1910's Sports | Pioneer in Pro Football

Memoir

By: Jack Cusack

Date: 1963

Source: Cusack, Jack. Pioneer in Pro Football. Fort Worth, Tx.: Self-published, 1963, 11–12, 13–15, 16–17.

About the Author: Jack Cusack (1890–1973) was one of the prominent early figures in professional football in Ohio. At the age of twenty-one, Cusack became the manager of the Canton Bulldogs, one of the leading teams of the day. During his six years with the Canton Bulldogs, Cusack led the team to two championships (in 1916 and 1917), and was responsible for bringing Jim Thorpe into professional football. In 1918, Cusack left football to enter the oil and gasoline business in Oklahoma. He later worked as an independent oil operator in Fort Worth, Texas.

Introduction

The location of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is logical given the strong role that Canton and Ohio had in the early days of...