A Chicle a day through the end of May

[jefferyepayne]

Card #31 in the Chicle set is "Nic" Niccolai. It is the seventh of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.

Armand J. "Nic" Niccolai was born in Vesta, PA in 1911. Niccolai played college ball at nearby Duquesne University under coach Elmer Layden, one of the Four Horseman of Notre Dame. Duquesne went 9 - 1 in 1933 and played in the second Palm Bowl, defeating Miami University 33 - 7. This was Elmer Layden's last game as coach of the Panthers as he moved on to coach Notre Dame the next season. The next year the Palm Bowl was renamed the Orange Bowl and remains in existence today.

Nic Niccolai played nine seasons in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Pirates / Steelers. He played guard, tackle, and end for the team but his claim to fame was his place kicking abilities. Niccolai led the team in scoring in 1935, 1936, 1939, and 1940. He led the the NFL in scoring in 1935 and 1936, being selected as a 2nd team All-Pro in both of these seasons. In 1936, Niccolai kicked seven field goals, a Steeler record that lasted for 14 years. He was the captain of the Steelers 1936 - 1940 and was voted the National Football League's top kicker in 1936.

Upon retirement, he was president of the Pittsburgh Steelers Alumni Association. His football honors include the West Penn Sports Hall of Fame, the Duquesne Sports Hall of Fame, the Charleroi High School Football Hall of Fame and the Pittsburgh Dapper Dan Hall of Fame. He was selected to the Pittsburgh Steelers Legends Team, a team of the best Steeler players before 1970.

niccolai35front.jpg
niccolai35back.jpg

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

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.

johnston35front.jpg

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.

johnston35back.jpg

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

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.

esmith35front.jpg
esmith35back.jpg

jeff

[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.

bronko35front.jpg
bronko35back.jpg

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

londos33front.jpg
londos35back.jpg

Bronko's son

bronkojr.jpg

jeff

[davemri]

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

[Hot Springs Bathers]

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!!!

[jefferyepayne]

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.

johnsos35front.jpg
johnsos35back.jpg

jeff

[Madi$on18joshua]

Awesome job, Jeff!!!

Happy New Year see you on VFC.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by Madi$on18joshua

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