Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1941-02-27
Speaking Of.
SPORTS
BY ROBERT MeSHAilE
Released by Western Newspaper Union

= Released by Western Newspaper Union /.
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InNE of the wisest moves ever
~ made by the National Profes-
sional Football league was persuad.
ing Elmer Layden to quit the clois-
tiers Of collegiate football for the
more turbulent professional gridiron
business.
The former Notre Dame coach
and athletic director had an excel
lent reason for casting his lot with
the play-for-pay boys. That rea-
son was financial. It isn't necessary
to 60 beyond the announced figures
of his new deal to understand why
he took the step he did rather than
sign TIE new contract which was
offered him at Notre Dame. A man
with family responsibilities doesn't
have to think twice about 5000
year. No coaching job could have
paid him that much
Perhaps typical Of professional
football is the fact that the Thin
Man found himself in the middle Of
a controversy before the ink on his
contract had dried. Bert Bell, half
owner of the Philadelphia Eagles,
and two other club owners, Alexis
Thompson of Pittsburgh and Dan
Topping of Brooklyn, touched off the
fireworks by declaring that Layden
had been 'railroaded' into Office.
Sound and Fury
The lanky Layden, never known to
be overly verbose, assumed a strict
self-imposed silence as pro circles
debated the legality of his appoint.
ment. Messrs. Bell, Thompson and
Topping objected loudly to the man.
ner Of the appointment, shrieking
that 1t wouldn't be official until &C.
ton Is taken to amend the constitu.
ton at the league meeting in April.
Quite a few followers of profess
sional football were considerably
disguised with the outbursts original
ing in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and
Brooklyn. Far-sighted club owners
were congratulating themselves for
having hired a man who will give the
pro league type Of solid standing
with the general sports public far
beyond anything professional foot
ball has enjoyed to date. But three
disgrmtled club owners were not
satisfied with the arrangement. They
proceeded to let the world know 1t.
Their complaints sounded silly, how
ever, when George Halas, owner Of
the Chicago Bears and the man who
signed Layden, denied that Layden
was named commissioner without
the knowledge of other club owners
particularly Thompson and Top
ping.
I'VE talked to them by telephone
the same as other club owners"
said Halas. "A majority of the club
owners voted for Layden and a ma
jority is all the league constitution
demands on any matter of business"
Marshall's Views
George Marshall, owner OF the
Washington Redskins, pulled no
punches in airing his views of the
appointment. He pointed out that
Art Rooney. who owns SO per cent
of the Philadelphia club, was one
Of the signers Of the Layden con-
tract. That fact, he pointed out,
should be brought to Bells attention.
The teapot tempest blown up by
Thompson, Topping and Bell has
started the public to musing over
whether Layden will have real au.
thority In his new job or whether
the pro owners will still run the
show In their own cat and dog fash
ion. 1t wasn't a very suspicious
beginning, but chances are that Lay
den is the least perturbed of the lot.
He's the kind Of an individual who
will give value received for his an
nual $4,000 salary. And he can't
do that by serving as nothing more
than a nominal head.
We expect to see quite a few
chunks of fur flying around the Ma
tional Football league next fall.
Layden's Job
Layden won't stand for question.
able policies or tactics-you can be
sure Of that. Given q chance he will
be as valuable to professional foot
ball as Judge X. M. Lands Is to
organized baseball. For that rea-
SON, and like Judge Lands, he will
be unpopular with q certain num-
Der Of club owners.
1t will be interesting to note
whether or not that number in
cludes Messrs. Thompson, Topping
and Bell.
There's always the chance that
few Of the owners went along with
the rest merely because they figured
the commissioner would be nothing
more than a subtle sort of front
for the organization. If that is so,
those owners failed to exercise good
judgment. Layden will instill more
confidence in the league, but not by
simply lending his name. He will
see to it that the spirit of the law.
as well as the letter. is obeyed by
every club owner in the National
Football league.
And that, friends, will be a bitter