This episode of “When Football Was Football” is indeed a special one. Although it is hard to believe, “When Football Was Football” emerged nearly two years ago on the Sports History Network.
As such, the program that you are about to hear is the 50th edition in our efforts to share some unusual stories about the early days of pro football in Chicago. Twice each month, we enter the dusty football archives in search of a forgotten hero, or simply to present another side of a familiar historical person or event.
Although it was totally unexpected, we were very honored recently when this podcast was named as one of the eight finalists in the category of “team” podcasts in the global competition presented by the Sports Podcast Awards.
Avatus Stone
Our episode this week uncovers a very unusual story that resulted in a player’s disappearance, the threat of an ensuing lawsuit, and some bitter feelings in the burgeoning rivalry between the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, then known as the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union.
The year was 1953 and the Chicago Cardinals were excited about the potential of the team’s quick new halfback from Syracuse named Avatus Stone.
The Cardinals drafted Stone in the ninth round and expected him to compete with local legends such as Charley Trippi and Billy Cross for playing time, especially with the retirement of Elmer Angsman and the loss of Ollie Matson to military service in 1953. Stone was also a gifted punter, rated one of the best in collegiate circles.
Avatus Scintilated and Connected
At Syracuse, Stone initially became noted for his all-around abilities going back to his freshman season in 1949. In the coverage of a 51-0 romp over the Buffalo freshmen, the Syracuse Post-Standard commented: “Avatus “Stony” Stone, quarterback, scintillated and connected on six of seven passes in addition to scoring a touchdown.”
On the varsity level, beginning in 1950, he was a standout defensive back and punter for the Orange. In a 27-7 win over Penn State, Stone intercepted three passes and returned one theft back 85 yards for a touchdown. But then due to team injuries, Stone moved over to quarterback in the latter part of the 1951 season and led Syracuse to a 5-4 record, its best mark since 1942.
On November 17, 1951, Stone’s running paced Syracuse to a 9-0 victory over long-time rival Colgate as Stone rambled for a 56-yard score for the only touchdown of the contest. A week later, Stone tossed a 33-yard scoring pass to end Joe Szombathy and added another scoring run himself as Boston University fell 26-19. The Chicago Tribune named Stone to its “All Player All-American First Defensive Team” after the season.
His football future was looking up for Stone as Syracuse concluded its spring practice schedule on May 3, 1952, with an inter-squad game at Archbold Stadium. Stone was the starting quarterback for the Orange team. Unfortunately, his day ended prematurely when he suffered a broken left arm during the first half of action. His coach, Ben Schwartzwalder said:
“It seems like every time you turn around, one of our signal-callers is getting a broken bone.” On the bright side, Stone was expected to recover quickly and assume the starting quarterback position in the fall, especially after jumping in and pacing the team to its rare winning season in 1951.
Best Punter In East
Optimism reigned when Syracuse opened its pre-season camp in August of 1952 with Stone expected to prevail in a three-quarterback race for the starting position according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle:
“Pat Stark and Bruce Yancey lend tremendous support to quarterback Avatus Stone, the East’s best punter last season, a reliable safety man and good defender.” Stone could do it all, but Coach Schwartzwalder decided to utilize the impressive speed of Stone and moved him back to halfback prior to the start of the season.
Then, Avatus Stone endured another devastating injury in one of the last pre-season practices when he suffered torn ligaments to his left knee and immediately underwent surgery. The prognosis was not good: Stone would be lost to Syracuse for the entire 1952 season.
Nonetheless, Syracuse enjoyed a fine year, finishing 7-2 and being ranked 14th in the country. When Navy turned down an offer to play Alabama in the Orange Bowl, Syracuse accepted the invitation to replace Navy. But there was a bit of shameful controversy involved in this scenario.
Although Stone had recovered sufficiently from his knee injury to play in the Orange Bowl, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported that he would not play in order to ensure that he retained a full year of eligibility.
Surprised At Orange Bowl Officials
Sadly and unfortunately, Stone’s injury may have paved the way for Syracuse to accept the Orange Bowl bid due to a horrible mandate required by the opposing University of Alabama. The Press and Sun Bulletin clearly explained the ugly situation:
“Syracuse apparently would not be playing in the Orange Bowl had not its brilliant safety-man, Avatus Stone, suffered pre-season injuries that shelved him for the year. According to Dan Parker’s column in the New York Mirror, Alabama accepted a Miami bid with the stipulation that its opponent have no Negroes on the roster. We’re surprised that the Orange Bowl officials would be part of such discrimination.
Now that Miami has given Alabama a foe with the type of pedigree the Crimson Klan demands, all Dade County [in Florida] is afraid it’ll be murder, that Syracuse won’t belong on the same field with ‘Bama.” With its only Black player on the sidelines, Syracuse gleefully accepted the Orange Bowl bid and then promptly was slaughtered 61-6 by Alabama.
Most Sensational Player
Just three weeks after the ”murder” of Syracuse in the Orange Bowl, the Chicago Cardinals selected Avatus Stone in the ninth round of the 1953 NFL draft. Stone still retained one more year of collegiate eligibility due to the year lost with his knee surgery and he reported for spring practice at Syracuse with high hopes.
Coach Schwartzwalder said that Stone would be the “most sensational player in the East next Fall.” The coach planned to now use Stone as a receiver, along with utilizing his defensive and punting responsibilities.
It should be noted that in addition to his being drafted by the Chicago Cardinals, Stone was also a superb baseball player, being courted by both the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Browns as a catcher. There was also some interest from football teams in the Canadian pro ranks. And this is where things became complicated for both the Cardinals and Avatus Stone.
On July 7, 1953, Stone decided to give up his final year of collegiate eligibility and signed a contract with the Cardinals. Walter Wolfner, Managing Director of the Cardinals, later recalled how this process evolved by stating that Stone had called to ask about his status with the Cardinals and was told that he could not be signed until Stone’s senior class at Syracuse graduated.
At this point, Stone confirmed that he would not return to Syracuse for his final year of competition. Negotiations began, Wolfner sent Stone a plane ticket to the Windy City, and Stone eventually signed a contract with the Cardinals which included a $200 bonus. He was also provided with a ticket for his return to Chicago later in the summer for training camp as well as a $500 advance on his salary.
One of the Greatest Prospects
Stone reported to the Cardinals’ training camp at Lake Forest College and was shown in a syndicated news photo on August 1, 1953, preparing to practice with the Cardinals. Coach Joe Stydahar called him “one of the greatest prospects he had ever seen.”
For the next two weeks, he worked out with the team until suddenly “disappearing” from camp on or about Saturday, August 15, 1953. No one knew where Stone was and he had recently dispelled rumors that he was considering leaving the club by telling Stydahar that “he was entirely happy in the Cardinal camp and gave his word of honor that he would remain with the team,” as reported by the Lubbock Morning Avalanche.
But lo and behold, Stone was found two days later in the lineup of the Ottawa Rough Riders in Canada on August 17. Of course, when word of the sighting of Mr. Stone in Canada reached Chicago, the management of the Cardinals was not very pleased. In particular, Walter Wolfner was angry, irate, and looking for retribution—immediately! Wolfner knew that Stone was under contract with the Cardinals and vowed to “fight this case through and the cost doesn’t matter!”
Wolfner added: “A player has the full right and privilege to go where he pleases. When we draft a player, it only means that if he is going to play football in the National Football League, he must play it with us.
He can ask to be sold or traded, but he can’t join another team without our consent. We fulfill our end of the contract and we expect the player to live up to the terms of the contract once he has signed.”
No Explanation of How He Arrived
While the Ottawa Journal was pleased with the arrival of the gifted football player, it too, had some questions about the shadowy movement of Stone: “Stone signed with the Chicago Cardinals. He had been with them in training camp until now. There is no explanation as to how he comes to be with Ottawa, but he wasn’t cut from the Cardinals. Which may prove interesting.”
Wolfner claimed that he possessed proof that Ottawa sent Stone’s mother $2,000 to help entice him to head north and Wolfner renewed his vow to initiate litigation against the Rough Riders. This seemed to amuse Ottawa President James P. McCaffrey who responded:
“The Ottawa Football Club holds prior contract rights to the services of Avatus Stone and is prepared to accept service of any writ the Chicago Cardinals may issue against it. We dickered with Stone way last Spring. He was to report to our training camp but went to the Cardinal camp at Chicago instead. We are quite within our rights in keeping him and will be glad to have the matter thrashed out in the courts.”
Apparently, all of the threats and posturing between the two clubs never materialized in a lawsuit and Stone remained with the Rough Riders and enjoyed a fruitful season in 1953, finishing among the league leaders in rushing, scoring, pass interceptions, punting, and kickoff returns. He played in the Canadian league through 1957, was twice named to the All-Star team, and in 1955 received the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy as the Most Outstanding Player in the Eastern Division.
Stone returned to the United States and appeared in one game with the Baltimore Colts in 1958 before knee issues prompted his retirement from football. The great disappearance of Avatus Stone gradually faded from view but remains one of the intriguing stories in the long history of the Cardinals.
Thank you for joining us for this episode of “When Football Was Football” and we hope that you can be with us next time when we discuss two brothers who helped the early NFL to survive, even if no one knew their names!
Author and Host - Joe Ziemba
Joe Ziemba is the host of this show, and he is an author of early football history in the city of Chicago. Here, you can learn more about Joe and When Football Was Football, including all of the episodes of the podcast.
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