Ode to Pre-War Football Cardboard

[jefferyepayne]

They absolutely do, Peter! There are many, many early pro and college stars that don't have cards but have super looking cabinets and vintage photos. Here are a few I have:


Edgar Allan Poe - This 1889 All-American in football was named after his grandfather's cousin ... the famous poet. His brother is in the Mayo football set.


William P. Graves - Yale football player who was an early football coach of the University of North Carolina.


Dutch Sternaman - Co-founder of the Chicago Bears along with George Halas


Willie Heston - Michigan All-American who was an early 1900s pro player. He is in the 1955 Topps AA football card set.


1912 Jim Thorpe with backfield mates Arcasas, Welch, Powell.


Thorpe making a tackle for the Canton Bulldogs.

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

One of my favorite pre-war players is Ken Strong. He was a 4x First Team All-Pro and 1x Second Team All-Pro halfback. He is most famous for scoring 17 points in the infamous "sneaker game" in 1934 when the NY Giants defeated the Chicago Bears for the NFL Championship while wearing sneakers because the field was icy. Strong is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Most football collectors know his 1955 Topps AA card but nothing more. Here are some of the others cards / items for Strong.


Ultra rare card of Strong from the multi-sport Rogers Peet set. This card is from his days with the Staten Island Stapletons, a now defunct NFL team.


1927 W560 playing card of Ken Strong while at NYU


1934 Diamond Matchbook of Ken Strong


Team photo of NYU football team. Strong second from left in top row.

jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Wow - great Ken Strong items! A Staten Island Stapletons football card - I had no idea that existed.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by DezHood

Wow - great Ken Strong items! A Staten Island Stapletons football card - I had no idea that existed.

Thanks John! The Rogers Peet cards in general are difficult to find. There are four football cards in the set. The Grange is the biggie with Strong #2.

While it's not pre-war, should have posted this baby with my Ken Strong stuff.



jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Thanks Jeff. Aren't you forgetting the most obvious Strong card? Let me know if you need me to post it.

[Footballdude]

Just wanna thank everyone for posting these pre-war football items. They are all fabulous. It's these types of items that keep me scouring the antique shops, hoping to score something relatively unknown.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by Footballdude

Just wanna thank everyone for posting these pre-war football items. They are all fabulous. It's these types of items that keep me scouring the antique shops, hoping to score something relatively unknown.

+1

There is a lot of pre-war stuff out there if you hunt for it. Some of it is really cool. One of my collection "subsets" is what I call the "football players in another sport" subset. Here are some examples I have.


George Halas playing for the NY Yankees briefly in 1919. Unfortunately for him but fortunately for football fans, he hurt his hip and felt his baseball career was over so he switched to football.



Walter Camp not only played football but also baseball at Yale. He is the tall fellow in the hat in the back.



I've shown this one before but it fits here. John Heisman as a baseball coach at Buchtel (now called University of Akron).



Nagurski in his wrestling uniform but a football stance. I believe Nags is the only person in both the Pro Football and Pro Wrestling HOF.



Football HOFer Greasy Neale



Ernie Nevers with the St. Louis Browns MLB team.



Football HOFer Benny Friedman playing 3rd base for U of Michigan

jeff