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VOLUME 32 (2010)
Number 1:
The State of the PFRA by Ken Crippen. A discussion of the PFRA, where
it stands and its future.
LC Greenwood: The Unofficial Super Bowl Sack King by Tod Maher. A
biographical article on the Pittsburgh Steeler, making the argument that
Greenwood has the record for the most sacks in a Super Bowl, even though it is
not in the record books.
Hall of Very Good. The announcement of the Class of 2009.
Carlisle Indians vs. Massillon Tigers by Tom Benjey. A discussion of
the November 15, 1905 game between the Carlisle Indians and Massillon Tigers.
Paul Maguire: The AFL's Coffin Corner Punter by Greg Tranter. A
biographical article on the punter/linebacker, who played 11 years in the AFL
and NFL.
The 1956 Green Bay Packers by John Collins. A summary of the 1956
season for the Green Bay Packers.
Super Bowl Firsts by Tod Maher. A list of various Super Bowl Firsts,
compiled from the official play-by-play accounts of Super Bowls I to XLIII.
2009 Player Deaths. A list of the players who passed away in 2009.
1930: Nagurski's Debut and Rockne's Lesson by PFRA Research. An
in-depth look at the 1930 NFL season.
Number 2:
PFRA Football Publications Committee Update by Chris Willis. The
committee chair lays out his vision for the new PFRA Football Publications
Committee, including an overview of short-term and long-term goals.
Marcol's Miracle by Andrew Prein. A detailed look at the bizarre
ending to the 1980 season opening game between the Green Bay Packers and the
Chicago Bears.
Clarence 'Ace' Parker by Ken Crippen. A biographical article on the
oldest living Pro Football Hall of Famer (at the time of the writing of the
article).
An Inside Look at the Books of the PCFL by Joe Ziemba. The author digs
deep into the records of the Pacific Coast Football League to reveal the
accounting of this minor league.
George S. Halas Courage Award by John Turney. A list of all winners of
this prestigious award, as well as a brief history of the honor.
Johnny Blood Takes a Cab by Tracy Thibeau. A look at the Christmas Eve
1933 incident involving one of the league's most eccentric players.
Remembering Eldridge Dickey: A Pioneer Before His Time by Lloyd M.
Vance. A biographical article on the first black quarterback to be drafted in
the first round of the NFL draft.
Johnny Bright by Brian Marshall. A look at the Canadian Football
League Hall of Fame running Back.
Recent Books by PFRA Members.
USFL Rushing Yards by Joe Williams. A list of all players who played
in both the NFL and USFL who gained more than 2,000 yards.
Number 3:
1956 Detroit Lions by John Collins. A look at the Detroit
Lions' 1956 season.
Hall of Fame Class of 2010 by Pro Football Hall of Fame. Biographies
and statistics of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010.
Running With The Pass by Dr. Greg Selber. Analysis of how the passing
game has changed over the years.
Some Early Additions to 'When Did They Start?' by Mel Smith. An
expansion on a previous article, detailing teams that started between 1882 and
1890.
1954 Sarnia Imperials by Brian Marshall. A look at the Sarnia
Imperials' 1954 season.
Teammates with 150+ Yards Receiving In The Same Game by John W. Lesko.
A listing of dual 150+yard games by receivers on the same team.
Number 4:
Clark Shaughnessy and the 1949 Los Angeles Rams by TJ
Troup. A recap of the 1949 season for the Los Angeles Rams.
Podolak's Playoff Picasso by Joe Zagorski. A story about Kansas City
Chiefs' running back Ed Podolak and the 1971 Divisional Playoff Game against the
Miami Dolphins.
1983 Olympics in Green Bay by Andrew Prein. a detailing of the October
17, 1983 game between the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins in which
both teams combined to score 95 points.
History in the Present: Success Then Can Mean Success Now by Dave
Bonchi. Coach Dave Bonchi goes into detail on the Wildcat formation.
PFRA Website Update by Ken Crippen. The executive director updates the
membership on new additions to the PFRA website, including linescores, gamebooks,
historical player draft, uniforms of past teams and player deaths.
Opportunity Seized: Muzzy Field and the Lost Game of the 1943 Green Bay
Packers by Douglas S. Malan.
A look at how the New London Diesels were able to schedule a game against the
Green Bay Packers on November 28, 1943.
The Greatest Quarterback Draft Class - 1971 by Doug Bigelow. The
author makes a case for the 1971 quarterback draft class being the greatest of
all-time, over the Class of 1983.
The Merchants of Minerva by John Seaburn. A brief history of the
Minerva Merchants, a semi-pro team from Ohio.
Research Notes by Joe Meeks. The author analyzes the 1933 rushing
statistics, as well as the 1925 schedule of the New York Giants.
Number 5:
The Hall of Very Good by the Hall of Very Good Committee.
The finalists for the Class of 2010 are announced.
The AFL's Top Ten Teams by Ed Gruver. One man's opinion as to who the
top teams were in the American Football League.
The NFL's First Indoor Game by Simon Herrera. On January 9, 1921, the
Rock Island Independents battled the Decatur Staleys...or was it the Chicago
Pullman Thorns. You will have to read the article to find out.
Chile and Bud by Tracy Thibeau. The story of Charles F. "Chile" Walsh,
Bud Yates and pro football in St. Louis.
2010 PFRA Meeting by Ken Crippen. The executive director updates the
membership on the bi-annual organizational meeting.
The Big Mo: Does It Really Exist? by Jeff Eby. A statistical look at
winning and momentum heading into the playoffs. Does it really matter whether
you win games at the end of the season?
Number 6:
The 1969 Raiders-Cowboys Rookie Game by the Jay Zahn. A
detailed account of the July 21, 1969 rookie game between the Oakland Raiders
and Dallas Cowboys. This game marked the debut of Ken Stabler and Roger Staubach.
The 1967 Coastal Division Race: The Pit and the Pendulum by Bernard
Brinker. Recounting the 1967 battle between the Baltimore Colts and Los Angeles
Rams for the Coastal Division title in 1967.
Lost Games: The Chicago Cardinals by Joe Ziemba. A listing of the top
ten "lost" games in Cardinals history.
On the Wrong Side of History by Matt Reaser. A look at milestone and
record-breaking rushing performances against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Re-integration of Pro Football Through 1962 by Larry Lester. A
listing of how each NFL and AAFC team re-integrated their franchise.
John Stofa: Not So Trivial After All by Bob Gill. A look at John
Stofa's career.
VOLUME 33 (2011)
Number 1:
The State of the PFRA by Ken Crippen. A discussion of the PFRA, where
it stands and its future.
Hall of Very Good by Ken Crippen and the Hall of Very Good Committee.
Biographies of the ten members of the Class of 2010.
The King by Martin Jacobs. A personal retrospective of San Francisco
49er great Hugh McElhenney.
Kuech by Drew Hall. A biographical article on Miami Dolphins all-pro
guard Bob Kuechenberg.
Draft Wars: The Fight for Players Between the AFL and NFL by Glenn
Cesa. A look at the battle for the top college players between the warring
leagues.
Scoring at Home (And Every Other Way) by Dan Verdun. Five players have
scored touchdowns by rushing, passing, receiving, returning punts and returning
kicks.
Determining the Best Franchises in Pro Football History by Matt Reaser.
A ranking of the best franchises in pro football history using criteria
determined by the author.
Number 2:
2010 Player Deaths. A listing of all players that passed away in 2010.
The Kardiac Kids by George Bozeka.
A detailed account of the 1980 Cleveland Browns.
Great Games of the 1970s: The Return of Broadway Joe by Joe Zagorski.
An account of the November 28, 1971 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the
New York Jets.
A Case of Statistical Methodology by Greg Thomas. A look at scrambling
quarterbacks and how their rushing statistics are calculated, or mis-calculated.
Why Joe Montana Needed Tampa Bay by Denis Crawford. A look at Joe
Montana's milestone games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Rule Changes: 1920-1932 by Tod Maher. A listing of rule changes from
1920 through 1932.
PFRA Forum by Ken Crippen.
A listing of recent discussions on the PFRA Forum.
Number 3:
Hall of Fame Class of 2011 by Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Biographies of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011.
Broadway Joe's 1967 Season by George Bozeka. A recap of the 1967 New
York Jets' season.
Football Tour de France by Christian Joosten and Denis Crawford.
The story of American football games played in France in December 1938.
Normalized Passer Rating by Rupert Patrick. The author's attempt to
normalize the passer ratings of quarterbacks across eras.
Mel Renfro: "The Allegations Stop Here!" by Dr. Kristine Setting
Clark. Mel Renfro has been blamed for the Dallas Cowboys' loss in Super Bowl V.
Here, Renfro tries to set the record straight.
Number 4:
Hall of Very Good by Hall of Very Good Committee. Biographies
of the finalists for the Hall of Very Good Class of 2011.
The Cleveland Browns: Decade by Decade by Roger Gordon. A brief
history of the Cleveland Browns from their beginning in 1946 through the end of
the 2009 season.
1916: Almost a League? by Mark L. Ford.
Some evidence of an attempt at a league in Ohio for the 1916 season.
It's Good to be the King by George Bozeka. A biographical article on
James Sean Patrick "King" Corcoran.
NFL/WFL Players with 2,000 Career Rushing Yards by Joe Williams. A
list of WFL rushers who have had at least 2,000 yards in their career between
the NFL and WFL.
Hey, Hey, Tampa Bay by Denis Crawford. The story of the creation of
the Buccaneers' song "Hey, Hey Tampa Bay the Bucs Know How to Shine!"
Number 5:
The Championship Is Back Where It Should Have Stayed by TJ Troup. A
recap of the 1943 NFL season and the Chicago Bears' run for a third championship
in four years.
Clem Neacy: All-Pro Guard, Boxer and Surgeon by Michael D. Benter. A
biography of Milwaukee Badgers end Clem Neacy. He also spent time with the
Chicago Bears, Duluth Eskimos and Chicago Cardinals.
Revisiting Super Bowl III by Bill Pepperell.
The author's examination of New York Jets' safety Jim Hudson's quote on Weeb
Ewbank's preparation for Super Bowl III.
An Interview With Joe Perry by Martin Jacobs. An interview with San
Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame fullback Joe Perry.
First Small College Players Drafted by Tex Noel. A listing of the
first small college player drafted each year, including the AFL.
Number 6:
1954 Sarnia Imperials by Brian Marshall. A continuation of the
author's article detailing the 1954 season of the Sarnia Imperials. Lineups and
scoring are included.
Defensive All-Pros: 1938-1940 by John Hogrogian. A detailed look at
defensive all-pros from 1938 through 1940.
Chris Hanburger by Mike Richman. A biographical article on one of the
Pro Football Hall of Fame's most recent inductees.
The 1982 Make-Up Games by Denis Crawford. A look at how the league
rescheduled games after the 57-day work stoppage.
Doubles by TJ Troup. A chronological list of all players who have
caught a touchdown pass and intercepted a pass in the same game.
AAFtermath by Mark L. Ford. A look at how players dispersed when the
All-America Football Conference merged into the National Football League.
VOLUME 34 (2012)
Number 1:
The State of the PFRA by Ken Crippen. An annual report from the
executive director on the PFRA's present status and future goals.
Hall of Very Good by the Hall of Very Good Committee. Mini-biographies
of the nine members of the Class of 2011.
Johnny Unitas’s 47-Game Touchdown Streak by Chris Willis. A look back
at one of the most remarkable streaks in sports history and the unlikely team
that stopped it.
Winner Take All by Mark L. Ford. A discussion of final regular season
games between two teams with a single playoff spot on the line.
2,000 Combined Yards by Brian Marshall. A review of the players who
have broken the 2,000-yard barrier in rushing and receiving yards.
2,000 Net Yards by Ken Pullis. A short introduction and statistical
list of all the players (AAFC/AFL/NFL) who have gained more than 2,000
all-purpose yards.
Number 2:
PFRA-ternizing. A deadline reminder for Hall of Very Good nominations,
information on a Members Only exclusive and a report from the vice-president
on PFRA membership numbers and statistics.
Turning Points by Bert Gambini. An amusing account of the 1966 AFL
Championship between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, a game
which marked a downturn in the fortune of the Bills franchise in the league’s
final years.
Pete Rozelle and the Kennedy Assassination by George Bozeka. An
examination of the NFL commissioner’s controversial decision to play a full
slate of games less than 48 hours after the president had been assassinated.
When the Florists Ran Wild by Joseph S. Page. Part one of a three-part
series on a football team in Nashville, sponsored by a local florist, that
went on to win the unofficial amateur national championship in 1927.
Wanted: NFL QB for Contender by Lee Elder. The story of ex-Rams
quarterbacks of the late 1950s and early 1960s and the success they enjoyed
with other teams in the league after leaving Los Angeles.
2011 Player Deaths. A list of the
professional football players who died last year including information on the
team(s) they played for, the date and location of their death and their age
when they passed away.
Number 3:
PFRA-ternizing. A listing of proposed amendments and revisions to the
Association’s bylaws. (An official PFRA ballot is included on this page.)
The Class of 2012 by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Highlights,
statistics and awards from the football careers of the six members in this
year’s Hall of Fame class.
Sam’s Streak by Brian Marshall. An account of Sam Etcheverry’s 34-game
touchdown pass streak in the CFL from 1954–56 and a statistical comparison to
Unitas’ streak of 47 games in the NFL.
Rating the Rushers by Ken Crippen. A new system for rating the
performance of running backs in the NFL, including methods to normalize the
rating for running backs from different eras, rate teams in rushing (both
offensively and defensively) and factor in the receiving aspect of the modern
running back.
The Futility Bowl by Jay Zahn. A humorous look back at NFL games played
between uncommonly bad teams. Winless teams, one-win teams or teams with long
losing streaks meet in late-season games...with absolutely nothing on the
line, except for a possible top draft pick. Speaking of...
The Chosen Few: Colleges in the NFL Draft. A listing of the top 25 FBS
colleges and top five small colleges that have had players selected in the
first round of the NFL draft, including players taken during the Common Draft.
Number 4:
PFRA-ternizing by Ken Crippen. A report from the executive director on
the recent PFRA meeting at NFL Films in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, including
photographs of the venue and the meeting taken by Mark Palczewski.
Official 2012 Hall of Very Good Ballot. (NOTE: Deadline for voting is
October 1, 2012.)
Quarterback Sack Statistics by Pete Palmer. A statistical look at
sacks and sack yards against quarterbacks going back to 1947,
incorporating new data available from the NFL and including AFL
quarterbacks.
Hugh Culverhouse: A Shakespearean Tale by Denis M. Crawford.
Adapted from a presentation at the 2012 PFRA meeting, this is a story of
greed, power and revenge that is, like the Bard's greatest works, based on
an historical figure—in this case, the original owner of the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers.
The Life of a Kicker by Michael Husted. A former pro's perspective
on the missed field goal attempt by Baltimore Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff
that ended the 2012 AFC Championship Game and the Ravens hopes of a Super
Bowl.
Pro Football’s Missing Link by John M. Spano. The story of an 1890
football game between two gentlemen’s clubs in Philadelphia and the
sterling silver cup they played for—possibly the oldest football trophy of
any kind.
When the Florists Ran Wild by Joseph S. Page. Part Two of a
three-part series covers a Nashville football team’s 1928 season and the
unsuccessful defense of its amateur national championship.
Number 5:
PFRA-ternizing.
Words of congratulations on Ken Crippen’s 2012 Dick Connor Writing Award, an
explanation of endnote usage in articles and a brief memorial to Steve Sabol.
The Otto
Graham Myth and the
Evolution of the Face Mask by
Bert Gambini. An historical survey of face masks in the open helmet-era
before the famous 1953 incident involving Ottto Graham.
“You
Ready, Honey?” Breaking
Pro Football’s Gender Barrier by
William J. Ryczek. The Pat Palinkas story, she of the Orlando Panthers and
the first woman to play in a professional football game.
“Beat the
Hell Out of Them” The Chiefs-Raiders Rivalry, 1968–1971 by Bernard Brinker.
A narrative of the games and players involved at the beginning of this fierce
football rivalry during the transition from the AFL to the NFL.
Cutting
Off Your Nose Tackle to
Spite Your Face by
Mark Speck. A look back the WFL's practice of signing NFL players to "future
contracts", the different teams varying responses to this practice and its
contribution to the demise of the WFL.
Number 6:
PFRA-ternizing.
A year-end membership renewal reminder and updates from the Hall of Very Good
and Oral History committees.
Remembering Duke Slater by Neal Rozendaal. A recollection of one of the early greats of
the NFL and perhaps the greatest of pro football’s pioneering African American
players.
Ranking the NFL Head Coaches by John Maxymuk. A ranking system for head coaches in the
championship-era (post-1932) of the NFL, AAFC and AFL, including such factors
as both regular season and postseason performance, playoff winning percentage
and titles won.
The Ties That Bound by Mark L. Ford. A brief history of tie games in professional
football and the “what-if” scenarios involved. Example games are from the early
days of the APFA on up to and beyond 1974, when the overtime period was
instituted in the NFL.
When the Florists Ran Wild by Joseph S. Page. The final part of a three-part series on a
semi-pro team in Nashville whose season ends abruptly in 1929 after several
memorable years in Tennessee.
VOLUME 35 (2013)
Number 1:
The State of the PFRA by Ken Crippen. An annual report from the
executive director on the PFRA's present status and future goals.
The Hall of Very Good Class of 2012.
Mini-biographies of the nine members of the Class of 2012.
The 2011 PFRA Award Winners.
An announcement of the winners of the Ralph
Hay, Nelson Ross and Bob Carroll Memorial Writing Awards for 2011.
The AFL's Farm Team in Denver
by Mark Speck. A
humorous history of the Denver Broncos of the 1960s and the stable of quality
players they supplied to other AFL teams.
George Saimes, Star Safety
by Greg Tranter. A look back at the Buffalo Bills
defender, arguably one of the best safeties in the history of the AFL.
Sages of the Sixties
by Tracy Thibeau. An analytical article that
reviews the predictions of the major preseason pro football publications of the
1960s and charts their success (or lack thereof).
Killinger Was Here?
by Michael D. Benter. The curious case of former
college star Glen Killinger and the 1924 incident where he was promoted to
appear and to have allegedly have played in an NFL game, only to have never even
been in the league that year.
Number 2:
PFRA-ternizing. An
updated schedule for the remaining issues of the Coffin
Corner of
the year and a report from the vice-president on membership renewals and totals.
Official Hall of
Very Good Class of 2013 Ballot. (NOTE: Deadline for voting is May 31, 2013.)
Johnny Blood
the Boxer by Ralph
Hickok. The story of the brief boxing career of the unpredictable John Victor
"Blood" McNally, based on interviews conducted with McNally and his trainer by
the author in 1973.
Five Open
Questions in NFL Coaching
History by John
Maxymuk. Five coaching cold cases from the early days of the NFL featuring
short-tenured player-coaches, siblings with similar (or the same) names, and
teams that lasted only a few games.
Papergate
and the Demise of the WFL by Denis
M. Crawford. A ticket and tax scandal dubbed "Papergate" that hurt the
credibility of the new World Football League and led to the resignation of a
team president on the same day President Nixon announced he was leaving office.
Longshots:
Division III Players in the NFL by Doug
Bigelow. Based on first-person interviews by the author, these are inspiring and
unlikely stories of small-college players who beat the longest of odds and made
it to the highest level of professional football.
2012 Player
Deaths. A
list of the pro football players who died last year, including information on
the team(s) they played for, the date and location of their death (if known)
and their age when they passed away.
PFRA members receive six issues of our official newsletter-magazine, The Coffin Corner. Each issue is 24 pages crammed with pro football history: articles on great players, teams, and games of the past (and some not-so-great), occasionally a stat article, some opinion, and organization news.
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