Added this new Bronko Nagurski

[TanksAndSpartans]

Thanks Scott - awesome first post - welcome aboard!

Really like the back of that Nagurski premium - they really put effort into that - I had always thought premiums were typically photos with blank banks. Great info on Slingin' Sammy's number too.

[S_GERACE]

Thanks John for the warm welcome.

I've actually been debating on purchasing the Baugh & Nag and having them framed and matted. It would be a shame to cover the reverse (w/ the bio & action shots) which is why I haven't (that & I focus more on mainstream sets).

I've been watching you guys put up some incredible stuff. I agree w/ Jeff Payne and the rest you w/ respect to vintage football. Scarce supply + America's favorite sport = Nowhere to go but up!

On a second note, how does Howard Hickman leave Nagurski off of his list of the 100 greatest All-Americans when he chose them for the '55 All-American set? Some writers selected him both at fullback & tackle when they chose their All-Americans of 1929 and only elected to nominate only 10 players! He's the main reason that I collect Chicles. Gotta have Nagurski!

[S_GERACE]

My Nag!

[jefferyepayne]

Nice looking Nags, Scott! How long have you had it?

I believe the back of the Nags premium is inaccurate. I find no record that Nags wrestled in college or won any college wrestling championships. Anybody have a reference to this information?

jeff

[S_GERACE]

Jeff,
First, thanks for the compliment on the Nagurski. I've had it about five years or so.
Second, I believe that you're right, I don't think that he did wrestle in college (or win a championship). I've read Jim Dent's book "Monster of the Midway" and I don't recall him wrestling at Minnesota (not that its the ultimate source of Nag info). I believe he won professional championships in 1937, 1939 and 1941 (dates could be off). I do know that Leo Nomellini wrestled at Minnesota & won an NCAA title at heavyweight (1947?).

[TanksAndSpartans]

Hi Scott,

Beautiful Nagurski, very clean/well preserved surface - wow!

On a side note, as I've suspected when comparing to other historical books and YouTube (Check out the Sneakers game - Ken Strong didn't "impersonate Nagurski and barrel over" anyone on his key TD run as Dent describes (which in my opinion doesn't lessen the run at all - it was truly a clutch play)), Dent's book may be too inaccurate to consider an historical reference. I used to like to think he just embellished to make the book more readable and it certainly was more enjoyable than a typical historical book, so I was mostly ok with it. But referencing a drive and saying Nags carried X straight times or however many (when in reality he had less than X carries in the game) or changing the events of a game - that I can't agree with.

http://profootballdaly.com/jim-dent-...erary-license/

Jeff, good catch on Nagurski not wrestling in college - it didn't register with me when I read it yesterday, but I agree - I've never heard that before.

[S_GERACE]

Hi John,
I'm not knocking Jim Dent at all. From what I've read, Nagurski was a very private person and it had to be hard to come up with enough material to warrant a book on him, even though he was/is very deserving of it. Strong's run was pretty cool (around the right side of the Giants line, right?)

I can't tell you guys how much fun it is to talk old football. I wish the NFL pushed it's history like MLB!
Regards,
Scott

P.S.-Thanks for the kind words on my card.

[S_GERACE]

Originally Posted by S_GERACE

Jeff,
First, thanks for the compliment on the Nagurski. I've had it about five years or so.
Second, I believe that you're right, I don't think that he did wrestle in college (or win a championship). I've read Jim Dent's book "Monster of the Midway" and I don't recall him wrestling at Minnesota (not that its the ultimate source of Nag info). I believe he won professional championships in 1937, 1939 and 1941 (dates could be off). I do know that Leo Nomellini wrestled at Minnesota & won an NCAA title at heavyweight (1947?).

I was mistaken, Nomellini did NOT win an NCAA title at wrestling. It was a BIG 10 title. Below is a link to NFL players with their wrestling achievements. Nomellini is listed just below Ray Leis' picture (22 names down I believe). No mention of Nagurski in college though. Sorry about the error. Welcome to the forum DeBesse27.

http://www.sectiononewrestling.com/d..._wrestled.html

[DBesse27]

Originally Posted by S_GERACE

Welcome to the forum DeBesse27.

Thanks!!

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by S_GERACE

I was mistaken, Nomellini did NOT win an NCAA title at wrestling. It was a BIG 10 title. Below is a link to NFL players with their wrestling achievements. Nomellini is listed just below Ray Leis' picture (22 names down I believe). No mention of Nagurski in college though. Sorry about the error. Welcome to the forum DeBesse27.

http://www.sectiononewrestling.com/d..._wrestled.html

I like what the section one wrestling site is trying to do but their page on nfl players who wrestled is grossly inaccurate so I wouldn't use it as a reference.

For instance it says Lorenzo Neal was an NCAA champ and has a big picture of him up top. He took 7th in his senior year. They probably meant Stephen Neal.

jeff