Bronko Nagurski

• Chicago Bears (1930-1937, 1943)

• 7x All-Pro selection ( 1930-1936 ) 1 2 crew
• NFL 75th Anniversary All- Time Team
• NFL 1930s All- Decade Team
• Locked back number in college and with the Bears
• 3x NFL Championship (1932, 1933, 1943)
• University of Minnesota Hall of Fame
• Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame

Bronko Nagurski ( born November 3, 1908 in Rainy River, Ontario, Canada, † January 7, 1990 in International Falls, Minnesota, USA; actually Bronislau Nagurski ), nicknamed " Monsters of the Midway ", was a Canadian American football player. He is considered one of the best players in the history of the National Football League ( NFL).

Youth

Nagurski grew up as the son of Ukrainian immigrants, Amelia and Michael Nagurski, first in Canada, then later in International Falls on the border with Canada. His parents belonged to the Ukrainian minority in Poland and operated in Canada a farm. The student Nagurski had daily run to and back four miles to his school. His passion was wrestling and boxing, which was rejected by his mother because of the high risk of injury. His nickname Bronko he received from his friends, who had difficulty with the pronunciation of his first name. The name stuck him get up to his death.

Footballer

College

Nagurski received in 1926 a scholarship to the University of Minnesota, where he played for the Minnesota Golden Gophers both as a fullback as well as a defensive tackle in defense. With the Gophers won Nagurski 1927-1929 18 games, lost four, two games drawn. His jersey number 72 is no longer awarded by the Gophers. Bronko Nagurski was elected 1927-1929 for All American. Because of his athletic achievements, he was honored by his college several times. The outstanding athlete thereby made fast the Scouts of the professional league NFL attention.

Professional time

1930 Nagurski was the Chicago Bears from their legendary team owner and from 1933 again as head coach of the team make George " Papa Bear" Halas committed. In Chicago, he was player of Red Grange. The first two years it was used almost exclusively as a defensive tackle. 1932 committed the Bears to end Bill Hewitt and Nagurski received from this year increasingly being used time fullback. Nagurski it developed into a feared offensive player, who moved often due to its size and ideal for a fullback weight ( 188 cm, 109 kg ) several defenders with him. During his career, he scored a total of 18 touchdowns by running game.

In the 30's football was predominantly a running game. The pass was an exception. Although Nagurski was never set up as a quarterback, he threw to the surprise of his opponent every now and then the ball to a wide receiver after he had received it from his own quarterback. It developed then in the NFL a great discussion on the admissibility of passing trains, which ended in the fact that the passing game nearly ubiquitous.

Nagurski won with the Bears in 1932 NFL Championship. There was no endgame. The respective leaders became champion. In 1933, then an NFL Championship Game was held for the first time. The Bears were able to prevail with 23:21 before 27,000 spectators against the New York Giants. Also in this game, Nagurski operated as a passer. Being caught by Bill Hewitt Pass played this with a permissible Lateralpass back to Bill Karr, who then scored a touchdown.

For caused quite a stir even the duels with the later a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Clarke Hinkle. The team of Hinkle, the Green Bay Packers and Bears met regularly with each other and Nagurski, which ran aground as a tackle, not always kept the upper hand.

1937 ended Nagurski his career as a football player. He was wrestler, but returned in 1943 to the Football back stage as players were scarce due to World War 2. In the jersey of Bears He even once a touchdown. The Bears won the championship again and were able to prevail with 41:21 against the Washington Redskins.

Honors in Football Sports

Nagurski is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and in the National Football League 75th Anniversary All- Time Team. He was the first player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In the All- Time Team the best players of all time were recorded. Nagurski is also a member of College Football Hall of Fame, in the University of Minnesota Hall of Fame and in the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame. His shirt number 3 is no longer awarded by the Bears. In 1969 he was elected Footballs by American sports journalists in the All- Time All-America Team of the College. 2003 Nagurski was on a stamp issued by the United States mail, immortalized. By American sports journalists the Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded annually to the best defensive player in college football since 1993.

Wrestling career

After his football career Nagurski earned 1937-1943 his money as a wrestler at the former National Wrestling Association and National Wrestling Alliance of the resulting. In both leagues, he could also win titles.

Achievements

• National Wrestling Association

• 2x NWA World Heavyweight Champion

• National Wrestling Alliance

After the athletes career

1960 ended Nagurski due to physical problems his career as a professional athlete. He was married and the couple had a child. His son, Bronko Nagurski Jr. played Canadian football for the Hamilton Tiger -Cats in the Canadian Football League ( CFL). Until 1978, Nagurski ran a gas station in International Falls. There is also a museum which bears his name, Bronko Nagurski is on the Saint Thomas Cemetery in International Falls, Minnesota, buried.