So, in this season that was full of surprises for the Cardinals—and mostly unfavorable ones—what could Chris O’Brien accomplish that would allow his team to become competitive with the mighty Chicago Bears? The Cards were mired near the bottom of the NFL with a 1-4 record and O’Brien was determined to bring in a big name to help bolster his squad for the Bears (5-3-1), and perhaps grab the city championship from the north siders.

There was really nothing else to play for in the final game of the season for the Cards. So, to no one’s surprise, it was announced by the Chicago Herald-Examiner on the morning before the game that rugged fullback Herb Joesting of the Minneapolis Marines would likely be joining the Cardinals. However, later that day, the Chicago Tribune reported that Joesting had not agreed to terms with the Cards. 

But the Bears created some of their own news when George Halas announced the suspension of fearsome center George Trafton for the game for “failure to keep in training” according to the Green Bay Gazette. Apparently, one recent evening, Bears’ center Trafton departed a local night club only to find a gentleman leaning on Trafton’s car. The offender ignored Trafton’s “polite” request to move away from the car, and then for some reason, challenged Trafton (later to box as a heavyweight) to duke it out.

Bad move for the car leaner…after a couple of quick jabs from Trafton it was all over…except that the police arrived on the scene and all of a sudden, the late-night brawl made the headlines–and Halas was quick to suspend his talented lineman. With a glimmer of hope appearing for the Cardinals, O’Brien made a few calls and found a replacement for Joesting in the legendary Jim Thorpe who was now 41 years old and out of the league for a couple of years. The Chicago Tribune noted that “despite the handicap of age, O’Brien thinks Thorpe will be of value in stopping the Bears’ end runs. Thorpe still possesses the phenomenal kicking ability that was his a decade ago.”

Unfortunately, the presence of Thorpe failed to derail the Bears, who walked away with a 34-0 victory, and Thorpe walked away into the sunset, never to play in the NFL again. Although no photos are available from the game, we do know that Thorpe played briefly, substituting at left end for Ed Allen and then being replaced himself by Don Yeisley.

The media was not kind to the south siders as they completed their NFL schedule with a 1-5 record, and were outscored 107-7. The Tribune pulled no punches by stating: “About the only excuse for thankfulness the Cardinals could muster after the debacle was that the score was only 34-0. Watching the Bears score four times in the second period, the hapless Cards doubtless were surprised that the defeat was by no greater margin.

The defeat, however, could not have been more convincing.” We might say that after that brief appearance, the great Jim Thorpe “retired” as a Cardinal! As a footnote to this remarkable day in Cardinals’ history, Ed Allen, a 5-8, 175 lb. end out of Creighton, enjoyed only a two-game career in the NFL. Despite that brief stay, he could always claim that his substitute on November 29, 1928, was indeed Jim Thorpe, considered by many as the greatest athlete of the 20th century.