As a center and linebacker for the New York Giants from 1931-45 Mel Hein was one of the greatest player's in NFL history. He was the NFL MVP in 1938. As a center and linebacker! That's inconceivable. It would be impossible in today's NFL. In 1969, for Bob Curren's book Pro Football's Rag Days, Hein was asked to name his own All-Star team. A team that played offense and defense. He left himself off of the team. This was a humble and major concession.
Mel Hein's All-Time NFL Team:
Center: Bulldog Turner
Guard: Danny Fortman
Guard: Mike Michalske
Tackle: Turk Edwards
Tackle: Cal Hubbard
End: Don Hutson
End: Bill Hewitt
Quarterback: Sammy Baugh
Halfback: Dutch Clark
Halfback: Cliff Battles
Fullback: Bronco Nagurski
All of the players are from Hein's time as a player. Only Baugh played into the 1950s. Considering the time frame it's not surprising that the team is made up of mostly players from the Chicago Bears (Turner, Fortman, Hewitt, and Nagurski), Green Bay Packers (Michalske, Hubbard, Hutson), and Washington Redskins (Edwards, Baugh, and Battles). Those three teams and Hein's Giants were the dominant teams throughout the 1930s and into the 1940s. The Detroit Lions, led by Dutch Clark, were the NFL Champs in 1935. The only team other than the Packers, Bears, Redskins, or Giants to win a title from 1931-44.
I've always found the opinions of the men that actually played the game to be the most interesting. Especially those from an era of football long before me.
No comments:
Post a Comment