Friars' Al Feeney gave the home team a 3-0 win. It was the same score the Friars defeated the railroaders by in 1915. The Panhandles were now 5-5 with two games remaining. The team was getting healthier and had the confidence to finish the season with a winning record.

  Two days after the Thanksgiving contest, Carr took his team north to Youngstown for their next game against the Patricians. Playing on a soggy gridiron-and in front of only 1,500 fans-the healthy Panhandles defeated the Patricians 13-0 behind touchdowns by Lee Snoots and Ted Nesser. As in previous seasons, the Panhandles were finishing the year on a high note; all that was left was a rare home game against the Columbus All-Stars. It would be the only home game of the season for the Panhandles after eleven straight road games.

  Instead of a city championship game, the season finale was against a collection of professional players from different teams. Some of the players who would play on the All-Stars team would be Howard "Cap" Edwards (Canton Bulldogs), Dave Reese (Cincinnati Celts), Red Fleming (Massillon Tigers), and Bart Macomber (Pine Village). But one player would not come to Columbus, as the Ohio State Journal reported the bad news.

  Following the plan of giving no false impressions, the men who are producing the Panhandle-All Star game Sunday afternoon at Neil Park deny the rumor that Jim Thorpe, famous as a Carlisle star, will play with the team that is to oppose the Keystones.

  Thorpe will not come to Columbus. By Sunday afternoon he will be on his way to Oklahoma, where he has planned a two week hunting trip. A sincere effort was made to land the Redskin for Sunday's game, but he flatly refused a substantial offer to play just one-half of the game. He declared the offer to be the most handsome he had ever received.s"

  For the Columbus football fans it was a disappointment not to be able to watch the great Thorpe play, but for the locals it would be an opportunity to see the famous Nesser brothers show their stuff on a local gridiron. After all the publicity the two teams took the field in front of 2,500 spectators at Neil Park. The two teams were evenly matched and played a close game. A forty-yard punt return for a touchdown by Lee Snoots was the only score of the game, giving the Panhandles a tough 6-0 victory. They had played a talented All-Star squad on their home turf and once again came out victorious. After the game it was time to celebrate as the Columbus Dispatch reported under the headline "Railroaders Celebrate Successful Football Season at 'Feed' Prepared by Mrs. H. Ruh": "Pan Handle football players who closed their season Sunday by defeating the College All-Stars, were tendered a dinner Sunday evening after the game by Mrs. H. Ruh, mother
of Emmett and Homer Ruh, players on the eleven. Twelve games were played during the season, of which seven were victories. All the scores were close. The financial season was one of the best in the history of the team."54

  The railroaders were definitely a family, and after a season of family losses the squad deserved to celebrate together. For Carr it was a season of financial success as the Panhandles played before a total of over 25,900 fans in five games (the other seven games didn't have a newspaper account of the actual attendance). The Panhandles completed the season with a 7-5 record. Considering that the team overcame injuries, played eleven straight road games, and experienced personal losses, the 1916 season was a complete success.

  It was the third consecutive season of great play, as the team went 22-10-1 over that time period. But this would be the last great year for Carr's squad, as the sport of professional football was making strides toward being a serious business. And with any business, money was the key. Because of rising salaries, most of the pro teams in the Midwest went into the red. Despite the record crowds for the two Canton-Massillon games (over 20,000 fans total), Massillon lost money and Canton made a small profit.

  Every player knew that Jim Thorpe was making $250 a game, and most agreed that he was worth it. But players of considerably less skill would hold out for $100 or $125. Team managers had to produce stars to draw crowds, but the crowds could never be big enough to pay for the stars. Teams desperately needed some type of organization or rule against teams "raiding" other teams to help keep the salaries down, or have a "gentleman's agreement" to not recruit players from other teams. Only something like that would keep the salaries down. A league was needed.

  n December of 1916 a published report out of Toledo, Ohio, mentioned that the manager of the Toledo Maroons, Art Gratop, favored a plan to start an official pro football league that would resemble Major League Baseball. A month later more reports came out trying to get the owners of Major League Baseball teams to help finance a football league by renting the baseball parks-which weren't in use after the baseball season ended in October-to help get the league organized. Even the Chicago White Sox owner, Charles A. Comiskey, thought it was a good idea. "If professional football can be made to pay it will be the answer to the problem confronting baseball owners since the game was started. Now, we use our parks only six months in the year. If I find that there is money in the professional end of the college game, I will go to the limit."'