Tag Archives: New York Football Yankees
Buddy Young
Buddy Young (Pro football. Born, Chicago, IL, Jan. 5, 1926; died, Terrell, TX, Sept. 4, 1983.) A small, elusive package of halfback, Claude (Buddy) Young was a thrilling part of New York pro football for five seasons with teams in two leagues based in Yankee Stadium. As a rookie in 1947, Young first excited New […]
Eddie Tryon
Eddie Tryon (Pro football. Born, Medford, MA, July 25, 1900; died, St. Petersburg, FL, May 1, 1982.) As a four-year letterman who captain the unbeaten Colgate team of 1925 (7-0-2), Joseph Edward Tryon was a major name for the embryonic Football Yankees of 1926. Tryon scored 111 points with 15 touchdowns as a college senior, […]
Dan Topping
Dan Topping (Baseball, pro football. Born, Grennwich, CT, June 11, 1912; died, Miami, FL, May 18, 1974.) Grandson of a former president of Republic Steel on his father’s side and a tin millionaire on his mother’s, Daniel Reid Topping was an above-average amateur golfer, owner of two pro football teams, and an owner of the […]
Ken Strong
Ken Strong (College and pro football. Born, West Haven, CT, Apr. 21, 1906; died, New York, NY, Oct. 5, 1979.) An early star for the Football Giants, and rated by most as New York University’s greatest athlete, Elmer Kenneth Strong was the leader of a college football team that enjoyed the greatest success in the school’s history. […]
Bob Sheppard
Bob Sheppard (Public address. Born, Richmond Hill, Queens, Oct. 20, 1910; died, Baldwin, NY, July 11, 2010.) Robert Leo Sheppard possessed one of the most memorable voices in the history of New York sports and a style of enunciation that has never been equalled. Although almost everyone associates him with New York Yankees baseball games, where […]
Otto Schnellbacher
Otto Schnellbacher (Pro football. Born, Sublette, KS, Apr. 15, 1923; died, Topeka, KS, Mar. 10, 2008.) Though he was with the team for only two seasons (1950-51), Otto Schnellbacher was a corner of Giants coach Steve Owen’s (q.v.) “umbrella defense.” Along with Tom Landry (q.v.), Harmon Rowe, and Emlen Tunnell (q.v.), Schnellbacher formed a unit that […]
Harvey Johnson
Harvey Johnson (Pro football. Born, Bridgeton, NJ, June 22, 1919; died, Orchard Park, NY, Aug. 8, 1983.) A fullback at William & Mary and a defensive back in pro football, Harvey P. Johnson made his mark primarily as a placekicker with the A.A.F.C. Yankees (1946-49). Johnson was one of just four players to make the […]
Lou Kusserow
Lou Kusserow (Football. Born, Braddock, PA, Sept. 6, 1927; died, LaQuinta, CA, June 30, 2001.) A star running back with Lou Little’s strong post-war teams, Louis Joseph Kusserow is the Columbia leader in points scored for a career and held the single season record for over a half-century. Despite missing the final four games of the […]
Mike Michalske
Mike Michalske (Pro football. Born, Cleveland, OH, Apr. 24, 1903; died, Green Bay, WI, Oct. 26, 1983.) As a guard who was the best interior lineman on the team, Michael Michalske played for all three original Yankees teams (A.F.L. 1926, N.F.L. 1927-28). After the Yankees disbanded, Michalske went to Green Bay for eight seasons (1929-35, […]
Pug Manders
Pug Manders (Pro football. Born, Millbank, SD, May 5, 1913; died, Des Moines, IA, Jan. 20, 1985.) Brooklyn Dodgers owner Dan Topping wanted Drake running back Clarence Manders so badly that he paid the Pittsburgh Steelers to use their No. 2 choice Dec. 10, 1938, to draft him for the Dodgers. Manders was the regular fullback […]
