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The Birth of the NFL Draft: A Historic Encounter in Chicago · Sports History Network

• 0:57
  In
• 0:57
  February
• 0:58
  1936,
• 0:59
  a
• 0:59
  hotel
• 1:00
  lobby
• 1:00
  in
• 1:00
  Chicago.
• 1:01
  Two
• 1:01
  men
• 1:01
  standing
• 1:02
  face
• 1:02
  to
• 1:02
  face.
• 1:03
  One
• 1:03
  is
• 1:03
  George
• 1:04
  Hallis,
• 1:04
  owner
• 1:04
  and
• 1:05
  coach
• 1:05
  of
• 1:05
  the
• 1:05
  Chicago
• 1:06
  Bears,
• 1:07
  already
• 1:07
  a
• 1:07
  two
• 1:08
  time
• 1:08
  NFL
• 1:08
  champion.
• 1:09
  The
• 1:09
  other
• 1:09
  is
• 1:10
  Jay
• 1:10
  Burwanger,
• 1:11
  halfback
• 1:12
  from
• 1:12
  the
• 1:12
  University
• 1:12
  of
• 1:12
  Chicago,
• 1:13
  winner,
• 1:14
  the
• 1:14
  very
• 1:14
  first
• 1:14
  Heisman,
• 1:15
  and
• 1:15
  the
• 1:15
  most
• 1:15
  celebrated
• 1:16
  college
• 1:16
  football
• 1:17
  player
• 1:17
  in
• 1:17
  America.
• 1:18
  House
• 1:18
  has
• 1:18
  just
• 1:19
  acquired
• 1:19
  Burwanger's
• 1:20
  rights
• 1:20
  from
• 1:20
  the
• 1:20
  Philadelphia
• 1:21
  Eagles
• 1:21
  and
• 1:22
  he's
• 1:22
  ready
• 1:22
  to
• 1:22
  make
• 1:22
  him
• 1:23
  a
• 1:23
  bear.
• 1:24
  He
• 1:24
  asked
• 1:24
  the
• 1:24
  young
• 1:24
  man
• 1:25
  for
• 1:25
  what
• 1:25
  he
• 1:25
  wants.
• 1:26
  Burwanger
• 1:27
  looks
• 1:27
  at
• 1:27
  him
• 1:28
  and
• 1:28
  says,
• 1:29
  $25,000,
• 1:31
  two
• 1:31
  years,
• 1:32
  a
• 1:32
  no
• 1:32
  cut
• 1:33
  contract.
• 1:34
  Palace,
• 1:34
  who
• 1:35
  paid
• 1:35
  his
• 1:35
  own
• 1:35
  hall
• 1:35
  of
• 1:35
  Fame
• 1:36
  fullback
• 1:36
  Bronco
• 1:36
  Nagurski,
• 1:37
  less
• 1:37
  than
• 1:38
  $3,000
• 1:39
  a
• 1:39
  year,
• 1:39
  stares
• 1:40
  back
• 1:40
  at
• 1:40
  him.
• 1:40
  The
• 1:41
  two
• 1:41
  men
• 1:41
  shake
• 1:41
  hands,
• 1:42
  say
• 1:42
  goodbye,
• 1:43
  and
• 1:43
  Jay
• 1:43
  Burwanger,
• 1:44
  the
• 1:44
  first
• 1:44
  player
• 1:45
  ever
• 1:45
  selected
• 1:45
  in
• 1:45
  an
• 1:46
  NFL
• 1:46
  draft,
• 1:46
  walks
• 1:47
  out
• 1:47
  of
• 1:47
  that
• 1:47
  hotel
• 1:48
  lobby
• 1:48
  and
• 1:48
  never
• 1:49
  plays
• 1:49
  a
• 1:49
  single
• 1:50
  down
• 1:50
  of
• 1:50
  professional
• 1:50
  football.
• 1:51
  This
• 1:52
  is
• 1:52
  the
• 1:52
  story
• 1:52
  of
• 1:52
  the
• 1:52
  NFL
• 1:53
  draft,
• 1:53
  an
• 1:54
  idea
• 1:54
  born
• 1:54
  from
• 1:55
  a
• 1:55
  bidding
• 1:55
  war,
• 1:55
  a
• 1:56
  system
• 1:56
  designed
• 1:56
  to
• 1:57
  save
• 1:57
  struggling
• 1:57
  league
• 1:58
  and
• 1:58
  that
• 1:58
  man
• 1:59
  who
• 1:59
  looked
• 1:59
  at
• 1:59
  professional
• 2:00
  football
• 2:00
  and
• 2:00
  said,
• 2:01
  no,
• 2:01
  thanks.
• 2:03
  The
• 2:03
  NFL
• 2:04
  did
• 2:04
  not
• 2:04
  begin
• 2:05
  as
• 2:05
  a
• 2:05
  grand
• 2:05
  vision
• 2:06
  for
• 2:06
  competitive
• 2:07
  balance.
• 2:07
  It
• 2:08
  began
• 2:08
  because
• 2:08
  one
• 2:09
  man,
• 2:09
  Burt
• 2:09
  Bell,
• 2:10
  owner
• 2:10
  of
• 2:10
  the
• 2:10
  Philadelphia
• 2:10
  Eagles,
• 2:11
  got
• 2:11
  humiliated
• 2:12
  trying
• 2:12
  to
• 2:12
  sign
• 2:13
  a
• 2:13
  fullback
• 2:14
  from
• 2:14
  Minnesota
• 2:14
  named
• 2:15
  Stan
• 2:15
  Koska.
• 2:17
  Now,
• 2:17
  Stan
• 2:17
  koska
• 2:18
  was
• 2:18
  a
• 2:18
  6
• 2:19
  foot
• 2:19
  225
• 2:20
  round
• 2:20
  battering
• 2:21
  ram.
• 2:21
  The
• 2:22
  Minneapolis
• 2:22
  Star
• 2:22
  called
• 2:23
  him
• 2:23
  the
• 2:23
  Snorting
• 2:23
  Stan
• 2:24
  and
• 2:24
  a
• 2:24
  blasting
• 2:25
  bull.
• 2:25
  Now
• 2:26
  Crook
• 2:26
  Shaughnessy,
• 2:27
  the
• 2:27
  legendary
• 2:28
  coach
• 2:28
  at
• 2:28
  the
• 2:28
  University
• 2:28
  of
• 2:29
  Chicago
• 2:29
  at
• 2:29
  the
• 2:29
  time,
• 2:30
  said
• 2:30
  of
• 2:30
  him,
• 2:30
  I
• 2:31
  doubt
• 2:31
  whether
• 2:31
  any
• 2:32
  fullback
• 2:32
  ever
• 2:33
  hit
• 2:33
  harder
• 2:33
  than
• 2:33
  he
• 2:34
  could
• 2:34
  in
• 2:34
  the
• 2:34
  open
• 2:35
  field.
• 2:35
  And
• 2:35
  he
• 2:35
  was
• 2:35
  one
• 2:36
  of
• 2:36
  the
• 2:36
  few
• 2:36
  men
• 2:36
  who
• 2:36
  could
• 2:37
  simply
• 2:37
  run
• 2:37
  through
• 2:37
  a
• 2:38
  tackle.
• 2:38
  In
• 2:38
  1935,
• 2:39
  after
• 2:39
  his
• 2:40
  final
• 2:40
  college
• 2:40
  season,
• 2:41
  Costco
• 2:42
  became
• 2:42
  the
• 2:42
  most
• 2:42
  sought
• 2:43
  after
• 2:43
  professional
• 2:43
  prospect
• 2:44
  in
• 2:44
  the
• 2:44
  country.
• 2:45
  He
• 2:45
  every
• 2:45
  team
• 2:45
  in
• 2:45
  the
• 2:46
  league
• 2:46
  wanted
• 2:46
  them,
• 2:46
  and
• 2:46
  the
• 2:47
  Bears,
• 2:47
  the
• 2:47
  Packers,
• 2:47
  the
• 2:48
  Giants,
• 2:48
  the
• 2:48
  Dodgers,
• 2:49
  the
• 2:49
  Pirates,
• 2:49
  and
• 2:50
  Burt
• 2:50
  Bell's
• 2:51
  Philadelphia
• 2:51
  Eagles.
• 2:52
  Bell
• 2:52
  was
• 2:53
  desperate.
• 2:53
  He
• 2:53
  had
• 2:53
  purchased
• 2:54
  the
• 2:54
  Philadelphia
• 2:55
  Eagles
• 2:55
  in
• 2:55
  1933.
• 2:56
  It
• 2:56
  was
• 2:56
  a
• 2:57
  franchise
• 2:57
  born
• 2:57
  from
• 2:58
  the
• 2:58
  ashes
• 2:58
  of
• 2:58
  the
• 2:58
  bankrupt
• 2:59
  Frankfort
• 3:00
  Yellow
• 3:00
  Jackets,
• 3:01
  established
• 3:01
  as
• 3:01
  a
• 3:01
  replacement
• 3:02
  team.
• 3:03
  And
• 3:03
  in
• 3:03
  their
• 3:03
  first
• 3:03
  three
• 3:04
  seasons,
• 3:04
  the
• 3:04
  Eagles
• 3:05
  had
• 3:05
  finished
• 3:05
  with
• 3:05
  records
• 3:06
  of
• 3:06
  3,
• 3:06
  5
• 3:06
  and
• 3:06
  1,
• 3:06
  then
• 3:07
  4
• 3:07
  and
• 3:07
  7.
• 3:08
  And
• 3:08
  then
• 3:08
  in
• 3:08
  1935,
• 3:09
  they'd
• 3:09
  hit
• 3:10
  rock
• 3:10
  bottom
• 3:10
  at
• 3:10
  2
• 3:11
  and
• 3:11
  9
• 3:11
  and
• 3:11
  and
• 3:12
  they
• 3:12
  were
• 3:12
  bleeding
• 3:12
  money,
• 3:13
  losing
• 3:13
  games.
• 3:14
  So
• 3:14
  Bell
• 3:14
  flew
• 3:15
  to
• 3:15
  Minneapolis,
• 3:16
  sat
• 3:16
  down
• 3:16
  with
• 3:16
  Koska
• 3:17
  in
• 3:17
  a
• 3:17
  hotel
• 3:17
  room
• 3:17
  and
• 3:17
  asked
• 3:18
  him
• 3:18
  what
• 3:18
  other
• 3:18
  teams
• 3:19
  had
• 3:19
  offered.
• 3:20
  Costco
• 3:20
  had
• 3:20
  told
• 3:21
  him
• 3:21
  the
• 3:21
  top
• 3:21
  bid
• 3:22
  was
• 3:22
  $3,500.
• 3:23
  Now
• 3:24
  Bell
• 3:24
  made
• 3:24
  his
• 3:24
  move.
• 3:25
  I'll
• 3:25
  give
• 3:25
  you
• 3:26
  4,000,
• 3:27
  he
• 3:27
  said.
• 3:27
  Now
• 3:28
  Koska
• 3:28
  hesitated
• 3:29
  and
• 3:29
  said
• 3:30
  5,000.
• 3:31
  Still
• 3:31
  hesitating.
• 3:32
  6,000.
• 3:33
  Sign
• 3:34
  now
• 3:34
  and
• 3:34
  I
• 3:35
  can
• 3:35
  go
• 3:35
  home
• 3:36
  now.
• 3:36
  Koska
• 3:37
  didn't
• 3:37
  sign,
• 3:37
  and
• 3:37
  Bell
• 3:38
  flew
• 3:38
  back
• 3:38
  to
• 3:38
  Philadelphia
• 3:39
  empty
• 3:39
  handed.
• 3:40
  And
• 3:40
  a
• 3:40
  few
• 3:40
  days
• 3:40
  later,
• 3:40
  Koska
• 3:41
  inked
• 3:41
  a
• 3:42
  contract
• 3:42
  with
• 3:42
  the
• 3:42
  Brooklyn
• 3:43
  Dodgers
• 3:43
  for
• 3:43
  $5,000
• 3:44
  plus
• 3:44
  a
• 3:44
  $500
• 3:45
  signing
• 3:46
  bonus,
• 3:46
  making
• 3:47
  him
• 3:47
  at
• 3:47
  the
• 3:47
  time
• 3:47
  the
• 3:48
  highest
• 3:48
  paid
• 3:48
  rookie
• 3:49
  in
• 3:49
  professional
• 3:49
  football
• 3:49
  history.
• 3:50
  Bronco
• 3:51
  Nagurski,
• 3:51
  the
• 3:51
  most
• 3:51
  feared
• 3:52
  player
• 3:52
  in
• 3:52
  the
• 3:52
  league,
• 3:52
  was
• 3:53
  making
• 3:53
  roughly
• 3:54
  $3,000.
• 3:55
  A
• 3:55
  year.
• 3:56
  Later,
• 3:56
  Koska
• 3:56
  admitted
• 3:57
  exactly
• 3:57
  what
• 3:57
  he
• 3:57
  had
• 3:58
  done.
• 3:58
  In
• 3:58
  his
• 3:58
  own
• 3:59
  words,
• 3:59
  he
• 4:00
  said,
• 4:00
  I
• 4:00
  was
• 4:00
  the
• 4:01
  instigator
• 4:01
  of
• 4:01
  the
• 4:01
  draft.
• 4:02
  Every
• 4:02
  club
• 4:03
  in
• 4:03
  the
• 4:03
  league
• 4:04
  contacted
• 4:04
  me.
• 4:04
  A
• 4:05
  team
• 4:05
  would
• 4:05
  send
• 4:05
  me
• 4:05
  a
• 4:06
  wire
• 4:06
  and
• 4:06
  say,
• 4:06
  they're
• 4:06
  going
• 4:07
  to
• 4:07
  give
• 4:07
  me
• 4:07
  3,3500
• 4:08
  bucks.
• 4:08
  I'd
• 4:09
  send
• 4:09
  them
• 4:09
  a
• 4:09
  wire
• 4:09
  back
• 4:09
  and
• 4:10
  say,
• 4:10
  Green
• 4:10
  Bay
• 4:11
  or
• 4:11
  the
• 4:11
  Bears.
• 4:11
  They
• 4:12
  said,
• 4:12
  they
• 4:12
  give
• 4:12
  me
• 4:12
  4,000.
• 4:13
  And
• 4:13
  I
• 4:13
  kept
• 4:13
  that
• 4:14
  up.
• 4:15
  A
• 4:15
  man
• 4:15
  had
• 4:16
  run
• 4:16
  an
• 4:16
  auction
• 4:16
  on
• 4:16
  himself,
• 4:17
  and
• 4:17
  the
• 4:17
  owners
• 4:17
  have
• 4:17
  been
• 4:18
  powerless
• 4:18
  to
• 4:18
  stop
• 4:18
  him.
• 4:19
  And
• 4:19
  on
• 4:19
  the
• 4:19
  flight
• 4:20
  home
• 4:20
  to
• 4:20
  Minneapolis,
• 4:21
  Burt
• 4:21
  Bell
• 4:22
  made
• 4:22
  a
• 4:22
  decision.
• 4:23
  He
• 4:23
  would
• 4:23
  later
• 4:23
  say,
• 4:24
  I
• 4:24
  made
• 4:24
  up
• 4:24
  my
• 4:25
  mind
• 4:25
  that
• 4:25
  this
• 4:25
  league
• 4:25
  would
• 4:26
  never
• 4:26
  survive
• 4:27
  unless
• 4:27
  we
• 4:27
  had
• 4:27
  some
• 4:28
  system
• 4:28
  by
• 4:29
  whereby
• 4:29
  each
• 4:29
  team
• 4:30
  had
• 4:30
  even
• 4:30
  a
• 4:31
  chance
• 4:31
  to
• 4:31
  bid
• 4:31
  on
• 4:32
  a
• 4:32
  talent
• 4:32
  against
• 4:32
  the
• 4:33
  other.
• 4:33
  He
• 4:34
  had
• 4:34
  an
• 4:34
  idea.
• 4:34
  And
• 4:34
  on
• 4:35
  May
• 4:35
  19,
• 4:35
  1935,
• 4:36
  at
• 4:36
  the
• 4:36
  Fort
• 4:37
  Pitt
• 4:37
  Hotel
• 4:37
  in
• 4:37
  Pittsburgh,
• 4:38
  he
• 4:38
  presented
• 4:39
  it
• 4:39
  to
• 4:39
  the
• 4:39
  other
• 4:39
  owners.
• 4:40
  The
• 4:40
  proposal
• 4:41
  was
• 4:41
  simple
• 4:41
  and
• 4:42
  it
• 4:42
  carried
• 4:42
  Bill's
• 4:43
  name
• 4:43
  with
• 4:43
  it,
• 4:43
  with
• 4:44
  a
• 4:44
  second
• 4:44
  from
• 4:44
  George
• 4:45
  Preston
• 4:45
  Marshall,
• 4:46
  owner
• 4:46
  of
• 4:46
  the
• 4:46
  Boston
• 4:46
  Redskins
• 4:47
  at
• 4:47
  the
• 4:47
  time.
• 4:47
  Now,
• 4:48
  every
• 4:48
  year,
• 4:49
  the
• 4:49
  teams
• 4:49
  would
• 4:49
  select
• 4:50
  college
• 4:50
  players
• 4:50
  in
• 4:51
  reverse
• 4:51
  order
• 4:51
  of
• 4:51
  the
• 4:52
  previous
• 4:52
  year's
• 4:52
  standings.
• 4:53
  The
• 4:53
  worst
• 4:53
  team
• 4:53
  would
• 4:54
  pick
• 4:54
  first,
• 4:54
  the
• 4:54
  champion
• 4:55
  would
• 4:55
  pick
• 4:55
  last,
• 4:56
  and
• 4:56
  once
• 4:56
  a
• 4:56
  team
• 4:57
  selected
• 4:57
  a
• 4:58
  player,
• 4:58
  no
• 4:59
  other
• 4:59
  team
• 4:59
  could
• 5:00
  negotiate
• 5:00
  with
• 5:01
  that
• 5:01
  same
• 5:01
  player.
• 5:02
  The
• 5:02
  bidding
• 5:02
  wars
• 5:03
  would
• 5:03
  end,
• 5:04
  and
• 5:04
  the
• 5:04
  vote
• 5:04
  was
• 5:05
  unanimous.
• 5:05
  Even
• 5:05
  George
• 5:06
  Hallis,
• 5:06
  who
• 5:06
  Chicago
• 5:07
  Bears,
• 5:07
  would
• 5:07
  sacrifice
• 5:08
  the
• 5:08
  most
• 5:09
  under
• 5:09
  his
• 5:09
  system.
• 5:10
  They
• 5:10
  had
• 5:10
  won
• 5:10
  back
• 5:10
  to
• 5:10
  back
• 5:11
  championships
• 5:11
  in
• 5:11
  32
• 5:12
  and
• 5:12
  33
• 5:13
  and
• 5:13
  finished
• 5:13
  232
• 5:14
  and
• 5:14
  1
• 5:14
  over
• 5:15
  1933
• 5:16
  and
• 5:16
  34
• 5:16
  seasons.
• 5:17
  He
• 5:17
  voted
• 5:18
  yes.
• 5:18
  Halas
• 5:19
  understood
• 5:19
  something
• 5:19
  that
• 5:20
  the
• 5:20
  others
• 5:20
  were
• 5:20
  slower
• 5:20
  to
• 5:21
  grasp.
• 5:21
  A
• 5:22
  league
• 5:22
  is
• 5:22
  only
• 5:22
  as
• 5:23
  strong
• 5:23
  as
• 5:23
  its
• 5:23
  weakest
• 5:24
  franchise.
• 5:24
  And
• 5:24
  if
• 5:24
  the
• 5:25
  Eagles
• 5:25
  and
• 5:25
  the
• 5:25
  Pirates
• 5:26
  kept
• 5:26
  hemorrhaging
• 5:27
  money,
• 5:27
  there
• 5:27
  would
• 5:28
  be
• 5:28
  no
• 5:28
  league
• 5:28
  left
• 5:28
  for
• 5:29
  the
• 5:29
  Bears
• 5:29
  to
• 5:29
  dominate.
• 5:30
  Now,
• 5:30
  Jay
• 5:30
  Burweiger
• 5:31
  grew
• 5:31
  up
• 5:31
  in
• 5:31
  Dubuque,
• 5:32
  Iowa,
• 5:32
  the
• 5:32
  son
• 5:33
  of
• 5:33
  the
• 5:33
  blacksmith,
• 5:33
  and
• 5:34
  he
• 5:34
  arrived
• 5:34
  at
• 5:34
  the
• 5:34
  University
• 5:35
  of
• 5:35
  Chicago
• 5:35
  in
• 5:35
  1932
• 5:36
  on
• 5:37
  a
• 5:37
  $300
• 5:38
  a
• 5:38
  year
• 5:39
  tuition
• 5:39
  scholarship.
• 5:40
  Iowa,
• 5:40
  Michigan,
• 5:41
  Minnesota
• 5:41
  and
• 5:41
  Purdue
• 5:42
  had
• 5:42
  all
• 5:42
  recruited
• 5:43
  him
• 5:43
  more
• 5:43
  aggressively,
• 5:44
  but
• 5:44
  Chicago
• 5:45
  offered
• 5:45
  the
• 5:45
  smallest
• 5:46
  package,
• 5:46
  but
• 5:47
  he
• 5:47
  chose
• 5:47
  them
• 5:47
  anyway.
• 5:48
  Now,
• 5:48
  in
• 5:49
  an
• 5:49
  era
• 5:49
  before
• 5:49
  two
• 5:50
  platoon
• 5:50
  football,
• 5:50
  before
• 5:51
  players
• 5:51
  specialized
• 5:52
  on
• 5:52
  offense
• 5:52
  or
• 5:53
  defense.
• 5:53
  Burwanger
• 5:54
  did
• 5:54
  everything.
• 5:55
  He
• 5:55
  called
• 5:55
  the
• 5:55
  plays,
• 5:56
  he
• 5:56
  ran
• 5:56
  a
• 5:56
  ball,
• 5:56
  he
• 5:57
  threw
• 5:57
  it,
• 5:57
  he
• 5:57
  punted,
• 5:57
  he
• 5:57
  returned
• 5:58
  punts,
• 5:58
  he
• 5:58
  returned
• 5:58
  kickoff
• 5:59
  extra
• 6:00
  points
• 6:00
  and
• 6:00
  he
• 6:00
  played
• 6:00
  linebacker.
• 6:01
  On
• 6:01
  defense,
• 6:02
  the
• 6:02
  Chicago
• 6:03
  Tribune
• 6:03
  called
• 6:04
  him
• 6:04
  the
• 6:04
  one
• 6:05
  man
• 6:05
  team.
• 6:06
  Other
• 6:06
  writers
• 6:06
  called
• 6:06
  him
• 6:07
  the
• 6:07
  Flying
• 6:07
  Dutchman,
• 6:08
  an
• 6:08
  heir
• 6:09
  since
• 6:09
  his
• 6:09
  ancestry
• 6:10
  was
• 6:10
  German,
• 6:11
  not
• 6:11
  Dutch,
• 6:12
  and
• 6:12
  the
• 6:12
  man
• 6:12
  in
• 6:13
  an
• 6:13
  iron
• 6:13
  mask
• 6:13
  because
• 6:14
  he
• 6:14
  wore
• 6:14
  a
• 6:14
  custom
• 6:15
  face
• 6:15
  guard
• 6:15
  to
• 6:15
  protect
• 6:16
  his
• 6:16
  twice
• 6:16
  broken
• 6:17
  nose.
• 6:18
  Now
• 6:18
  here
• 6:18
  is
• 6:19
  career
• 6:19
  numbers
• 6:19
  calculated
• 6:20
  decades
• 6:21
  later,
• 6:21
  an
• 6:21
  incomplete
• 6:22
  Game
• 6:22
  by
• 6:23
  game
• 6:23
  records
• 6:23
  1839
• 6:25
  yards
• 6:25
  rushing
• 6:25
  on
• 6:25
  439
• 6:26
  carries,
• 6:27
  an
• 6:27
  average
• 6:27
  of
• 6:27
  4.2
• 6:28
  yards
• 6:28
  per
• 6:28
  rush,
• 6:29
  22
• 6:30
  rushing
• 6:30
  touchdowns,
• 6:31
  50
• 6:31
  completions
• 6:32
  on
• 6:32
  146
• 6:34
  pass
• 6:34
  attempts
• 6:34
  for
• 6:34
  921
• 6:35
  yards
• 6:36
  and
• 6:36
  20
• 6:37
  extra
• 6:37
  points
• 6:37
  kicked.
• 6:38
  And
• 6:38
  on
• 6:38
  special
• 6:38
  teams,
• 6:39
  46.3
• 6:40
  yard
• 6:41
  average
• 6:41
  on
• 6:41
  34
• 6:42
  kickoffs
• 6:42
  and
• 6:43
  a
• 6:43
  38
• 6:43
  yard
• 6:43
  average
• 6:44
  on
• 6:44
  his
• 6:45
  2233
• 6:46
  punts.
• 6:47
  Now,
• 6:47
  in
• 6:48
  1934,
• 6:48
  during
• 6:48
  a
• 6:49
  game
• 6:49
  against
• 6:49
  Michigan,
• 6:50
  the
• 6:50
  future
• 6:50
  president
• 6:51
  of
• 6:51
  the
• 6:51
  United
• 6:51
  States,
• 6:52
  Gerald
• 6:52
  Ford,
• 6:53
  then
• 6:53
  a
• 6:53
  Wolverines
• 6:53
  linebacker,
• 6:54
  attempted
• 6:54
  to
• 6:55
  tackle
• 6:55
  him.
• 6:55
  Decades
• 6:56
  later,
• 6:56
  Ford
• 6:56
  said,
• 6:57
  when
• 6:57
  I
• 6:57
  tackled
• 6:58
  Jay
• 6:58
  in
• 6:58
  the
• 6:58
  second
• 6:58
  quarter,
• 6:59
  I
• 6:59
  ended
• 7:00
  up
• 7:00
  with
• 7:00
  a
• 7:00
  bloody
• 7:00
  cut
• 7:01
  and
• 7:01
  I
• 7:01
  still
• 7:01
  have
• 7:01
  the
• 7:02
  scar
• 7:02
  to
• 7:02
  prove
• 7:02
  it.
• 7:03
  Now
• 7:03
  Burwanger
• 7:04
  remains
• 7:04
  the
• 7:04
  only
• 7:04
  Heisman
• 7:05
  Trophy
• 7:05
  winner
• 7:06
  ever
• 7:06
  to
• 7:06
  be
• 7:06
  tackled
• 7:07
  by
• 7:07
  a
• 7:07
  future
• 7:08
  president.
• 7:09
  In
• 7:09
  1935,
• 7:10
  Burwanger
• 7:11
  received
• 7:11
  a
• 7:11
  telegram
• 7:12
  from
• 7:12
  the
• 7:12
  Downtown
• 7:13
  Athletic
• 7:13
  Club
• 7:13
  in
• 7:13
  Manhattan.
• 7:14
  He
• 7:14
  had
• 7:15
  been
• 7:15
  awarded
• 7:15
  a
• 7:15
  new
• 7:16
  trophy,
• 7:16
  the
• 7:17
  Downtown
• 7:17
  Athletic
• 7:18
  Club
• 7:18
  trophy,
• 7:19
  for
• 7:19
  being,
• 7:19
  in
• 7:20
  the
• 7:20
  club's
• 7:20
  words,
• 7:20
  the
• 7:21
  most
• 7:21
  valuable
• 7:21
  player
• 7:22
  east
• 7:22
  of
• 7:22
  the
• 7:22
  Mississippi,
• 7:23
  and
• 7:23
  a
• 7:24
  telegram
• 7:24
  included
• 7:24
  a
• 7:25
  trip
• 7:25
  for
• 7:25
  two
• 7:25
  to
• 7:25
  New
• 7:26
  York.
• 7:26
  Now,
• 7:27
  that
• 7:27
  trophy
• 7:28
  would
• 7:28
  later
• 7:28
  be
• 7:29
  renamed
• 7:29
  the
• 7:30
  following
• 7:30
  year
• 7:30
  and
• 7:30
  after
• 7:31
  the
• 7:31
  club's
• 7:31
  athletic
• 7:32
  director,
• 7:32
  a
• 7:32
  man
• 7:33
  named
• 7:33
  John
• 7:33
  W.
• 7:34
  Heisman.
• 7:36
  Now,
• 7:36
  by
• 7:36
  the
• 7:36
  time
• 7:36
  the
• 7:37
  draft
• 7:37
  rolled
• 7:37
  around
• 7:37
  in
• 7:37
  February
• 7:38
  1936,
• 7:39
  Burwanger
• 7:39
  was
• 7:40
  not
• 7:40
  thinking
• 7:40
  about
• 7:40
  professional
• 7:41
  football.
• 7:41
  He
• 7:41
  was
• 7:41
  thinking
• 7:42
  about
• 7:42
  the
• 7:42
  Olympics.
• 7:43
  He
• 7:43
  was
• 7:43
  a
• 7:43
  track
• 7:44
  star
• 7:44
  aiming
• 7:45
  for
• 7:45
  the
• 7:45
  decathlon.
• 7:46
  And
• 7:46
  he
• 7:46
  was
• 7:46
  thinking
• 7:47
  about
• 7:47
  his
• 7:47
  business
• 7:47
  degree.
• 7:48
  The
• 7:48
  NFL
• 7:49
  in
• 7:49
  1936
• 7:50
  was
• 7:50
  not
• 7:50
  a
• 7:50
  dream
• 7:50
  destination.
• 7:51
  It
• 7:51
  was
• 7:52
  a
• 7:52
  side
• 7:52
  hustle.
• 7:52
  Burwanger
• 7:53
  told
• 7:53
  the
• 7:53
  Associated
• 7:54
  Press,
• 7:55
  for
• 7:55
  the
• 7:55
  time
• 7:55
  being,
• 7:56
  I
• 7:56
  am
• 7:56
  mainly
• 7:57
  interested
• 7:57
  in
• 7:57
  finishing
• 7:58
  my
• 7:58
  courses
• 7:58
  at
• 7:58
  Chicago,
• 7:59
  graduating
• 8:00
  next
• 8:00
  June
• 8:01
  and
• 8:01
  then
• 8:01
  trying
• 8:01
  to
• 8:02
  get
• 8:02
  a
• 8:02
  place
• 8:02
  on
• 8:03
  the
• 8:03
  Olympic
• 8:03
  team.
• 8:04
  He
• 8:04
  didn't
• 8:04
  make
• 8:04
  the
• 8:04
  Olympic
• 8:05
  team,
• 8:05
  but
• 8:05
  he
• 8:06
  was
• 8:06
  about
• 8:06
  to
• 8:06
  make
• 8:06
  history
• 8:07
  anyway
• 8:07
  on
• 8:08
  a
• 8:08
  February
• 8:08
  afternoon
• 8:09
  in
• 8:09
  a
• 8:09
  Philadelphia
• 8:10
  ballroom.
• 8:10
  And
• 8:11
  we'll
• 8:11
  get
• 8:11
  to
• 8:11
  what
• 8:11
  happened
• 8:12
  then
• 8:13
  right
• 8:13
  after
• 8:13
  this
• 8:14
  message.
• 8:15
  Think
• 8:16
  you
• 8:16
  know
• 8:16
  your
• 8:16
  football
• 8:16
  history?
• 8:17
  It's
• 8:17
  time
• 8:17
  to
• 8:17
  put
• 8:18
  your
• 8:18
  pads
• 8:18
  on
• 8:18
  with
• 8:18
  the
• 8:19
  pigskin
• 8:19
  trivia
• 8:20
  drive.
• 8:20
  Choose
• 8:20
  your
• 8:21
  play.
• 8:21
  Go
• 8:21
  for
• 8:21
  a
• 8:22
  run
• 8:22
  short
• 8:22
  pass
• 8:22
  or
• 8:23
  risk
• 8:23
  it
• 8:23
  all
• 8:23
  with
• 8:23
  a
• 8:23
  long
• 8:23
  pass.
• 8:24
  Answer
• 8:24
  fast
• 8:25
  to
• 8:25
  rack
• 8:25
  up
• 8:25
  the
• 8:25
  yardage
• 8:26
  and
• 8:26
  reach
• 8:26
  the
• 8:26
  yellow
• 8:27
  line
• 8:27
  for
• 8:27
  a
• 8:27
  first
• 8:27
  down
• 8:28
  and
• 8:28
  earn
• 8:28
  an
• 8:28
  audible
• 8:29
  to
• 8:29
  wipe
• 8:29
  away
• 8:29
  those
• 8:30
  wrong
• 8:30
  answers.
• 8:31
  But
• 8:31
  watch
• 8:31
  out.
• 8:31
  That
• 8:32
  play
• 8:32
  clock
• 8:32
  has
• 8:32
  gotcha.
• 8:33
  We
• 8:33
  got
• 8:33
  25
• 8:34
  seconds
• 8:34
  before
• 8:34
  the
• 8:34
  penalty
• 8:35
  hits.
• 8:35
  Score
• 8:35
  as
• 8:36
  many
• 8:36
  touchdowns
• 8:36
  as
• 8:36
  you
• 8:36
  can
• 8:37
  in
• 8:37
  five
• 8:37
  minutes
• 8:37
  and
• 8:38
  claim
• 8:38
  your
• 8:38
  spot
• 8:38
  on
• 8:39
  a
• 8:39
  global
• 8:39
  leaderboard.
• 8:40
  Pigs
• 8:40
  can
• 8:40
  drive.
• 8:41
  You
• 8:41
  drive
• 8:41
  where
• 8:41
  your
• 8:41
  football
• 8:42
  IQ
• 8:42
  is
• 8:42
  the
• 8:42
  MVP
• 8:43
  play
• 8:44
  now@pigskindispatch.com
• 8:46
  we're
• 8:46
  glad
• 8:46
  you're
• 8:46
  back.
• 8:47
  We're
• 8:47
  taking
• 8:47
  you
• 8:47
  back
• 8:48
  to
• 8:48
  1936.
• 8:49
  February
• 8:49
  8th.
• 8:50
  We
• 8:51
  are
• 8:51
  in
• 8:51
  a
• 8:51
  Philadelphia
• 8:52
  ballroom
• 8:53
  where
• 8:53
  the
• 8:53
  first
• 8:54
  NFL
• 8:54
  draft
• 8:55
  is
• 8:55
  taking
• 8:55
  place.
• 8:56
  The
• 8:56
  Ritz
• 8:57
  Carlton
• 8:57
  Hotel.
• 8:58
  Nine
• 8:58
  teams,
• 8:58
  nine
• 8:59
  rounds
• 8:59
  and
• 8:59
  81
• 9:00
  players
• 9:00
  selected.
• 9:01
  There
• 9:01
  were
• 9:01
  no
• 9:02
  television
• 9:02
  cameras,
• 9:03
  there
• 9:03
  was
• 9:03
  no
• 9:03
  draft
• 9:04
  analyst,
• 9:04
  no
• 9:04
  green
• 9:05
  room.
• 9:05
  And
• 9:05
  most
• 9:05
  of
• 9:05
  the
• 9:05
  owners
• 9:06
  worked
• 9:06
  from
• 9:06
  list
• 9:06
  of
• 9:07
  players
• 9:07
  that
• 9:07
  they
• 9:07
  had
• 9:07
  compiled
• 9:08
  from
• 9:08
  newspaper
• 9:09
  clippings
• 9:09
  and
• 9:09
  college
• 9:10
  media
• 9:10
  guides.
• 9:11
  Some
• 9:11
  names
• 9:11
  were
• 9:11
  misspelled,
• 9:12
  some
• 9:12
  players
• 9:13
  were
• 9:13
  selected
• 9:14
  who
• 9:14
  had
• 9:14
  already
• 9:15
  decided
• 9:15
  not
• 9:15
  to
• 9:16
  play
• 9:16
  pro
• 9:16
  football.
• 9:17
  And.
• 9:17
  And
• 9:17
  the
• 9:17
  entire
• 9:18
  affair
• 9:18
  was
• 9:18
  conducted
• 9:19
  in
• 9:19
  near
• 9:19
  obscurity.
• 9:21
  Now
• 9:21
  the
• 9:21
  Philadelphia
• 9:21
  Eagles
• 9:22
  picking
• 9:22
  first
• 9:22
  selected
• 9:23
  Jay
• 9:23
  Burwanger,
• 9:24
  halfback,
• 9:25
  University
• 9:25
  of
• 9:25
  Chicago
• 9:26
  Heisman
• 9:26
  Trophy
• 9:27
  winner.
• 9:27
  But
• 9:28
  Bell's
• 9:28
  Eagles
• 9:29
  knew
• 9:29
  they
• 9:29
  could
• 9:29
  not
• 9:29
  afford
• 9:30
  to
• 9:30
  sign
• 9:30
  him.
• 9:30
  The
• 9:31
  team
• 9:31
  was
• 9:31
  broke.
• 9:32
  So
• 9:32
  they
• 9:32
  traded
• 9:33
  Burwanger's
• 9:33
  rights
• 9:33
  to
• 9:34
  the
• 9:34
  Chicago
• 9:34
  Bears,
• 9:34
  the
• 9:35
  richest,
• 9:35
  most
• 9:35
  successful
• 9:36
  franchise
• 9:36
  in
• 9:36
  the
• 9:37
  league,
• 9:37
  owned
• 9:37
  by
• 9:37
  a
• 9:37
  man
• 9:38
  who
• 9:38
  had
• 9:38
  proven
• 9:38
  that
• 9:39
  he
• 9:39
  would
• 9:39
  pay
• 9:39
  for
• 9:40
  talent.
• 9:40
  What
• 9:41
  happened
• 9:41
  next
• 9:42
  passed
• 9:42
  into
• 9:42
  legendary.
• 9:43
  Now,
• 9:43
  according
• 9:43
  to
• 9:44
  the
• 9:44
  Pro
• 9:44
  Football
• 9:44
  hall
• 9:44
  of
• 9:44
  Fame
• 9:45
  and
• 9:45
  Burwanger's
• 9:46
  own
• 9:46
  account,
• 9:46
  Hallis
• 9:47
  had
• 9:47
  offered
• 9:47
  him
• 9:48
  a
• 9:48
  contract
• 9:48
  worth
• 9:48
  $13,500,
• 9:50
  a
• 9:51
  significant
• 9:51
  sum
• 9:52
  for
• 9:52
  that
• 9:52
  era,
• 9:52
  far
• 9:53
  more
• 9:53
  than
• 9:53
  most
• 9:53
  NFL
• 9:54
  players
• 9:54
  are.
• 9:54
  But
• 9:54
  Burwanger,
• 9:55
  who
• 9:55
  had
• 9:56
  studied
• 9:56
  business
• 9:56
  at
• 9:56
  Chicago
• 9:57
  and
• 9:57
  understood
• 9:58
  exactly
• 9:59
  what
• 9:59
  the
• 9:59
  first
• 9:59
  Heisman
• 10:00
  winner's
• 10:00
  name
• 10:00
  was
• 10:01
  worth,
• 10:01
  made
• 10:02
  a
• 10:02
  counteroffer.
• 10:04
  He
• 10:04
  said,
• 10:04
  quote,
• 10:05
  I
• 10:05
  said
• 10:06
  25,000
• 10:07
  for
• 10:08
  two
• 10:08
  years
• 10:09
  and
• 10:09
  a
• 10:09
  no
• 10:09
  cut
• 10:09
  contract.
• 10:10
  Burwanger
• 10:11
  told
• 10:11
  the
• 10:11
  New
• 10:11
  York
• 10:11
  Times
• 10:12
  decades
• 10:12
  later.
• 10:12
  We
• 10:13
  shook
• 10:13
  hands,
• 10:13
  said
• 10:14
  goodbye,
• 10:14
  and
• 10:15
  he
• 10:15
  and
• 10:15
  I
• 10:16
  have
• 10:16
  been
• 10:16
  good
• 10:16
  friends
• 10:16
  ever
• 10:17
  since.
• 10:17
  Now
• 10:17
  Halas
• 10:18
  reaches
• 10:18
  limit
• 10:19
  at
• 10:19
  13,500
• 10:20
  and
• 10:20
  Burwanger
• 10:21
  held
• 10:21
  at
• 10:22
  15,000,
• 10:23
  roughly
• 10:23
  $260,000.
• 10:26
  Today
• 10:26
  the
• 10:27
  gap
• 10:27
  was
• 10:27
  $1500
• 10:29
  and
• 10:29
  neither
• 10:29
  man
• 10:30
  blinked.
• 10:30
  George
• 10:31
  Hallis,
• 10:31
  who
• 10:31
  had
• 10:31
  built
• 10:31
  a
• 10:31
  dynasty
• 10:32
  on
• 10:32
  toughness
• 10:32
  and
• 10:33
  discipline,
• 10:33
  could
• 10:34
  not
• 10:34
  bring
• 10:34
  himself
• 10:34
  to
• 10:34
  pay
• 10:35
  a
• 10:35
  rookie
• 10:36
  more
• 10:36
  than
• 10:36
  four
• 10:36
  times
• 10:36
  what
• 10:36
  he
• 10:37
  was
• 10:37
  paying
• 10:37
  Bronco
• 10:37
  Nagurski.
• 10:38
  And
• 10:38
  Jay
• 10:38
  Burwanger,
• 10:39
  a
• 10:39
  22
• 10:39
  year
• 10:40
  old
• 10:40
  with
• 10:40
  a
• 10:40
  business
• 10:41
  degree
• 10:41
  and
• 10:41
  a
• 10:42
  clear
• 10:42
  sense
• 10:42
  of
• 10:42
  his
• 10:42
  own
• 10:42
  worth,
• 10:43
  could
• 10:43
  not
• 10:43
  bring
• 10:44
  himself
• 10:44
  to
• 10:44
  accept
• 10:45
  less.
• 10:46
  So
• 10:46
  Jay
• 10:47
  Burwanger
• 10:47
  did
• 10:47
  something
• 10:48
  that's
• 10:48
  incomprehensible
• 10:49
  to
• 10:49
  us
• 10:49
  modern
• 10:50
  people
• 10:50
  in
• 10:51
  the
• 10:51
  NFL.
• 10:51
  And
• 10:52
  the
• 10:52
  modern
• 10:52
  NFL,
• 10:53
  a
• 10:53
  league
• 10:53
  where
• 10:53
  in
• 10:54
  the
• 10:54
  number
• 10:54
  one
• 10:54
  pick
• 10:54
  in
• 10:54
  a
• 10:54
  2025
• 10:55
  draft
• 10:56
  signed
• 10:56
  a
• 10:56
  four
• 10:56
  year
• 10:56
  contract
• 10:57
  worth
• 10:57
  more
• 10:57
  than
• 10:58
  $41
• 10:58
  million.
• 10:59
  Here,
• 11:00
  Burwanger
• 11:01
  walked
• 11:01
  away.
• 11:01
  He
• 11:01
  took
• 11:02
  a
• 11:02
  job
• 11:02
  as
• 11:02
  a
• 11:02
  foam
• 11:03
  rubber
• 11:03
  salesman.
• 11:04
  Now
• 11:05
  he
• 11:05
  was
• 11:05
  not
• 11:05
  alone.
• 11:06
  As
• 11:06
  Bill
• 11:06
  Shakespeare,
• 11:07
  the
• 11:07
  Notre
• 11:07
  Dame
• 11:08
  back
• 11:08
  selected
• 11:08
  in
• 11:08
  the
• 11:08
  third
• 11:09
  round
• 11:09
  overall
• 11:10
  by
• 11:10
  the
• 11:10
  Pittsburgh
• 11:11
  Pirates
• 11:11
  also
• 11:12
  said
• 11:12
  no.
• 11:12
  Paul
• 11:13
  Bear
• 11:13
  Bryant,
• 11:14
  drafted
• 11:14
  in
• 11:15
  the
• 11:15
  fourth
• 11:15
  round
• 11:15
  by
• 11:15
  the
• 11:15
  Brooklyn
• 11:16
  Dodgers,
• 11:16
  declined
• 11:17
  professional
• 11:17
  football
• 11:17
  to
• 11:18
  pursue
• 11:18
  coaching.
• 11:19
  Probably
• 11:19
  a
• 11:20
  good
• 11:20
  idea
• 11:21
  that
• 11:21
  he
• 11:21
  did
• 11:21
  that
• 11:21
  and
• 11:22
  probably
• 11:22
  good
• 11:22
  for
• 11:22
  football.
• 11:23
  Eddie
• 11:23
  Eldoretz
• 11:24
  of
• 11:24
  St.
• 11:24
  Mary's
• 11:25
  a
• 11:25
  third
• 11:26
  round
• 11:26
  pick
• 11:26
  of
• 11:26
  the
• 11:26
  Chicago
• 11:27
  Cardinals
• 11:27
  also
• 11:27
  walked
• 11:28
  away
• 11:28
  for
• 11:29
  all
• 11:29
  Americans
• 11:29
  in
• 11:30
  the
• 11:30
  first
• 11:30
  four
• 11:30
  rounds.
• 11:31
  The
• 11:31
  very
• 11:31
  first
• 11:31
  NFL
• 11:32
  draft
• 11:32
  looked
• 11:32
  at
• 11:32
  professional
• 11:33
  football
• 11:34
  and
• 11:34
  the
• 11:34
  same
• 11:34
  thing.
• 11:35
  Thank
• 11:35
  you,
• 11:36
  but
• 11:36
  no.
• 11:38
  But
• 11:39
  Burwanger
• 11:40
  was
• 11:40
  the
• 11:40
  first
• 11:41
  and
• 11:41
  that's
• 11:41
  what
• 11:41
  mattered.
• 11:43
  The
• 11:43
  1936
• 11:44
  draft
• 11:45
  was
• 11:45
  by
• 11:45
  modern
• 11:45
  standards
• 11:46
  a
• 11:46
  failure.
• 11:47
  Of
• 11:48
  the
• 11:48
  81
• 11:48
  players
• 11:49
  selected,
• 11:49
  fewer
• 11:49
  than
• 11:50
  half
• 11:50
  ever
• 11:50
  played
• 11:50
  it
• 11:51
  down
• 11:51
  in
• 11:51
  the
• 11:51
  NFL.
• 11:52
  The
• 11:52
  very
• 11:52
  first
• 11:52
  pick
• 11:53
  never
• 11:53
  suited
• 11:53
  up.
• 11:54
  And
• 11:54
  the
• 11:54
  very
• 11:54
  idea
• 11:55
  that
• 11:55
  professional
• 11:55
  teams
• 11:56
  would
• 11:56
  could
• 11:57
  compel
• 11:57
  college
• 11:57
  stars
• 11:58
  to
• 11:58
  play
• 11:58
  for
• 11:58
  them,
• 11:59
  the
• 11:59
  core
• 11:59
  consumption
• 12:00
  of
• 12:00
  the
• 12:00
  draft
• 12:01
  was
• 12:01
  not
• 12:02
  yet
• 12:02
  a
• 12:02
  reality.
• 12:03
  But
• 12:03
  the
• 12:04
  framework
• 12:04
  held
• 12:04
  the
• 12:05
  principle
• 12:05
  that
• 12:06
  the
• 12:06
  worst
• 12:06
  teams
• 12:06
  get
• 12:07
  the
• 12:07
  first
• 12:07
  chance
• 12:07
  at
• 12:08
  the
• 12:08
  best
• 12:08
  players
• 12:09
  survived
• 12:10
  its
• 12:10
  first
• 12:10
  test
• 12:11
  in
• 12:11
  every
• 12:11
  test
• 12:12
  since.
• 12:12
  The
• 12:13
  draft
• 12:13
  that
• 12:13
  Bell
• 12:13
  created
• 12:14
  over
• 12:14
  the
• 12:15
  coming
• 12:15
  decades
• 12:15
  became
• 12:16
  the
• 12:16
  single
• 12:16
  most
• 12:16
  important
• 12:17
  engine
• 12:17
  of
• 12:17
  the
• 12:17
  competitive
• 12:18
  balance
• 12:18
  of
• 12:19
  American
• 12:19
  professional
• 12:20
  sports.
• 12:20
  Yes,
• 12:21
  I
• 12:21
  said
• 12:21
  all
• 12:22
  American
• 12:22
  professional
• 12:23
  sports.
• 12:23
  Now
• 12:24
  here's
• 12:24
  what
• 12:24
  Bell
• 12:24
  understood
• 12:25
  in
• 12:25
  1935
• 12:25
  that
• 12:26
  most
• 12:26
  sports
• 12:26
  executives
• 12:27
  did
• 12:27
  not
• 12:28
  A
• 12:28
  league
• 12:28
  as
• 12:28
  a
• 12:29
  partnership.
• 12:29
  If
• 12:29
  the
• 12:30
  Green
• 12:30
  Bay,
• 12:30
  the
• 12:30
  smallest
• 12:31
  market
• 12:31
  in
• 12:31
  professional
• 12:32
  sports,
• 12:32
  cannot
• 12:33
  compete
• 12:33
  with
• 12:33
  the
• 12:34
  New
• 12:34
  Yorks
• 12:34
  and
• 12:34
  the
• 12:34
  Chicago's
• 12:35
  of
• 12:35
  the
• 12:35
  league,
• 12:35
  the
• 12:36
  entire
• 12:36
  enterprise
• 12:37
  will
• 12:37
  eventually
• 12:37
  collapse.
• 12:38
  The
• 12:38
  draft
• 12:39
  was
• 12:39
  not
• 12:39
  a
• 12:39
  charity.
• 12:40
  It
• 12:40
  was
• 12:40
  self
• 12:41
  preservation.
• 12:42
  A
• 12:42
  Bell
• 12:42
  would
• 12:43
  go
• 12:43
  on
• 12:43
  become
• 12:43
  the
• 12:43
  NFL
• 12:44
  commissioner
• 12:44
  in
• 12:44
  1946
• 12:45
  and
• 12:45
  he
• 12:46
  served
• 12:46
  that
• 12:46
  role
• 12:46
  until
• 12:47
  his
• 12:47
  death
• 12:47
  in
• 12:47
  1959.
• 12:48
  The
• 12:49
  man
• 12:49
  who
• 12:49
  chased
• 12:49
  Stan
• 12:50
  Koska
• 12:50
  in
• 12:50
  Minneapolis
• 12:51
  hotel
• 12:51
  room
• 12:52
  and
• 12:52
  who
• 12:52
  proposed
• 12:53
  the
• 12:53
  draft
• 12:53
  at
• 12:53
  the
• 12:53
  Fort
• 12:54
  Pit
• 12:54
  Hotel,
• 12:54
  who
• 12:55
  owned
• 12:55
  a
• 12:55
  team
• 12:55
  that
• 12:55
  finished
• 12:56
  2
• 12:56
  and
• 12:56
  9
• 12:56
  and
• 12:57
  earned
• 12:57
  the
• 12:57
  first
• 12:57
  pick
• 12:58
  in
• 12:58
  history,
• 12:59
  well,
• 12:59
  that
• 12:59
  man
• 13:00
  became
• 13:00
  one
• 13:00
  of
• 13:00
  the
• 13:01
  architects
• 13:01
  of
• 13:01
  professional
• 13:02
  football
• 13:02
  as
• 13:02
  we
• 13:02
  know
• 13:03
  it
• 13:03
  now.
• 13:03
  The
• 13:04
  Burt
• 13:04
  Bell
• 13:04
  Award,
• 13:04
  given
• 13:05
  annually.
• 13:05
  The
• 13:05
  NFL's
• 13:06
  best
• 13:06
  player
• 13:06
  of
• 13:06
  the
• 13:06
  year
• 13:06
  is
• 13:07
  named
• 13:07
  for
• 13:07
  him
• 13:08
  and
• 13:08
  his
• 13:08
  bus
• 13:08
  sits
• 13:09
  in
• 13:09
  the
• 13:09
  Pro
• 13:09
  Football
• 13:09
  hall
• 13:10
  of
• 13:10
  Fame.
• 13:11
  As
• 13:11
  for
• 13:11
  Jay
• 13:11
  Burwanger,
• 13:12
  well,
• 13:12
  he
• 13:12
  never
• 13:13
  regretted
• 13:13
  his
• 13:13
  decision.
• 13:14
  He
• 13:14
  built
• 13:15
  a
• 13:15
  successful
• 13:15
  manufacturing
• 13:16
  business,
• 13:16
  Jay
• 13:17
  Burwinger
• 13:18
  Incorporated,
• 13:18
  producing
• 13:19
  plastic
• 13:19
  and
• 13:20
  sponge
• 13:20
  rubber
• 13:20
  strips
• 13:21
  for
• 13:21
  car
• 13:21
  doors,
• 13:21
  trunks
• 13:22
  and
• 13:22
  farm
• 13:22
  machinery.
• 13:23
  He
• 13:23
  wrote
• 13:23
  a
• 13:24
  sports
• 13:24
  column
• 13:24
  for
• 13:24
  the
• 13:24
  Chicago
• 13:25
  Daily
• 13:25
  News
• 13:25
  and
• 13:26
  he
• 13:26
  refereed
• 13:26
  college
• 13:27
  football
• 13:27
  games.
• 13:28
  He
• 13:28
  served
• 13:28
  as
• 13:28
  a
• 13:29
  Navy
• 13:29
  flight
• 13:29
  instructor
• 13:30
  during
• 13:30
  World
• 13:30
  War
• 13:31
  II
• 13:31
  crew
• 13:31
  teaching
• 13:32
  pilots
• 13:32
  to
• 13:32
  fly,
• 13:33
  and
• 13:33
  later
• 13:33
  he
• 13:34
  said
• 13:34
  that
• 13:34
  those
• 13:34
  flights
• 13:35
  were
• 13:35
  more
• 13:35
  terrifying
• 13:36
  than
• 13:36
  anything
• 13:36
  that
• 13:36
  he
• 13:36
  had
• 13:37
  experienced
• 13:37
  in
• 13:37
  the
• 13:38
  war.
• 13:38
  In
• 13:38
  1954,
• 13:39
  he
• 13:40
  was
• 13:40
  inducted
• 13:40
  into
• 13:40
  college
• 13:41
  famed
• 13:41
  Football
• 13:42
  hall
• 13:42
  of
• 13:42
  Fame's
• 13:43
  inaugural
• 13:44
  inauguration,
• 13:45
  and
• 13:45
  his
• 13:45
  Heisman
• 13:46
  Trophy
• 13:46
  spent
• 13:46
  decades
• 13:47
  in
• 13:47
  a
• 13:47
  glass
• 13:47
  case
• 13:48
  at
• 13:48
  the
• 13:48
  University
• 13:48
  of
• 13:48
  Chicago.
• 13:49
  His
• 13:49
  son
• 13:50
  Collier
• 13:50
  later
• 13:51
  said
• 13:51
  of
• 13:51
  him,
• 13:51
  my
• 13:52
  dad
• 13:52
  always
• 13:53
  said
• 13:53
  football
• 13:54
  is
• 13:54
  what
• 13:55
  I
• 13:55
  did,
• 13:55
  but
• 13:55
  it's
• 13:56
  not
• 13:56
  who
• 13:56
  I
• 13:56
  am.
• 13:57
  Jay
• 13:57
  Burwinger
• 13:58
  died
• 13:58
  on
• 13:58
  June
• 13:58
  26,
• 13:59
  2002,
• 14:00
  at
• 14:00
  the
• 14:00
  age
• 14:01
  of
• 14:01
  88.
• 14:02
  He
• 14:02
  was
• 14:02
  the
• 14:02
  only
• 14:02
  man
• 14:02
  in
• 14:03
  history
• 14:03
  to
• 14:03
  be
• 14:03
  the
• 14:03
  first
• 14:03
  Heisman
• 14:04
  Trophy,
• 14:05
  the
• 14:05
  first
• 14:05
  NFL
• 14:05
  draft
• 14:06
  pick
• 14:06
  and
• 14:06
  a
• 14:07
  phone
• 14:07
  rubber
• 14:07
  salesman
• 14:08
  all
• 14:08
  in
• 14:09
  the
• 14:09
  same
• 14:09
  remarkable
• 14:10
  life.
• 14:11
  And
• 14:12
  when
• 14:12
  the
• 14:12
  commissioner
• 14:12
  steps
• 14:13
  up
• 14:13
  to
• 14:13
  the
• 14:13
  podium
• 14:14
  on
• 14:14
  draft
• 14:14
  night
• 14:14
  each
• 14:15
  April
• 14:15
  or
• 14:15
  May,
• 14:16
  the
• 14:16
  flashbulbs
• 14:17
  popping,
• 14:17
  the
• 14:17
  fans
• 14:18
  roaring
• 14:18
  and
• 14:18
  the
• 14:19
  young
• 14:19
  men
• 14:19
  in
• 14:19
  tailored
• 14:20
  suits
• 14:20
  waiting
• 14:20
  for
• 14:20
  their
• 14:20
  names
• 14:21
  to
• 14:21
  be
• 14:21
  called,
• 14:22
  what
• 14:22
  they
• 14:22
  are
• 14:22
  participating
• 14:23
  in
• 14:23
  began
• 14:24
  in
• 14:24
  a
• 14:24
  hotel
• 14:24
  ballroom
• 14:25
  In
• 14:25
  Philadelphia
• 14:25
  in
• 14:26
  1936,
• 14:27
  a
• 14:27
  room
• 14:27
  full
• 14:27
  of
• 14:27
  men
• 14:28
  working
• 14:28
  from
• 14:28
  newspaper
• 14:29
  clippings,
• 14:30
  a
• 14:30
  draft
• 14:30
  board
• 14:30
  with
• 14:31
  names
• 14:31
  spelled
• 14:31
  wrong,
• 14:32
  and
• 14:32
  a
• 14:32
  first
• 14:32
  pick
• 14:33
  at
• 14:33
  professional
• 14:34
  football
• 14:34
  that
• 14:35
  said,
• 14:35
  I'm
• 14:35
  worth
• 14:36
  more
• 14:36
  than
• 14:36
  you
• 14:36
  think.
• 14:37
  The
• 14:37
  draft
• 14:37
  was
• 14:38
  born
• 14:38
  in
• 14:38
  that
• 14:38
  room,
• 14:38
  and
• 14:39
  it
• 14:39
  has
• 14:39
  never
• 14:39
  stopped
• 14:40
  teaching
• 14:40
  the
• 14:40
  same
• 14:40
  lesson
• 14:41
  Jay
• 14:41
  Burwanger
• 14:42
  taught
• 14:42
  George
• 14:42
  Hallis
• 14:43
  in
• 14:43
  a
• 14:43
  Chicago
• 14:44
  hotel
• 14:44
  lobby.
• 14:45
  Talent
• 14:45
  knows
• 14:46
  its
• 14:46
  value,
• 14:47
  and
• 14:47
  the
• 14:47
  league
• 14:47
  just
• 14:47
  spent
• 14:48
  the
• 14:48
  next
• 14:48
  99
• 14:49
  years
• 14:49
  learning
• 14:50
  to
• 14:50
  pay
• 14:50
  for
• 14:50
  it.
• 14:51
  Now,
• 14:51
  next
• 14:51
  time
• 14:52
  on
• 14:52
  the
• 14:52
  gridiron
• 14:52
  timeline
• 14:53
  that
• 14:53
  we
• 14:53
  cover
• 14:54
  on
• 14:54
  pigskindispatch.com
• 14:55
  we'll
• 14:55
  go
• 14:55
  to
• 14:55
  the
• 14:56
  year
• 14:56
  1969.
• 14:57
  And
• 14:58
  what
• 14:58
  a
• 14:58
  year
• 14:58
  of
• 14:58
  change
• 14:59
  that
• 14:59
  was.
• 14:59
  A
• 15:00
  year
• 15:00
  of
• 15:00
  surprises.
• 15:01
  A
• 15:01
  year
• 15:01
  of
• 15:02
  AFL
• 15:02
  and
• 15:02
  NFL
• 15:03
  merging.
• 15:04
  A
• 15:04
  year
• 15:04
  when
• 15:05
  the
• 15:05
  AFL
• 15:06
  got
• 15:06
  to
• 15:06
  look
• 15:07
  the
• 15:07
  NFL
• 15:08
  eye
• 15:08
  to
• 15:08
  eye
• 15:09
  and
• 15:09
  proved
• 15:09
  its
• 15:09
  worth.
• 15:10
  Helped
• 15:10
  the
• 15:11
  merger,
• 15:11
  helped
• 15:12
  everything.
• 15:12
  And
• 15:12
  a
• 15:12
  lot
• 15:12
  of
• 15:13
  great
• 15:13
  college
• 15:13
  football
• 15:13
  as
• 15:14
  well.
• 15:14
  We'll
• 15:15
  have
• 15:15
  that
• 15:15
  and
• 15:15
  more
• 15:15
  coming
• 15:16
  up,
• 15:16
  but
• 15:16
  join
• 15:17
  us
• 15:17
  each
• 15:17
  day
• 15:17
  on
• 15:18
  pigskindispatch.com
• 15:19
  and
• 15:20
  that
• 15:20
  great
• 15:20
  pigskin
• 15:21
  dispatch
• 15:22
  timeline.
• 15:22
  Till
• 15:22
  next
• 15:22
  time,
• 15:23
  everybody
• 15:23
  have
• 15:23
  a
• 15:23
  great
• 15:23
  gridiron
• 15:24
  day.