Monster of the Midway: Bronko Nagurski, the 1943 Chicago Bears, and the Greatest Comeback Ever
Bronko Nagurski is arguably the best name ever for a football player. Or maybe it just seems that way now, because we associate the name with the accomplishments of a legendary athlete. Born in International Falls, Minnesota, of immigrant parents, Nagurski became an All-American at the University of Minnesota and joined the Chicago Bears of the fledgling National Football League in 1930. He and penurious Bear owner George Halas clashed over his salary, and he left football to become a wrestler after the 1937 season, returning to the Bears in 1943 to lead the team to a championship. Dent interviewed many of Nagurski's friends, relatives, and former teammates. They reveal a taciturn man motivated by fierce pride and a work ethic based on a concept of a day's pay for a day's work. This serviceable biography fills in the details behind a fascinating chapter in early pro football history, but there are no great revelations. Nagurski was a regular fellow who happened to be an extraordinary athlete (with a great name).Wes LukowskyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.