A Chicle a day through the end of May

[jefferyepayne]

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.

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

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Bronko's son

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jeff