The Story of Ernie Nevers’ First Pro Football Game

Fans of football history usually find the name of Ernie Nevers to be a familiar one. Maybe not a household word in 2021, but certainly one that ripples with respect with the knowledge that Nevers was one of the all-time greats in the National Football League. And yet, his entrance into the world of pro football … Read more

From Okinawa to Wrigley Field: WWII Vets Outflank Halas!

As we celebrate our first anniversary of “When Football Was Football” on the Sports History Network, we can look back at a wide variety of episodes from the golden days of football in the Chicago area. While we’ve covered topics such as the first-ever indoor football games held in Chicago, the individual heroics of players … Read more

Ollie Matson: The Hall of Famer Traded For 9 NFL Players

There have been very few Olympic medalists that are also in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In fact, we can think of only two: Jim Thorpe and Ollie Matson. Thorpe grabbed the gold medal in both the decathlon and the pentathlon in 1912 at the Stockholm games, while Matson won both a silver and … Read more

Marshall Goldberg: From the Dream Backfield to First Defensive Specialist

Cardinals’ legend Marshall Goldberg was in the news recently when newly acquired defensive standout J.J. Watt asked to wear #99 for the Cardinals this season. The only problem was that this esteemed jersey number has been “retired” by the team since before the 1951 season in honor of Mr. Goldberg’s playing career. Watt has since … Read more

The Chicago Cardinals Move to St. Louis!!! But Why? and When?

Any time a city loses a sports team franchise, it initiates years of debate regarding why such a thing could have possibly occurred. Recent NFL teams have moved from cities such as St. Louis, Oakland, and Los Angeles. Usually, there is an obvious reason for the departure, whether it is low fan attendance or simply … Read more