The National Forgotten League: Entertaining Stories and Observations from Pro Football's First Fifty Years

by Dan Daly

The first fifty years of America’s most popular spectator sport have been strangely neglected by historians claiming to tell the “complete story” of pro football. Well, here are the early stories that “complete story” has left out. What about the awful secret carried around by Sid Luckman, the Bears’ Hall of Fame quarterback whose father was a mobster and a murderer? Or Steve Hamas, who briefly played in the NFL then turned to boxing and beat Max Schmeling, conqueror of Joe Louis? Or the two one-armed players who suited up for NFL teams in 1945? Or Steelers owner Art Rooney postponing a game in 1938 because of injuries? These are just a few of the little-known facts Dan Daly unearths in recounting the untold history of pro football in its first half century.

 

These decades were also full of ideas and experimentation, such as the invention of the modern T formation that revolutionized offense, unlimited player substitution, and soccer-style kicking, as well as the emergence of televised pro football as prime-time entertainment. Relying on obscure sources, original interviews, old game films and statistical databases, Daly’s extensive research and engaging stories bring the NFL’s formative years—and pro football’s folk roots—to life.

Genres: Sports, Football, History

424 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. I like the writer's past work. For this book, he found stories I hadn't read/heard elsewhere. Would recommend, yes.

The best (most interesting, entertaining) thing I learned... page 263:

Lou Groza kicked on five consecutive lays in the Browns 1952 season opener against the Rams:
1. In the last minute of the first half, Groza boots a 49-yard field goal to give Cleveland a 20-0 lead.
2. Groza kicks off, the Rams' Woodley Lewis fumbles, and the Brows gain possession.
3. On the next play, Groza boots a 14-yard field goal to make it 23-0. Eight seconds remain in the half.
4. Groza kicks off again. The half ends during the return.
5. Groza kicks off to start the second half.

Amazing.

Aurora library.

[Rob Neyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daly's earlier book was tremendous, and this one - along the same lines - is just as good. Maybe even better, because this time he had Google's help in tracking down obscure details.

If you're interested in NFL (and AAFC and AFL) history, it's simply essential.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aside from the occasional survival and true-life adventure book, usually regarding mountain climbing or sailing, I never read sports books. The only professional sport I've ever paid much attention to was football--and that was limited to the Green Bay Packers (my fraternal grandfather went to their games before Lambeau Field was even built!) because it's in my blood. I happened to see this book on the "New Books" shelf while visiting my local library and after flipping through a couple pages, I decided I was curious enough to give it a shot, hoping it might provide me an insight into what the games were like when my Grandpa knew the Packers.

Don't expect any history prior to football going professional--for pre-NFL origin stories you'll have to look elsewhere.

The book is full of anecdotal stories, first-hand quotes, trivia facts, and news clippings from every decade of those fifty years. It's a very good read, even for this pedestrian fan, so I'd consider it a must-read for anybody who loves football.

My only complaint, and it's admittedly biased, is that there's barely anything mentioned about the Packers themselves except in passing. There's tons about the Bears and the Giants and Redskins, but the Packers (one of the original teams, and the ONLY team that's still small-town and community-owned!) get little more than the occasional nod. Granted, the era covered is pre-Lombardi, but I know that the Packers were a force to be reckoned with prior to him.

[Oliver Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few detailed and intriguing anecdotes (Sid Luckman, Johnny Sample, the rise of the T formation) are intermixed with lots of irrelevant pieces of pure trivia likely to be of interest only to the author and other obsessive fans. I'm usually not partial to these "tidbits"-style works, but Daly's extensive research into an obscure subject redeems the project and makes up for its scattershot organization.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father would have loved it. I only remember the decades of the 50's & 60's and those were adeptly handled. A good read for football fans of all ages.

[Jim Reineking · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingly well-researched recollection of early (pre-Super Bowl) era in NFL

[Ron Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not great, collection of stories and trivia.