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

by Chris Willis

  22. Joe F. Carr's statement responding to the comments made by Amos Alonzo Stagg appeared in the Ohio State Journal, November 2, 1923, and the Lincoln (Nebraska) Star Journal, November 3, 1923. Some text illegible.

  23. Columbus Citizen, November 8, 1923.

  24. Ohio State Journal, December 7, 1923.

  25. Attendances figures from Carroll et al., Total Football II.

  26. Carroll and PFRA, Bulldogs on Sunday, 1923, 7-8.

  27. Ohio State Journal, December 21, 1923.

  CHAPTER 12: BABY STEPS FOR PRESIDENT CARR (1924)

  1. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 26-27.

  2. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 26-27.

  3. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 26-27.

  4. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 25-26.

  5. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 25-26.

  6. Howard Barnes, A Documentary Scrapbook of Football in Frankford (Philadelphia: Historical Society of Frankford, 1985), 1, 27, 51.

  7. Canton Repository, August 24, 1924.

  8. Ohio State Journal, September 28, 1924. Ohio State Journal, October 4, 1924.

  9. Ohio State Journal, October 17, 1924.

  10. Attendance figures from Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft, and John Thorn, eds., Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (New York: HarperCollins, 1999).

  11. Columbus Citizen, November 10, 1924. Columbus Dispatch, November 10, 1924.

  12. Attendance figures for Frankford Yellow Jackets games from newspaper accounts and Carroll et al., Total Football II.

  13. Attendance figure for Chicago Bears-Cleveland Bulldogs game, Davenport (Iowa) Democrat & Leader, December 8, 1924.

  14. Ohio State Journal, December 14, 1924.

  15. Carr's 1924 NFL recap article, Ohio State Journal, December 21, 1924.

  16. JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, p. 54.

  CHAPTER 13: THE NFL COMES TO NEW YORK CITY (1925)

  1. John S. Sullivan information from interview with Martha Sullivan, March 24, 2007.

  2. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 24-25,1925.

  3. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 24-25,1925.

  4. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 24-25,1925.

  5. George S. Halas, with Gwen Morgan and Arthur Veysey, Halas: An Autobiography (Chicago: Bonus Books, 1986), 94.

  6. New York Times, June 11, 1940. Massillon Independent, October 28, 1908. Massillon Independent, June 2, 1916.

  7. Background information on Tim Mara from Arthur Daley, Pro Football's Hall of Fame (New York: Tempo Books, 1963), 146-147, and Carlo DeVito, Wellington: The Maras, the Giants, and the City of New York (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2006), 5-10.

  8. Daley, Pro Football's Hall of Fame, 146.

  9. Dave Klein, The New York Giants: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1973), 16-17.

  10. The conversation in Gibson's office between Carr and Mara regarding the establishment of an NFL franchise in New York is found in Daley, Pro Football's Hall of Fame, 143.

  11. Klein, The New York Giants, 18-19.

  12. Klein, The New York Giants, 18-19. Daley, Pro Football's Hall of Fame, 142.

  13. New York Times, May 15, 1925. More information about the meeting was published in the Massillon Independent, June 2, 1925; Ohio State Journal, May 15, 1925; Oneonta (Nezv York) Star, May 15,1925.

  14. New York Times, September 10, 1925.

  15. Jim Terzian, New York Giants (New York: Macmillan, 1973), 159.

  16. "NFL Meeting Minutes," August 1-2, 1925.

  17. "NFL Meeting Minutes," August 1-2, 1925.

  18. In 1925 Joe F. Carr's salary was raised to $2,500 a year. "NFL Meeting Minutes," August 2, 1925. Halas, Halas, 94-95.

  19. New York Times, September 10, 1925. Ticket prices from New York Times, October 18, 1925.

  20. Klein, The New York Giants, 19.

  21. Richard Whittingham, Illustrated History of the New York Giants (Chicago: Triumph Books), 2005, 1.

  22. Whittingham, Illustrated History of the New York Giants, 1. New York Times, October 19, 1925.

  23. Attendance figures from Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft, and John Thorn, eds., Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (New York: HarperCollins, 1999).

  24. Carroll et al., Total Football II.

  25. New York Times, November 16,1925. Columbus Dispatch, November 16,1925.

  CHAPTER 14: THE GALLOPING GHOST AND POTTSVILLE CONTROVERSY (1925)

  1. John M. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1999), 69.

  2. Decatur (Illinois) Review, November 12, 1925.

  3. Huff, Zuppke, Yost, and Pegler quoted in Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 69-79.

  4. Ohio State Journal, November 17, 1925.

  5. Ohio State Journal, November 18, 1925.

  6. Columbus Citizen, November 20, 1925.

  7. Ohio State Journal, November 22, 1925.

  8. St. Patrick Church Bulletin, November-December 1925.

  9. Ohio State Journal, November 23, 1925. Portsmouth Times, November 24, 1925. Ohio State Journal, November 25, 1925.

  10. JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, p. 58.

  11. Ohio State Journal, November 28, 1925.

  12. JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, p. 63.

  13. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 93.

  14. Richard Whittingham, The Chicago Bears: An Illustrated History (New York: Rand McNally, 1982), 42.

  15. Whittingham, The Chicago Bears, 42.

  16. Red Grange, as told to Ira Morton, The Red Grange Story: An Autobiography (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1993), 94.

  17. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 98-99.

  18. Richard Whittingham, What a Game They Played (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001), 133.

  19. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 108.

  20. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 108.

  21. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 108.

  22. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football, 108.

  23. Columbus Dispatch, December 10, 1925.

  24. Guy Chamberlin, archival interview, Pro Football Hall of Fame, 1965 (audio interview).

  25. Pottsville Republican, November 19, 1987.

  26. Pottsville Journal, December 2, 1925.

  27. Philadelphia Ledger, December 10, 1925.

  28. Decatur (Illinois) Review, December 17, 1925.

  29. Chicago Tribune, December 30, 1925.

  30. Chicago Tribune, December 16, 1925.

  31. Columbus Citizen, December 30, 1925. Decatur (Illinois) Review, December 30,1925.

  CHAPTER 15: THE GRANGE LEAGUE (1926)

  1. Figures for the 1925-1926 Grange tour and the George Halas quote are from John M. Carroll, Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1999), 125-126.

  2. George S. Halas, with Gwen Morgan and Arthur Veysey, Halas: An Autobiography (Chicago: Bonus Books, 1986), 121.

  3. "President's Report," "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 6-7, 1926.

  4. "President's Report."

  5. Frankford Yellozv Jacket News 3, no. 17 (July 1926), 2. The Frankford Yellozv Jacket Nezvs is a monthly newsletter published by the Frankford Athletic Association.

  6. Dave Klein, The New York Giants: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1973), 34.

  7. Halas, Halas, 121.

  8. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 6-7, 1926.

  9. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 6-7, 1926.

  10. Lincoln (Nebraska) Star, February 9, 1926. Waterloo (Iowa) Evening Courier, February 9, 1926.

  11. Dr. Harry March quote is from JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, p. 112.

  12. Joe F. Carr interview with Chicago Tribune sportswriter Don Maxwell (Speaking of Sports) is from JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, pp. 66-68.

  13. Newspaper article title
d "Pro Football War Looms" with quote from Chris O'Brien is found in NFL files at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  14. Ohio State Journal, February 16, 1926.

  15. Liberty Magazine, February 20, 1926. JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, p. 130.

  16. New York Times, March 8,1926.

  17. JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, pp. 119-120.

  18. Joe F. Carr letter to NFL owners appeared in Frankford Yellow Jacket News 3, no. 14 (April 1926), 3.

  19. Joe F. Carr's visit to speak at the Frankford Athletic Association was advertised and covered in Frankford Yellozv Jacket Nezvs 3, no. 16 (June 1926), 1-3.

  20. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 10-11, 1926.

  21. Dinner menu is from Frankford Yellozv Jacket Nezvs 3, no. 17 (July 1926), 1. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 10-11, 1926.

  22. Joe Ziemba, When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL (Chicago: Triumph Books, 1999), 148.

  23. Myron Cope, The Game That Was (New York: World, 1970), 73.

  24. Cope, The Game That Was, 73.

  25. Cope, The Game That Was, 73.

  26. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 10-11, 1926.

  27. New York Times, July 13, 1926.

  28. New York Times, July 17, 1926.

  29. Joe F. Carr quote on the NFL in 1926 is from newspaper article titled "Joe May Be Otto's Rival" dated July 28, 1926, from Carr file at Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  30. Canton Repository, October 18, 1926.

  31. Photo of Joe F. Carr at Chicago Cardinals-Frankford Yellow Jackets game appeared in 1926 Frankford Yellow Jackets home program dated November 13, 1926.

  32. Jim Reisler, Cash and Carry: The Spectacular Rise and Hard Fall of C. C. Pyle, America's First Sports Agent (Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2009), 98.

  33. Richard Whittingham, Bears: In Their Ozvn Words (Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1991), 164.

  34. Reisler, Cash and Carry, 100.

  35. Halas, Halas, 127.

  36. Richard Whittingham, Illustrated History of New York Giants (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2005), 10.

  37. San Antonio Light, December 13, 1926.

  38. Halas, Halas, 132.

  CHAPTER 16: TRAVELING FOR A CAUSE (1927-1928)

  1. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 5-6, 1927.

  2. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 5-6, 1927.

  3. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 5-6, 1927.

  4. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 5-6, 1927.

  5. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 5-6, 1927.

  6. Gregory Carr, author interview, July 31, 2004.

  7. Description of the Carr home at 1863 Bryden Road came from family interviews and tours of the residence by the author on several occasions.

  8. James Carr, author interview, August 1, 2004.

  9. Martha Sullivan, author interview, November 21, 2004.

  10. St. Patrick's Church Monthly Calendar newsletters, dated October 1927, August 1929, November 1929, April 1931. Newsletters were found in the archives at St. Patrick Church, Columbus, Ohio.

  11. James Carr, interview.

  12. Sullivan, interview.

  13. James Carr, author interviews, September 14, 2002, and August 1, 2004.

  14. Sullivan, interview.

  15. History of the New Hayden Building from National Register of Historic Places application file prepared by Judy Williams.

  16. Ohio State Journal, October 7, 1900.

  17. James and Gregory Carr, author interviews, April 20, 2007. 1927 Columbus City Directory.

  18. A picture of Joe F. Carr's name on the door of the NFL office at 16 East Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio, was shot for the 1938 NFL film Champions of the Gridiron.

  19. Description of the NFL office is taken from photos, as well as a tour of the eleventh floor by the author on April 20, 2007.

  20. All notes and Joe F. Carr's detailed outline of the reorganized NFL are from "NFL Meeting Minutes," April 23, 1927.

  21. "NFL Meeting Minutes," April 23, 1927.

  22. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 16-17,1927.

  23. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 16-17,1927.

  24. Chester (Pennsylvania) Times, August 18, 1927.

  25. C. C. Pyle quote from "NFL Meeting Minutes," September 4, 1927.

  26. Richard Whittingham, What a Game They Played (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2001), 25.

  27. Attendance figures from Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft, and John Thorn, eds., Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (New York: HarperCollins, 1999).

  28. Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram, October 18, 1927.

  29. All attendance figures from Carroll et al., Total Football II.

  30. Ohio State Journal, December 25, 1927.

  31. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 11, 1928.

  32. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 7,1928.

  33. "NFL Meeting Minutes," August 12, 1928.

  34. Dick Reynolds, "The Steam Roller Story," Providence journal-Bulletin, n.d., 5.

  35. Reynolds, "The Steam Roller Story," 5.

  36. Reynolds, "The Steam Roller Story," 5.

  37. Ohio State Journal, November 20, 1928.

  38. Sullivan, interview.

  39. Reynolds, "The Steam Roller Story," 22.

  40. Dallas Morning Nezos, November 4, 1928. JFC Scrapbook, Binder 1, pp. 226-229.

  41. Ohio State Journal, December 25, 1928.

  CHAPTER 17: HOW DO WE GET TO THE BIG CITIES AND STAY? (1929-1930)

  1. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 2, 1929.

  2. "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 2, 1929.

  3. Carl L. Storck letter to Joe F. Carr, dated February 7, 1929, is from "NFL Meeting Minutes," February 2, 1939. Letter found in the files at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  4. Ohio State Journal, February 10, 1929. A photo of C. C. Pyle and Joe F. Carr accompanied the article on Pyle's visit to Columbus, Ohio.

  5. Information on Kathleen Rubadue-Knapp is from her son Robert Knapp and the Columbus City Directories.

  6. Robert Knapp, author interview, April 19, 2009.

  7. Knapp, interview.

  8. Knapp, interview.

  9. Columbus Dispatch, January 14, 1982. This is the only known interview done by Kathleen Rubadue-Knapp on being the first NFL secretary.

  10. James Carr, author interview, August 1, 2004. Knapp, interview.

  11. Martha Sullivan, author interview, March 4, 2007.

  12. Knapp, interview.

  13. Richard Whittingham, Illustrated History of the New York Giants (Chicago: Triumph Books, 2005),15-16.

  14. Joe Ziemba, When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL (Chicago: Triumph Books, 1999), 160.

  15. Ziemba, When Football Was Football, 160.

  16. Ziemba, When Football Was Football, 160.

  17. Chester (Pennsylvania) Times, July 29, 1929.

  18. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 27-28,1929.

  19. John Hogrogian, "The Staten Island Stapletons," Coffin Corner 7, no. 6 (1985), 2-5.

  20. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 27-28,1929.

  21. "The National Football League Financial Report" (January 1 to July 15, 1929). The report was found in the files at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  22. Hogrogian, "Staten Island Stapletons," 4-5.

  23. Denis J. Gullickson, Vagabond Halfback: The Life and Times of Johnny Blood McNally (Madison, WI: Trails Books, 2006), 65-66.

  24. David Zimmerman, Curly Lambeau: The Man behind the Mystique (Hales Corner, WI: Eagle Books, 2003), 74.

  25. Gullickson, Vagabond Halfback, 68.

  26. Zimmerman, Curly Lambeau, 82.

  27. Zimmerman, Curly Lambeau, 82.

  28. Zimmerman, Curly Lambeau, 82.

  29. Larry Names, History of the Green Bay Packers, Part One (Wautoma, WI: Angel Press, 1987), 179.

  30. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 25, 1930.

  31. "NFL Meeting Minutes," January 25, 1930.

  32. Dayton Journal, January 26, 1930.


  33. Portsmouth Times, February 21, 1930.

  34. Carl Becker, Home & Azvay: The Rise and Fall of Professional Football on the Banks of the Ohio, 1919-1934 (Athens: Ohio University Press, 1998), 214-216.

  35. Ticket prices from Portsmouth Times, September 24, 1930. Program price is from several 1930-1933 Portsmouth Spartans programs.

  36. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 12-13,1930.

  37. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 12-13,1930.

  38. "NFL Meeting Minutes," July 12-13,1930.

  39. Patrick Tehan, author interview, April 18, 2009.

  40. Joe Quinn, "A Man for All Season," Referee 1, no. 6 (November-December 1976), 35.

  41. Mansfield (Ohio) Nezvs-Journal, November 22, 1954.

  42. Joe F. Carr's visit to see the NFL debut of the Portsmouth Spartans is from Portsmouth Times, September 12,1930; Portsmouth Times, September 15, 1930.

  43. Becker, Home & Azvay, 220.

  44. All attendance figures for 1930 night games are from Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft, and John Thorn, eds., Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (New York: HarperCollins, 1999).

  45. Portsmouth Times, October 24, 1930.

  46. All attendance figures for 1930 Brooklyn Dodgers games are from Carroll et al., Total Football II.

  47. Richard Whittingham, The Chicago Bears: An Illustrated History (New York: Rand McNally, 1982), 75.

  48. Ohio State Journal, November 28, 1930.

  49. Charleston (West Virginia) Daily Mail, November 30, 1930.

  50. Joe F. Carr letter to Dutch Sternaman, dated November 28, 1930, is from Whittingham, The Chicago Bears, 75. The original letter is owned by the Sternaman family.

  51. Portsmouth Times, December 15, 1930. Gullickson, Vagabond Halfback, 80.

  52. Portsmouth Times, December 16, 1930.

  53. Fresno (California) Bee, December 16, 1930.

  54. Chester (Pennsylvania) Times, October 23, 1930. Lima (Ohio) Nezvs, November 19,1930.

  55. Portsmouth Times, December 15, 1930. Zanesville (Ohio) Times-Recorder, December 15, 1930.

  CHAPTER 18: SMALL-TOWN GREEN BAY IS TITLETOWN (1931)

  1. All attendance figures come from actual newspaper articles; also from Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft, and John Thorn, eds., Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (New York: HarperCollins, 1999). Additional figures are from Bob Gill and Tod Maher, The Pro Football Encyclopedia (New York: Macmillan, 1997), 99-110.