Chris Willis is head of the Research Library, NFL Films, a position he has held since 1996. He is the author of Old Leather: An Oral History of Early Pro Football in Ohio, 1920-1935 (Scarecrow, 2005) and The Columbus Panhandles: A Complete History of Pro Football's Toughest Team, 1900-1922 (Scarecrow, 2007).

• Foreword James A. Carr, grandson of Joe F. Carr Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: One Man’s Vision Part I: Humble Beginnings (1879–1919)1. The Irish Way (1841–1878) 2. Growing Up in Columbus, Ohio (1879–1893) 3. The Love of a Family Is Replaced by a Love of Sports (1894–1906) 4. The Columbus Panhandles and the Great Nesser Brothers (1907–1909) 5. Starting a Family (1910–1913) 6. Pro Football’s Most Famous Traveling Team (1914–1916) 7. Making a Name for Himself (1917–1919) Part II: The Presidency (1920–1939)8. The American Professional Football Association (1920) 9. President Elect (1921) 10. The National Football League (1922) 11. Defending Professional Football (1923) 12. Baby Steps for President Carr (1924) 13. The NFL Comes to New York City (1925) 14. The Galloping Ghost and Pottsville Controversy (1925) 15. The Grange League (1926) 16. Traveling for a Cause (1927–1928) 17. How Do We Get to the Big Cities and Stay? (1929–1930) 18. Small-Town Green Bay Is Titletown (1931) 19. Indoor Circus (1932) 20. The Pro Game Separates Itself from the College Game (1933) 21. Sneakers in New York (1934) 22. The Postgraduate Game Is Finally a Big-City Sport (1935) 23. Packers, Redskins, and the NFL Draft (1936) 24. Heart of Gold Continues to Work (1937) 25. “Greatest Show in Football” (1938) 26. Death of a President (1939) 27. Aftermath 28. Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963) 29. The Legacy of Joe F. Carr Appendix: Dates and Locations of NFL Meetings Presided by NFL President Joe F. Carr (1921–1939) Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

This biography profiles the man who shepherded the NFL at its outset and established the solid foundation upon which Bert Bell and Pete Rozelle could build. In many ways, Carr's was the harder and most crucial job, named league president in 1921 when 'post graduate football' was not a serious competitor to college football or major league baseball. Willis (head of research lib., NFL Films) reminds us that Carr drew up and enforced the bylaws of the league and continually pushed it forward by recruiting a stable ownership group in large U.S. cities. Carr's years in sports management also embraced basketball and baseball. Willis relates Carr's life in comprehensive detail from a wealth of interviews and use of Carr's archives. This thorough biography of a forgotten but influential figure in sports management is recommended to all football fans.

Chris Willis is head of the Research Library, NFL Films, a position he has held since 1996. He is the author of Old Leather: An Oral History of Early Pro Football in Ohio, 1920-1935 (Scarecrow, 2005) and The Columbus Panhandles: A Complete History of Pro Football's Toughest Team, 1900-1922 (Scarecrow, 2007).

• Foreword James A. Carr, grandson of Joe F. Carr Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: One Man’s Vision Part I: Humble Beginnings (1879–1919)1. The Irish Way (1841–1878) 2. Growing Up in Columbus, Ohio (1879–1893) 3. The Love of a Family Is Replaced by a Love of Sports (1894–1906) 4. The Columbus Panhandles and the Great Nesser Brothers (1907–1909) 5. Starting a Family (1910–1913) 6. Pro Football’s Most Famous Traveling Team (1914–1916) 7. Making a Name for Himself (1917–1919) Part II: The Presidency (1920–1939)8. The American Professional Football Association (1920) 9. President Elect (1921) 10. The National Football League (1922) 11. Defending Professional Football (1923) 12. Baby Steps for President Carr (1924) 13. The NFL Comes to New York City (1925) 14. The Galloping Ghost and Pottsville Controversy (1925) 15. The Grange League (1926) 16. Traveling for a Cause (1927–1928) 17. How Do We Get to the Big Cities and Stay? (1929–1930) 18. Small-Town Green Bay Is Titletown (1931) 19. Indoor Circus (1932) 20. The Pro Game Separates Itself from the College Game (1933) 21. Sneakers in New York (1934) 22. The Postgraduate Game Is Finally a Big-City Sport (1935) 23. Packers, Redskins, and the NFL Draft (1936) 24. Heart of Gold Continues to Work (1937) 25. “Greatest Show in Football” (1938) 26. Death of a President (1939) 27. Aftermath 28. Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963) 29. The Legacy of Joe F. Carr Appendix: Dates and Locations of NFL Meetings Presided by NFL President Joe F. Carr (1921–1939) Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

This biography profiles the man who shepherded the NFL at its outset and established the solid foundation upon which Bert Bell and Pete Rozelle could build. In many ways, Carr's was the harder and most crucial job, named league president in 1921 when 'post graduate football' was not a serious competitor to college football or major league baseball. Willis (head of research lib., NFL Films) reminds us that Carr drew up and enforced the bylaws of the league and continually pushed it forward by recruiting a stable ownership group in large U.S. cities. Carr's years in sports management also embraced basketball and baseball. Willis relates Carr's life in comprehensive detail from a wealth of interviews and use of Carr's archives. This thorough biography of a forgotten but influential figure in sports management is recommended to all football fans.

Chris Willis is head of the Research Library, NFL Films, a position he has held since 1996. He is the author of Old Leather: An Oral History of Early Pro Football in Ohio, 1920-1935 (Scarecrow, 2005) and The Columbus Panhandles: A Complete History of Pro Football's Toughest Team, 1900-1922 (Scarecrow, 2007).

• Foreword James A. Carr, grandson of Joe F. Carr Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: One Man’s Vision Part I: Humble Beginnings (1879–1919)1. The Irish Way (1841–1878) 2. Growing Up in Columbus, Ohio (1879–1893) 3. The Love of a Family Is Replaced by a Love of Sports (1894–1906) 4. The Columbus Panhandles and the Great Nesser Brothers (1907–1909) 5. Starting a Family (1910–1913) 6. Pro Football’s Most Famous Traveling Team (1914–1916) 7. Making a Name for Himself (1917–1919) Part II: The Presidency (1920–1939)8. The American Professional Football Association (1920) 9. President Elect (1921) 10. The National Football League (1922) 11. Defending Professional Football (1923) 12. Baby Steps for President Carr (1924) 13. The NFL Comes to New York City (1925) 14. The Galloping Ghost and Pottsville Controversy (1925) 15. The Grange League (1926) 16. Traveling for a Cause (1927–1928) 17. How Do We Get to the Big Cities and Stay? (1929–1930) 18. Small-Town Green Bay Is Titletown (1931) 19. Indoor Circus (1932) 20. The Pro Game Separates Itself from the College Game (1933) 21. Sneakers in New York (1934) 22. The Postgraduate Game Is Finally a Big-City Sport (1935) 23. Packers, Redskins, and the NFL Draft (1936) 24. Heart of Gold Continues to Work (1937) 25. “Greatest Show in Football” (1938) 26. Death of a President (1939) 27. Aftermath 28. Pro Football Hall of Fame (1963) 29. The Legacy of Joe F. Carr Appendix: Dates and Locations of NFL Meetings Presided by NFL President Joe F. Carr (1921–1939) Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

This biography profiles the man who shepherded the NFL at its outset and established the solid foundation upon which Bert Bell and Pete Rozelle could build. In many ways, Carr's was the harder and most crucial job, named league president in 1921 when 'post graduate football' was not a serious competitor to college football or major league baseball. Willis (head of research lib., NFL Films) reminds us that Carr drew up and enforced the bylaws of the league and continually pushed it forward by recruiting a stable ownership group in large U.S. cities. Carr's years in sports management also embraced basketball and baseball. Willis relates Carr's life in comprehensive detail from a wealth of interviews and use of Carr's archives. This thorough biography of a forgotten but influential figure in sports management is recommended to all football fans.