Day #32 - Swede Johnston
 

Card #32 in the Chicle set is "Swede" Johnston. It is the eighth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.

Chester "Swede" Johnston was born in Appleton, WI in 1910. Blessed with a lot of speed, it is reported that he held the unofficial world record in the 40 yard dash while still in high school. Johnston played fullback in college, attending three different universities: Elmhurst, University of Miami, and Marquette.

After graduating from Marquette in 1931, Johnston had a tryout with the Green Bay Packers but did not make the team. He played most of the next three seasons with the St. Louis Gunners, a highly successful independent football team trying to gain admittance to the NFL. The Gunners were sponsored by the 126th Field Artillery of the Missouri National Guard, hence their name. The team went 7-4-1 in 1932 and 11-2-3 in 1933 playing games against both NFL and independent pro teams. The last game of the season the Gunners tied the Chicago Bears who the week before had won the NFL championship. Swede Johnston played fullback and scored 17 TDs for the Gunners that season.

Heading into the 1934 season, it appeared the Gunners would be admitted into the NFL as they purchased the Cincinnati Reds league franchise for $20,000. As soon as the other owners approved the sale, the Gunners would be in the NFL. Unfortunately the owners were not excited about this change and voted it down. The situation in Cincinnati continued to deteriorate during the 1934 season until the owners finally approved the sale and the Gunners were admitted to the NFL, expecting to complete Cincinnati's schedule. The Gunners went 1-2 in the NFL but unfortunately could not afford to pay the NFL for the franchise and the league revoked their license. It is thought that if they had been able to play a full NFL season schedule, the gate receipts would have provided enough funds for them to pay for the franchise fee. Faced with mounting debt, the Gunners folded.

Swede Johnston was picked up by the Green Bay Packers and played fullback for them for four seasons. He played two additional season for the Pittsburgh Pirates / Steelers (who change their name after the 1939 season) before retiring from football.

Not a lot is know about Swede Johnston's post football career. He is a member of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame.

Attachment 64633

I'm still trying to figure out what SGC doesn't like about this card. It's certainly not NM, but a G??? Someday maybe I'll get brave and crack it open.

Attachment 64634

jeff

Day #33 - Ernie Smith
 

Card #33 in the Chicle set is Ernie Smith. It is the ninth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.

Ernest Frederick "Ernie" Smith was born in Spearfish, SD in 1909. He was a tackle and placekicker at the University of Southern California and helped his team win back to back National Championships in 1931 and 1932. Smith was named Consensus All-American in 1932, the first Trojan to garner this honor. He was also a member of the Spirit of Troy marching band as a trombone player.

Smith did not go directly to the NFL. Instead he spent two years coaching the USC freshman team, selling insurance, and playing semi-pro ball with the Southern California Maroons of the Pacific coast Pro Football league (PCPFL). Curly Lambeau convinced Smith to play for the Packers and he did so from 1935 - 1937 and 1939. During this time, he was a member of two NFL Championship Teams (1936 and 1939) as a tackle and place kicker. He was first team All-Pro in 1936, second team All-Pro in 1937, and made the Pro Bowl in 1939. Ernie Smith held the NFL Championship record for longest field goal (42 yards) for 12 years until Lou Groza broke it in 1951.

After playing in a few exhibition games in 1940, Smith abruptly retired from football to pursue other interests. He was a Major in the United States Air Force between 1940 and 1945, and became an insurance underwriter thereafter. He worked with the Boy Scouts, was on the Rose Bowl Committee, an officer of the Southern California Symphony, and president of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Smith is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and USC Athletic Hall of Fame.

Attachment 64689
Attachment 64690

jeff

Day #34 - Bronko Nagurski
 

Card #34 in the Chicle set is Bronko Nagurski. It is the 10th of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set and generally regarded as the most valuable card in the set.

Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski was born in 1908 in Rainy River, Ontario, Canada. His parents were immigrants from the Western Ukraine and moved the family to International Falls, MN when Bronko was still a boy. Nagurski attended the University of Minnesota where he played both tackle (offensive and defensive) and fullback from 1927 - 1929. In 1929, he was a consensus All-American at fullback and made numerous All-American teams as a tackle as well. The preeminent sportswriter of the day, Grantland Rice, named Bronko to his All-American team at both positions. Nagurski led the nation in rushing in 1929. U of Minnesota was 18-4-1 during his three years of play.

Nagurski played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears from 1930 - 1937 and again in 1943. He was first or second team All-Pro from 1930 - 1937 and is the only player to make All-Pro in three different non-kicking positions (FB, LB, Tackle). He was a member of three NFL Championship teams with the Bears and was named to the 1930's NFL Team of the Decade and the NFL's 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. After retiring from football at the end of the 1937 season, Nagurski came back to the Bears for the 1943 season when WWII had depleted the NFL of a lot of its players.

Nagurski was also a famed Pro Wrestler who wrestled from 1933 - 1960 and won several world titles. Here is a video of one of his bouts against Jim Londos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TF7hdX37vY

After retiring from wrestling, Nagurski ran and operated a service station near International Falls, MN until 1978 when he retired. He had one son, also named Bronko, who played in the Canadian Football League.

Nagurski is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, was a charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a member of the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Attachment 64751
Attachment 64752

Bronko's wrestling opponent in the above video and one of my favorite Sport Kings cards.

Attachment 64753
Attachment 64754

Bronko's son

Attachment 64755

jeff

The Bronk pumping gas at his station in the 60's

http://photos.imageevent.com/davemri...e/img0075A.jpg

I would like to add too that Bronko was a very willing signer through the mail, I received two 8 x 10s mailed to him both signed boldly.

The second was about a year before his passing and it was a bit scraggly. Same goes for Red Grange, signed everything I ever sent to him!

Long live the memory of the early football stars!!!

Day #35 - Luke Johnsos
 

Card #35 in the Chicle set is Luke Johnsos. It is the 11th of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.

Luke Andrew Johnsos was born in 1905 in Chicago, IL. He played baseball and football at Schurz High School in Chicago before entering Northwestern University in 1924. Johnsos earned 9 letters in basketball, baseball, and football at Northwestern where he was an All-East End on the football team and led the Big Ten in Home Runs in 1928.

Johnsos owes his successful NFL career to NU football captain and teammate, Walter Holmer, who insisted that the Chicago Bears sign his good friend Luke Johnsos while signing him. Holmer received a $5,000 signing bonus while Johnsos received $100 per game played. While Johnsos became an All-Pro end for the Bears, Holmer had an undistinguished pro career as a running back. Johnsos played with the Bears from 1929 to 1936 and was a member of two NFL Championship teams. He was first or second team All-NFL every year between 1929 - 1932. In 1935 he was named the Bears MVP. After completing his NFL career, he became a Bears assistant under George Halas. When Halas entered the Army during WWII , he turned the Bears over to assistants Johnsos and Hunk Anderson to be co-head coaches. Johnsos and Anderson ran the Bears for 3 1/2 seasons until his return. They won two Western Conference Championships and the NFL Championship in 1943. After Halas returned, Johnsos remained an assistant of the Bears into the 1960's. He was an assistant coach on the 1963 NFL Championship Team.

Johnsos also signed a baseball contract with the Cincinnati Reds out of college but poor eye sight ended his hopes of playing pro baseball as well.

Luke Johnsos is a member of the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame.

Attachment 64905
Attachment 64906

jeff

Day #36 - Bernie Masterson
 

Card #36 in the Chicle set is Bernie Masterson. It is the last card and last short print in the 1935 National Chicle set.

Bernard Edward "Bernie" Masterson was born in 1911 in Shenandoah, IA. A three sport athlete at Lincoln High in Lincoln, NE, Masterson was an all-state quarterback in football, a starter on the 1930 state championship basketball team and a track star. At the University of Nebraska, Masterson was quarterback of three straight unbeaten Big Six championship teams from 1931 - 1933. He was selected All-Big Six in 1933.

Masterson played quarterback in the NFL for the Chicago Bears from 1934 to 1940. He led the league in TD passes in 1937 and was a member of the Bears 1940 NFL Championship Team. Masterson was selected in 1936 as All-NFL and played in the 1940 Pro Bowl. During his time with the Bears, Masterson learned the "T" formation offense that Halas used to defeat the Washington Redskins 73-0 in the 1940 NFL Championship game.

After retiring from the NFL, Masterson became a football coach. He was brought to Stanford by head coach Clark Shaughnessy to teach the "T" formation to QB Frankie Albert. Shaughnessy inherited a Stanford squad that had gone 1-7-1 the prior year and led them to a 10-0 record and a Rose Bowl win the next season using the "T" formation. Frankie Albert was a consensus All-American under Masterson's tutelage.

After serving in the Navy during WWII, Masterson was hired by his Alma Mater to be their head football coach. Nebraska had a record of 5-13 during his tenure. After leaving Nebraska, Masterson was an assistant at both the college and professional level.

Masterson is in the University of Nebraska Football Hall of Fame and the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Attachment 64938
Attachment 64939

This completes the "A Chicle a day through the end of May" thread. Thanks all for checking it out.

jeff

Jeff- Thanks for doing this, as a PFRA member I enjoyed you spreading the football history. How about the Leafs sets?

Thanks. It was fun and interesting to do. Next time I'll do my research beforehand so I'm not scrambling each day to pull it together.

The Leaf sets would be awesome! I'd love to do Mayo as well but am not sure how much info I'd readily find about some of those players.

Tell PFRA to keep up the great work!

jeff

Chicle a day
 

Jeff, Great job on the set Thanks again really enjoyed the post!

Thanks! For completeness of this thread, here's my newly acquired Kostka that completes my set.

Thanks to John S and Andy B for this beautiful card.

Attachment 71093

jeff

1935
 

Awesome job, Jeff!!!

Happy New Year see you on VFC.

Talk about a thread from the past!!! Digging up a 12 year old thread is awesome. I actually think this was the first thread I ever started on Net54 as it wasn't too long after I joined (I think).

jeff