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

by Chris Willis

  On the Packer's second possession, Giants end Jim Lee Howell blocked Clarke Hinkle's punt to set up the game's first score, a Ward Cuff fourteenyard field goal. The hometown Giants extended their lead following another blocked punt with Tuffy Leemans scoring on a six-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt failed, to give the Giants a 9-0 first quarter lead. The fireworks were now about to start. In the second quarter, the teams exchanged scores, as the Packers cut into the lead with a fortyyard scoring strike from Arnie Herber to Cecil Mulleneaux. The Giants responded with a twenty-one-yard touchdown pass from Ed Danowski to rookie Hap Barnard. The first half ended with Hinkle making up for his punting mistake by plowing over for a one-yard score. The two teams went into the Polo Grounds locker room with the Giants holding a slim 16-14 lead.

  During the intermission the crowd was buzzing as the 1938 title game was becoming a classic. Carr still continued to smile from ear to ear as he sat nervously in his seat. He had dreamed about this moment his whole life. Sitting in a NFL stadium with a capacity crowd watching two teams play their hearts out, giving the paying fans their money's worth. If this was the future of the NFL, Carr knew it had a bright path ahead. He knew this game was going to be bigger than baseball. He could see it. His vision of 100,000 crazy football fans filling a state-of-the-art stadium, witnessing the league's ultimate game wasn't far behind. The NFL as he could see it was complete. Little did he know this would be the last NFL game he would ever see.

  In the third quarter, the Packers finally took the lead on a short field goal. Leading by one point (17-16), the Packers then couldn't stop Giants halfback Hank Soar. The versatile Soar carried the ball five times and caught one pass to carry the Giants to the Pack's twenty-three yard line. Then Danowski fired a bullet into double coverage to Soar, who made a leaping grab at the goal line and dragged Clarke Hinkle into the end zone for the go-ahead score. After the successful extra point, the Giants held a 23-17 lead going into the fourth quarter. The crowd was on the edge of their seats to see if the league's best defense could hold on. Four times in the final period the Packers invaded Giants territory and threatened to pull it out. Each time the Giants defense, led by NFL MVP Mel Hein, turned them away. The gun sounded with the Giants winning their third NFL championship.

  The game was a resounding success. The players shared in the gate receipts of $58,331.80 with the Giants getting $504.45 per player while the Packers each received $368.81. Umpire Tom Thorp said, "It was the best played and most exciting game I have ever worked in or seen." After the game, Giants head coach Steve Owen commented on his team's fantastic defensive effort in the fourth quarter: "Those kids of mine just made up their minds that [the] famous Packer attack was going to be stopped. And how they stopped them."" Carr's return to the NFL in 1938 was personally fulfilling for him as he was able to overcome his health issues to watch his league reach a new level. Unfortunately it might have taken too much out of him.

  be F. Carr had just finished his eighteenth season as NFL president. The year before while relaxing at home Carr decided to write some of his memories down from the nearly two decades of running the NFL:

  Post-graduate football has developed from a sandlot experiment to a milliondollar enterprise. The average value of the ten clubs in the league is well over $100,000. I know of at least three club-owners who would not part with their franchise for three times that amount.

  We who have given a good deal of time to developing post-graduate football have steadfastly maintained that the American public would respond enthusiastically to this great sport so long as it was cleanly handled, and kept above reproach.

  It's too bad someone said the motion picture industry is just in its infancy. I should like to say that about post-graduate football. I believe we are facing a new era, one that will bring football happiness to millions of people in the United States. Every year thousands of fans join our family and learn to like the game as we play it.

  But I love the game, and I'll be right back there this fall, for my eighteenth season of National League Football, hoping you're getting as much fun out of watching the game as I get out of running it.'

  Heading into 1939 the NFL was more stable and popular than ever before. Carr had the league poised for even more growth. In 1938 the attendance reached an all-time high of 1,178,536, topping the 1 million mark for the first time in league history (in 1939 the NFL would see over 1 million paid admissions for the first time ever). Counting the championship game (fifty-six games total), the NFL averaged 21,045 fans per game, topping 20,000 per game for the first time ever too. That was up from the 17,282 in 1937 2

  On January 1 Carr announced that the NFL's promotional movie titled Champions of the Gridiron would be released sometime in March. Produced by Industrial Pictures of Detroit, the nearly one-hour film was almost ready to be shown in theaters across the country. In the opening scene of the film, Carr is sitting at his desk in his Columbus office and introduces what the following movie is all about.

  In presenting Champions of the Gridiron, the National Football League, in conjunction with General Mills Incorporated, has produced an entertaining and instructive picture that should appeal to every member of the family. In this picture you will see most of the outstanding college stars of the past few years. Many of whom are the greatest football players of all time, now playing postgraduate football. For those whose only interest in the game is that of a spectator, these experts will analyze and demonstrate intricate plays in order to make the enjoyment of watching football more complete.

  To perspective football players in elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, these champions will demonstrate how the game should be played to obtain the maximum of efficiency, with the greatest amount of safety. For this great fall sport has a minimum of hazards for personal injury if properly played.

  Above all, the object of this picture is to demonstrate to the people of America that clean, competitive athletics, combined with the proper nourishing food and good habits will develop healthy, rugged bodies and clean active minds. Such as have made the youth of America the finest in all the world.'

  Carr was excited about the potential of the promotional movie. It would give the NFL more exposure as the film would play in movie houses from coast to coast. Carr started lining up premieres in NFL cities, as well as other parts of the country, including his hometown of Columbus. As the movie was nearing completion Carr sent out word to the league that the next owners meeting would take place in Chicago over a four-day period, from February 9-12. This would be the longest meeting in NFL annals and a historic one for President Carr. But a week before the gathering, rumors once again started to swirl about the position of president of the NFL.

  A news report surfaced, stating that the NFL was in negotiations to hire James A. Farley, current postmaster general, as the new NFL "czar" to replace Joe F. Carr. The report claimed that Farley would leave his current post to run the NFL for $75,000 a year.' The rumors were started by George Preston Marshall, who was a close friend of Farley and wanted him to be the head man of the NFL. Marshall tried to recruit Lions owner G. A. Richards to support his cause, but Richards (who always wanted a big name to run the league) wasn't biting. Speaking to the United Press, Richards expressed his honest opinion about the rumor:

  Marshall just thought the Farley thing up for a little publicity. He'll think up anything to get his name in the paper. Just as soon as this thing falls through he'll think up something else just as ridiculous.

  Did you read the salary figure? Just seventy-five thousand dollars that's all. Where is that coming from? Who is going to put up that sort of money? Not three years ago my fellow owners pooh-poohed a suggestion of mine that we hire a nationally known man to head the league because I thought we would have to pay twenty-five thousand dollars to get him. And they voted down my suggestion that we pay a big publicity firm five thousand dollars to publicize the sport. Said they couldn't afford it.

  Farley is a magnificent organizer and know
s sport from top to bottom. He would be perfect for the spot but I would hate to have to hang from my thumbs, or by my wrists even until the money for his first year's salary is raised.'

  The money was too outrageous for any of the other owners to really think about hiring Farley. Marshall's idea was just too far-fetched, and none of the moguls took him seriously. During the first day of the meeting, they would prove to Marshall that they already had the right man for the job. So excited about attending the meeting, Carr arrived in Chicago before any of the other owners. The four-day conference at the Congress Hotel began at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 9. On the first day the owners went over a few issues, including meeting with Arch Ward to discuss the ever popular Chicago Tribune Charity All-Star Game, and announcing the resignation of publicity director Ned Irish. But the biggest issue brought forth was about to blindside the current president.'

  In a motion brought up by Cardinals owner Charlie Bidwill, seconded by Eagles owner Bert Bell, the owners presented an idea "that PresidentSecretary Joe F. Carr be re-elected for a period of 10-years, effective Feb. 1, 1939, and that his salary be placed at $10,000 per year plus $1,200 for his secretary, plus necessary expenses for his office." The proposal carried unanimously. The owners then voted unanimously to "re-elect VicePresident-Treasurer Carl L. Storck for ten years effective Feb. 1, 1939 at a salary of $3,000 per year." Just a week earlier there were rumors of replacing Carr. Now the owners were rewarding him with a long-term contract that proved to the whole sporting world that Carr was the man to see the NFL into the next decade.'

  Although Carr's original five-year contract he signed in 1935 was almost up, the new extended deal took him by surprise. He knew he wanted to continue in his role as NFL president, but his health was an issue and probably made some of the owners a little nervous. In the end the owners knew they only wanted Carr to run their organization, and as long as he was physically capable, then the job was his until he wanted to retire. The salary increase was just a bonus. The first day ended with President Carr very excited about his future.

  Over the following days the owners prepared a rough outline of the 1939 NFL schedule and approved a few new guidelines on and off the field. On the third day Stuart Rothman of General Mills "discussed the distribution of the football picture; reiterating his promise to the President that he would furnish each club a 35mm print as well as a 16mm print." Also that day George Halas presented a resolution on behalf of the Professional Football Writers Association of America, "resolving, that the National [Football] League, to assist in the establishment and promotion of a legitimate off-season publicity feature, set up a cash purse, trophy or prize, to be presented to the player voted by the Writers to be the most valuable to his team in the championship race, and be it further resolved that said award be made annually in the name of the NFL." In 1938 the NFL had established a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award-won by Giants center Mel Hein-and that player received a watch. For this fall the player would get something more substantial, like a permanent trophy or a cash prize; the owners agreed to let President Carr come up with a proper award.8

  The reelection of Carr as NFL president was well received across the country as sports headlines everywhere announced the exciting news. Most of the headlines proclaimed that "the football-for-profit magnates wasted little time in deciding to keep the fiery, whitehaired Carr in the chair he has occupied since 1921 ... for a 10-year term."9 Upon returning to Columbus Carr got back to work. A month after the Chicago meeting, the NFL's promotional film Champions of the Gridiron made its premiere in theaters across the country. It was also made available for free to colleges, schools, and athletic and fraternal clubs. After five months of shooting, the nearly one-hour film-which was produced from 300,000 feet of film, narrated by Harry Wismer of WJR radio in Detroit (owned by Lions owner G. A. Richards), and supervised by Dutch Clark-was released to glowing reviews. After a private showing Carr was extremely pleased with what he saw.

  "This film displays the greatest numbers of star players ever gathered in football films. It not only provides exceptional entertainment but also makes simple, the games technique as played by the leading elevens in this country ... contains more action, thrilling entertainment and instructional matter than any football film ever shown. This film is certain to be very popular with football fans, young and old and others who may be strangers to the gridiron spectacle.""

  The film featured footage of all ten NFL teams in actual games and practices, as well as close-ups-shot in both slow-motion action and regular speed. NFL stars such as Sammy Baugh, Don Hutson, Mel Hein, Whizzer White, Ed Danowski, Ace Parker, Dutch Clark, and Jack Manders are predominantly featured throughout the movie. The film concludes with the thrilling finish of the 1938 NFL Championship Game won by the New York Giants over the Green Bay Packers. Several NFL cities had free viewings, including a showing in New York for 100 Big Apple sportswriters and radio personalities. In attendance was newly hired Navy football coach Swede Larson, who was very impressed by the film: "The National Football League would be doing great public service to show this film in every high school in the country. It is the finest football movie I have ever seen.""

  The promotional film was a hit. While sitting at his desk in Columbus, Carr wrote a letter to Bert Bell and talked to Art Rooney on the phone about having the summer meeting in Pittsburgh next month. He also made arrangements to premiere the film in his hometown. Cosponsored by the Ohio State Journal and the Agonis Club of Columbus, Champions of the Gridiron was set up to be shown at the RKO Palace Theater on Saturday, May 13, just a block west from Carr's office at 16 East Broad. At 9:30 a.m. "several thousand people" crammed into the Palace Theater to watch the NFL's newest promotional idea. Attending the premiere were the Ohio State Journal Quarterback Club, Agonis Club, Central Ohio Football Officials Association, and many coaches and players of Central Ohio colleges, universities, and high schools. One of the coaches watching was Ohio State head coach Francis Schmidt, who was also impressed by the film. "It was the most complete showing of its kind that I have ever seen .1112

  All the hard work of putting together the promotional film was paying off for President Carr, as the movie was reaching a big audience. It had done what he thought it would do. Little did he know it would be the last presidential duty he would accomplish in office. A few days after the Saturday premiere of Champions of the Gridiron, Carr completed a long week of work at the NFL headquarters and looked forward to a quiet weekend at home. It had been a very productive off-season up to this point, and Carr had reached the pinnacle of his career. The vision he had for the NFL as a big-time, big-city sport was taking shape right in front of his eyes. As Carr reflected on his nearly two decades as NFL president, he must have felt very proud of how the NFL had grown up from its small-town disorganized roots to having a prominent place in the sporting world. But suddenly the NFL family was about to have its world shattered.

  On Friday, May 19, Carr arrived at his home at 1863 Bryden Road, tired but cheerful, to spend dinner with his wife and two children. The busy schedule had finally caught up to him, and he needed some rest. After an uneventful evening, Joe and Josie went to bed. Mary, age twenty-five, and Joe Jr., age twenty-three, went to bed shortly afterward. But just after midnight, Joe F. Carr awoke with severe chest pains. Feeling ill and struggling to breathe, he was driven by the family several blocks downtown to Mt. Carmel Hospital to be admitted for tests. Josie contacted their family physician, Dr. Edward Campbell, who arrived to evaluate the famous sports executive.

  In a scene similar to the one in the fall of 1937, the Carr family surrounded their loved one and prayed for his health. Fully conscious and aware, Carr spent a restless Friday night in the hospital, but he rebounded in the morning with what the hospital reported as "a fairly comfortable day."" While at the hospital, Joe Carr Jr. called Bill McKinnon, sportswriter for the Columbus Dispatch, and one of his father's close friends, and told him of the situation. While talking to McKinnon he made one requ
est: "Dad just went over to Mt. Carmel for a rest of 10 days or so. Nothing serious but his physician believes he should take it easy for a while. Dad would like it if you wouldn't mention his present confinement.""

  But the situation was serious. Just when it looked like Carr dodged another bullet, he went into full cardiac arrest. With Josie, Mary, and Joe Jr. by his side, Carr was pronounced dead. At 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 1939, the president of the NFL passed away." He was fifty-nine years old. It almost seems unfair that Carr-who had just been given a ten-year contract-at the height of his career was suddenly struck down and gone. The combination of his smaller sized heart and his very busy schedule was too much. The family-including his two brothers in Columbuswere stunned. Josie and the two children started to grieve.

  "He had a stressful job and it took a toll on him," says James Carr, grandson of Joe F. Carr. "Plus he was a very heavy smoker of cigars, which can take a toll on your heart. Back then all they told you to do was rest, so he tried to rest as best he could. It finally caught up to him. At the time of his death he had become a very significant, important man, not only in the city of Columbus but throughout the country. So he was a pretty big deal at the time of his death. It's pretty amazing the kind of man that he was. It cast a very broad shadow.""

  As the family dealt with the personal loss, the NFL family was also stunned by the sudden passing of their president. As the news started to spread across the country, NFL owners expressed their feelings toward the man that guided their sport for the past two decades. In Chicago Charlie Bidwill praised Carr, and George Halas felt the loss of his close friend.