With the Memorial Day weekend approaching it seemed like a good time for a visual retrospective.
It started on Tuffy Leemans Day at the Polo Grounds and ended with the Al Blozis memorial four years later.
These years were trying times for the NFL. Many players, coaches and owners careers were interrupted with service to the country. The man shortage trimmed roster limits and travel restrictions abbreviated the schedule. Former players were called out of retirement. There were three merged teams (Eagles-Steelers 1943, Cardinals-Steelers 1944, Yanks-Tigers 1945) and one that suspended operations (Rams 1943).
Emerging on the other side of the conflict was a league that was stronger than ever and ready to enjoy a boon in popularity. Players who had returned from the war were eager to play again and the surplus allowed the formation of a new league, the AAFC in 1946.
Giants vs Brooklyn Dodgers 12/7/41
#32 Len Younce, #60 Bill Edwards
Giants vs US Army All-Stars 9/12/42
#7 Mel Hein
Merle Hapes, Leo Cantor, Dom Principe, Ward Cuff & Steve Owen 1942
Giants vs Green Bay 11/22/42
#44 Emery Nix
Al Blozis & Emery Nix 1943
Giants at Detroit 11/7/43
#30 O'Neil Adams, #24 Will Walls, #55 Cahrley Avedisian, #60 Len Younce (tackling ballcarrier), #32 Al Blozis
Emery Nix, Steve Owen & Bill Paschal 1943
Giants vs Chicago Cardinals 11/21/43
#60 Len Younce, #20 Lelend Shaffer, #14 Ward Cuff (with the ball), #5 Dave Brown
Giants at Brooklyn Tigers 10/15/44
#30 O'Neal Adams, #36 Frank Cope, #60 Len Younce
Giants vs Boston Yanks 11/5/44
#60 Len Younce, #2 Len Calligaro
Giants at Washington 12/10/44
#14 Ward Cuff (intercepting a Sammy Baugh pass), #24 Howie Livingston
Giants vs Green Bay NFL Championship Game 12/17/44
#24 Howie Livingson attempting to cover Don Hutson
The Giants first team-published media guide
Ken Strong, Steve Owen & Mel Hein 1945
1945 Giants team autographs
#8 Steve Filipowicz
Giants vs Cleveland Rams 11/4/45
Bill Paschal carrying the ball
Pregame presentation of Al Blozis' memorial plaque at the Polo Grounds
Giants vs Philadelphia 12/2/45
Thanks so much for posting all of these wonderful photos!
My Dad was at the Polo Grounds December 7th, 1941 and when he heard the public-address system call for military / government officials (especially the name Colonel Donovan), well, that got his attention real quick.
Make sure to scroll down to read Steve Owens account of the unbalanced A formation he developed to counter what the Bears were doing.
I found him a few times:
Giants vs Boston Yanks 11/5/44 from the NY Daily News
Giants vs Brooklyn Tigers 11/26/44 from the NY Daily News
Giants at Washington 12/9/45 from the NY Daily News
1/20/46 from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Maybe it's just the photo angles...
Quote:
I was hoping to find some write up on my great great Uncle Bill Petrilas, played Wingback on some of those teams for a few years in the 40’s. Never saw any write ups on him, only thing I spotted was his name in the service list at the end. Seems he was a key part of that “stingiest defense team” in ‘44 leading the team with 5 I take (2 for scores) over the season. Wish I could find more info on him. Thanks for sharing.
I found him a few times:
Giants vs Boston Yanks 11/5/44 from the NY Daily News
Giants vs Brooklyn Tigers 11/26/44 from the NY Daily News
Giants at Washington 12/9/45 from the NY Daily News
1/20/46 from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Larry, I can’t thank you enough for how much this means to me. Keep this thread alive/ archived. I got to share this with my Dad, he will get a kick out of this. Thanks so much, and what a find!
Maybe it's just the photo angles...
This was a single platoon era, endurance was a priority as they played both ways, substitution was restricted. Players began changing in size when the two platoon system with free substitution was adopted in 1949 as it allowed players to evolve (or is it devolve?) into specialized roles. During single platoon, versatility was worth a lot more to a team and ensured a player's value.
This was a single platoon era[/quote]
I didn't think of that but I see the point. Still though, I see Big Al was 6'6" and 250 as a tackle. I think a different guy at 280 or 300 could be valuable as both offensive tackle and defensive tackle but I also get that the requirements of the positions were different then.
I did notice on the Mel Hein page from that media guide, bottom right corner, the statement that (in whatever year that was) substitutions w/o a timeout were just then legal. Plus no more elbows to the face.
This was a single platoon era
I didn't think of that but I see the point. Still though, I see Big Al was 6'6" and 250 as a tackle. I think a different guy at 280 or 300 could be valuable as both offensive tackle and defensive tackle but I also get that the requirements of the positions were different then.
I did notice on the Mel Hein page from that media guide, bottom right corner, the statement that (in whatever year that was) substitutions w/o a timeout were just then legal. Plus no more elbows to the face. [/quote]
That was a one-year experiment in 1945 to help cope with the man shortage. Free substituion returned for good in 1949.
https://i.imgur.com/3fEa60V.jpg
Giants vs Washington 12/3/44 from the NY Times
https://i.imgur.com/SdZhlOH.jpg
Giants vs Washington 12/3/44 from the NY Herald-Tribune
https://i.imgur.com/UnKtlVS.jpg
Giants at Washington 12/10/44 from the NY Times
https://i.imgur.com/NKadmA5.jpg
Giants vs Green Bay NFL Championship Game 12/17/44 from the NY Herald Tribune
11/7/45 from the NY Herald Tribune
(too large for the forum, click the link to see the full size)
https://i.imgur.com/3fEa60V.jpg
Giants vs Washington 12/3/44 from the NY Times
https://i.imgur.com/SdZhlOH.jpg
Giants vs Washington 12/3/44 from the NY Herald-Tribune
https://i.imgur.com/UnKtlVS.jpg
Giants at Washington 12/10/44 from the NY Times
https://i.imgur.com/NKadmA5.jpg
Giants vs Green Bay NFL Championship Game 12/17/44 from the NY Herald Tribune
11/7/45 from the NY Herald Tribune
(too large for the forum, click the link to see the full size)
These are the first I’m seeing of these, was never able to dig up much info just some stats. Apparently he had an incredible nose for the football, A true ball hawk. I remember showing my Nan some info and pictures of him that I could find a few years ago and she told me some stories about him from her childhood. She Said his career was cut short due to a nasty shoulder injury from her recollection, said she remembered they went swimming together and he more or less swam with one arm which she thought was odd. Said he wasn’t able to lift one of his arms over his head. To think how far we have come with sport science and medicine, who knows he could have been a Giant legend we never got to know.
The similarities of him and my father are quite remarkable, the picture of the ‘44 championship team looks like I’m looking at a younger picture of my father. We both had a good laugh over it.
Thanks again Larry, this absolutely made my day, and I’m sure. Will make my fathers when I show him. Can’t thank you enough for this.
What’s impressive is the number of athletes who served, same i expect for ML baseball. Try doing this today. Just use your imagination. And some went back during Korea.
There was I believe a gambling scandal too. I don’t want to guess at remembering names because I don’t want some to be falsely accused, but,some were suspended. The era was I think the Cuff era giants, so post war, late 40’s. By the 50’s I would have remembered.
Anyway thanks so much. I’ll keep reading the material, it just seems so familiar, if distant. Brings back time when to be a pro football fan was a bit rare and a Giant fan, at least among, pre teens, was distinctly rare. So I was alone in talking and rooting for NY Giant football, when almost all attention was on baseball, mostly Dodgers.
Again thanks so much.
What’s impressive is the number of athletes who served, same i expect for ML baseball. Try doing this today. Just use your imagination. And some went back during Korea.
There was I believe a gambling scandal too. I don’t want to guess at remembering names because I don’t want some to be falsely accused, but,some were suspended. The era was I think the Cuff era giants, so post war, late 40’s. By the 50’s I would have remembered.
Anyway thanks so much. I’ll keep reading the material, it just seems so familiar, if distant. Brings back time when to be a pro football fan was a bit rare and a Giant fan, at least among, pre teens, was distinctly rare. So I was alone in talking and rooting for NY Giant football, when almost all attention was on baseball, mostly Dodgers.
Again thanks so much.
The gambling scandal was Merle Hapes and frankie Filchock the day before the 1946 NFLCG. That would make for an interesting deep-dive post one day, there's a lot of intrigue to dig through.
Quote:
One thing though I have always wondered, aside from the awful fortnite poses... vintage footballers always seem to me to be very svelt. Were there no huge heavy & muscular humans back then like we have today? Is the size, strength and athleticism of today's players purely the result of dedicated strength training and nutrition applied from their teens? If there were similarly sized and capable humans back then wouldn't they have been sought out by clubs? Seriously, why no 300lb lineman back then? Different game requiring different skillsets?
Maybe it's just the photo angles...
This was a single platoon era, endurance was a priority as they played both ways, substitution was restricted. Players began changing in size when the two platoon system with free substitution was adopted in 1949 as it allowed players to evolve (or is it devolve?) into specialized roles. During single platoon, versatility was worth a lot more to a team and ensured a player's value.
Larry is 100% correct. Today's players (for the most part) could not play single platoon, they'd have heart attacks all over the field. Remember, your linemen were playing 60 minutes, before TV (so no time outs for commercials...look at all the stoppage of play today, most noticed if you're at a game). You didn't have a ton of subs, either, since there were smaller rosters. If you weren't fit, you'd kneel over after the 1st quarter.
Training methods (and drugs) are more sophisticated today, which help foster larger athletes. However, it was rare to see 300lb linemen as late as the early 1980's. Just check out the rosters of teams during the 70's...you had LB's at 210lbs! Also, back in 1945, a man that was 6-3 248 lbs was a monster compared to the average male:
What was the average height of different armies in World War 2? - ( New Window )
As you would expect the franchise honored those Giants whoserved. I would have love to attend a game in the early years.
Here are the other years:
1941 - #29 front row Jack Lummus
1942 - #32 front row Al Blozis (seated next to #7 Mel Hein)
1944 - #32 front row Al Blozis (seated next to Steve Owen)
1945
1941 - Steve Owen, Wellington Mara, Mike Palm & Bill Owen.
Are they members of a professional football organization or button men for Murder Inc.?
The heaviest player on the field was Al Blozis at 245lbs.
Brooklyn's largest player was Mike Jurich 6'1' 230lbs.
The majority of backs (and some of the ends) for both teams are under 200lbs.
Your posts are the most entertaining, informative, and worthwhile of anything in the corner forum.
Thanks again !!
It's an excerpt of the broadcast of the Giants-Dodgers game being interrupted by the announcement of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Link - ( New Window )