Evening star., 1959-12-29
ATCHISON'S A S
ANGLE
About Fabulous Johnny Blood
By LEWIS F. ATcHISoN

EVERYBODY SEEMS TO WANT pro football fran
chise, including John Blood McNaly one of the SPORTS
most fabulous oldtimerS Johnny yesterday try
ing to enlist George MarshaS aid in getting National
Football League franchise for his group in Minneapolis
where his family owns interest in the Minneapolis
Star and Tribune and Radio Station WCCO
small war is raging there who's going to get
franchise in which league National or American Ole
HaugSrud, who reputedy bought NFI. franchise
for Duluth for 81 and sold it for ST. back for
Minneapolis. McNaly is with another group. And come
to think of it, the National Leaguers might
thing for the many C5) seasons he spent with Mil
waukee, Duluth Potsvlle, Green Bay and Pittsburgh in
the NILS pioneer days.
Time was of course, when you couldn't give fran
chiSe away That in the preTV era, when club
lost their shirts socks and everything 1t
one why McNay and his playmate received only
jersey when they reported to Duluth. Shoes, socks
shoulder pads and pants had to be supplied by the wearer
EVEN AFTER I CAME into the league we had trou-
BILE getting eighth team" Marshall recalled 1--WE had
meeting at PittsbughS Fort Pitt Hotel because George
HalaS thought it would make good impression on fellow
by the name of Rooney who owned sempro team there
We even played them game and Rooney-it Art of
courSe-and Irving Jafe his partner down to the
station to see Off They asked what about it.
told them that in the first place. their team looked out
of condition.
you're right, Jafe said Rooney doesn't get around
10 the places do and lot of things he doesn't Like
this morning about o'clock saw four or five of our
players coming out OF speakeasy. told Art didn't
think that was right
And when first came into the league they used
to hold meeting to vote the championship" Marshall
continued. Imagine that. thought what kind of
league is this? That's when got them to adopt the
championship payof. That's my baby"
McNALLY AGREED THAT things were rough in tho
old days with money in short supply In 1882 considering
the bleak prospects of long, cold winter Johnny spent
MS last $40 on cabegram to the Honolulu
asking If the would be interested in sponsoring the
Green Bay Packers in a post-season game.
Wed the championship three years in a row"
ne said, And thought we might be attraction So
cable came back asking how we wanted took it to
Curly Lambeau and he said $4,000 made it $4,000
figuring the extra thousand for myself They said okay
and we made the trip but didn't get the 81 OOO Curly
got it,"
Naturally" Marshall said with a laugh Curly had
the darndest contract with Green Bay heard Of
He got only $5OOO maybe it 500 coaching the
team, but he took all the profits over and above ex-
penses from the exhibition games That included the
College A-Star games They tell he made $4,000
year."
MENTION THE NAME of McNaly and most pro foot
ball men think of Vince the Philadelphia Eagles general
manager But Blood is the and only Johnny tall
gray and supple figure at So who became of legend
around the league He and Vince however along with
Boland and Joe Maxwell buddies at Notre Dame
You said Notre Dame?" listener asked
l went there in my senior year" Johnny said. But
George Keogan then the freshman coach to make
tackle out of and fancied myself as halfback 1t
olont work out but did play freshman basketball with
Vince McNally, Johnny Boedisch, Johnny Nyikos and
Lou Conroy
Speaking of Maxwell" put in Dave slatterv visitor
from Notre Dame who was at yesterdays luncheon
we hao MS boy, Scotty, the freshman football squad
In year And about basketbal-Harry Meagher told the
STORY at our football banquet about the basketball
court on the third floor of old building the campus
IL was the only GYM Harry said where you won the
toss you took the goal with the wind"
6LooD MAY CLAIM THE distinction of being the
only senior at Notre Dame who ever bunked in Carroll
Hal the freshman dormitory. And he probably is the
only man who spent three years in two-year college
without hunking. That was at St. Johns, MINI.
I lettered in four sports and elected captain of
the football team" Johnny explained 80 wanted to 90
back for another year We had only so boys there was
See ATCHISONs ANGLE, Page A-17