Al Nesser
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[edit] Biography
Al Nesser (Alfred L. Nesser) was born on June 6, 1893 in Columbus, Ohio. He was the smallest of a record setting six brothers and one son on one profesional football team. (The one son, never did actually play, but he did appear in posters, playbills and photo ops.) The Team was the Columbus Panhandles, for the Panhandle division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and had their first game in 1898, when Al was just a boy. They were all boilermakers and worked their regular jobs in back-breaking labor every single day.
The manager of the team was none other than Joe Carr, who later became the first president of the NFL. Nesser had been playing professionally with the Panhandles for a number of years before he made his debut in the APFA in 1920 with the Akron Pros. He played in the APFA for 2 years, playing for the Akron Pros the entire time. Nesser also played in the NFL for 8 years, playing for the New York Giants, Akron Pros, Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Bulldogs over the course of his 8 year NFL career.
Most people believe that 1921 was Al Nesser's best year, as he ran back a fumble for a touchdown. But, if you ask me, I'll tell you it was when he stopped Bronco Nagurski four times in a row on the New York 2 yard line, the fourth time sending Bronco back for a four yard loss. The Chicago Browns had been steadily advancing downfield all day in a very hard fought and scoreless day.
The teams were equally matched, nevertheless the Browns inched down the field all day long. Nagurski, fresh out of college and a Hiesman trophy winner was quarterbacking for Chicago. Newspapers all over America touted Nagurski as being the unstoppable bone-crusher. And they went on to say, "Trying to tackle Bronco Nagurski was like trying to tacle an iron post."
Al Nesser was playing tackle for the Giants. He never wore a helmet, nor any padding of any kind. And at an age when most players had already retired, Al's scarred and balded head seemed the best target on the line. But Al had learned from Football great Jim Thorpe who used to come over the house for dinner quite often. In fact, Ted Nesser(Al's brother) used to put on kicking and passing demonstrations with Thorpe on several occaisions. Brother Ted could pass the old watermelon-sized ball 98 yards. And Jim Thorpe always pretended to be a pushover in the plays that don't matter. (That's why the rookies were always warned, "Watch out for the old Indian!")
And Al Nesser was using those "old Indian tricks" on the Browns that day. Nagurski was totally sucked in. And when Nesser stopped "the Bone-crusher" four times in a row, and the fourth time for a loss, the New York team was totally revitalized. After two more downs and a surprizing down-field run, only yards away from the Chicago goal line, and with only minutes to spare, the New York team made its final push to their first title victory ever in history!...totally shutting out every opponent that entire year!
If you ask the Giants Management Team who got them the victory, the answer lies in their reaction. They gave my grandfather a solid gold football for his contribution to their success! Actions speak louder than words. (My grandfather said the New York organization was "the best in the world".)
No one knows where that solid gold football is today. Al "the Iron-Man" Nesser was eventually forgotten by many; his shrine at the Helms Foundation Football Hall of Fame was simply moved to the basement to make room for younger players. But the impact on my life has been eternal: he was always a gentleman, always kind, never raised his voice, never had to, always respected women, and always seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. He is the only true gentleman I had ever met, until I met the Lord Jesus.
I am his grandson, alfred_102272@yahoo.com. If you want to know more about the Columbus Panhandles, (everything I've told you is a matter of public record), contact Joe Carr's grandson at the NFL Library, Historical Section.
