Ode to Pre-War Football Cardboard

[Beansballcardblog]

Thank you for the welcome! I feel it was on this thread that I saw something posted of Neale and thought immediately that I need to pick up something. Now, to figure out what and how to come by it...

There was another name mentioned that coached at WVU for just one season, but the name is escaping me at 6:15 in the morning.

Originally Posted by DezHood

Welcome aboard Kin!

The first thing that came to mind when I saw WVU and your interest in history was Greasy Neale. He's from West Virginia, coached briefly at WVU, but what's amazing to me is following his thread through NFL history. He played with Jim Thorpe, coached the Ironton Tanks, won 2 NFL titles with some great Eagles teams, etc.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by wvu_class_of_2001

Thank you for the welcome! I feel it was on this thread that I saw something posted of Neale and thought immediately that I need to pick up something. Now, to figure out what and how to come by it...

There was another name mentioned that coached at WVU for just one season, but the name is escaping me at 6:15 in the morning.

I can help you with that one:



This period Neale is affordable but doesn't show him in his football uniform.



jeff

[jefferyepayne]

In the early 1920s, Jim Thorpe was hired by Walter Lingo to coach a team called the Oorang Indians. The Indians were a traveling NFL team that was a showcase for Lingo's Oorang dog kennels. The team was in the NFL in 1922 and 1923 but only went 4-16 ... mainly because Lingo cared more about showcasing his Airedale dogs and Indian players than winning games.

Oorang Indians letterhead


All of the Indians players were at least partially of Indian descent. Thorpe brought in some of his former mates from Carlisle and Canton (including Pete Calac) but also younger Indian players.

Big Bear in his Oorang uniform


Pete Calac in his Canton uniform


Thorpe in his Canton uniform


jeff

[revmoran]

It's not easy finding contemporary items for the Oorgang Indians - I did pick up this wire photo with a tear sheet on the back for how it was cropped and used in the newspaper

[jefferyepayne]

Very nice, Mike! I think I tried to snag that but you outbid me.

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

Haven't posted in this thread in a while but have picked up some nice pre-war stuff in the past month.

Cabinet cards of the 1890 and 1892 Yale football teams. The 1890 cabinet has Pudge Heffelfinger in it while the 1892 cabinet has Frank Hinkey. Cabinet cards like this are sooo cool as they are basically the football cards of the 1800s.





I showed this image of Thorpe and his backfield mates at Carlisle earlier in this thread but that photo was a re-strike (a photo produced later in time from an original negative) and this is an original.



Another original photo. This one of Pop Warner coaching his Carlisle boys.



The Mayo set is actually not the only football tobacco set produced. Here are a few cards from the scarce 1928 Aguilitas set that depicts Cuban football players. Backs of the cards are in spanish. I'm looking for more info on the origins of this set so if anyone is familiar with it (or the Aguilitas company), please PM me.





Last but definitely not least, I finally snagged an example of a Shotwell Red Grange candy box.



jeff

[jefferyepayne]

Picked up this box for a Red Grange football a while back. I may have posted it on here somewhere.



Recently I was able to pick up a football that was contained in this box and its even autographed and dated by Grange!







To hold something that Grange had in his hands is just simply awesome!

jeff