Art Rooney - Loved and Admired by All From the Official National Football League Encyclopedia, By Don R. Smith - 1989 Edition - Gallery Books Born in Coulterville, Pennsylvania USA on Jan. 17, 1901 Elected to the America's Football Hall of Fame in 1964 In 1933, Art Rooney paid $2,500 for the Pittsburgh Pirates NFL franchise. His first Pirates teams - the club name was changed to Steelers in 1941 - were not much better than the semi-pro teams he once sponsored before he became involved with the NFL. The closest the Steelers came to a championship in their first 40 years was a tie for the Eastern Division title in 1947 (they lost a playoff game), and a close second-place finish in 1963. In 1938, Rooney signed Byron (Whizzer) White, the Colorado All-American, to a then-record $15,000 contract. Such devotion to pro football was demonstrated time and again by Rooney, who proved to be one of NFL's guiding lights during the depression years of the 1930s.

Since the Steelers didn't win, they didn't draw crowds, either. Rooney's losses mounted but his resolve never wavered. Finally, in the 1970s, the Steelers hit on the right combination of coaching and brilliant playing talent, and became the dominant team of pro football. They won four Super Bowls in a six-year period, a feat unmatched by any pro team. With the possible exception of the clubs Pittsburgh defeated, the entire sports world rejoiced with Rooney as he accepted the Vince Lombardi Trophy each year. One of the most revered of all sports personalities, the down-to-earth Rooney was loved and admired for the warmth and kindness and genuine personal interest he extended to everyone he met. When Rooney died, on August 25, 1988, tributes poured in from friends and admires from every walk of life. The Dallas Cowboys, arch-rivals of Mr. Rooney's teams in two Super Bowls, made a gesture believed to be unprecedented by an opposing team of wearing his initials, AJR, on their helmets during the 1988 season-opener against the Steelers.

Copyright 2007 footballhistorian.com

Arnie Herber
Quarterback, Defensive Back - Green Bay Packers 1930-1940... Member of the Hall of Fame

A hometown football hero, Arnie Herber graduated from Green Bay West High School where he excelled in football, track and basketball, then attended Wisconsin/Regis College for one season before trying out for the Packers.

Although not an instant success, Herber could throw a football almost the length of the field with pin-point accuracy. Nicknamed the 'Great Arm' three times he led the NFL in passes attempted and in passes completed, passing yardage and TD passes - 1932, 1934 and 1936. Wearing uniform No. 19 he teamed up with legendary receiver Don Hutson to lead Green Bay to two World Championships, 1936 and 1939. Arnold 'Flash' Herber career stats: completed 481-of-1174 Passes, 41.0 pct, 8,033 yards, 6.8 average, 82 TD passes, 98 INT, a 53.2 rating... playoffs - 24-of-59 passes, 436 yards, 4TD, 8 INT... footballhistorian.com

Don Hutson
End - Green Bay Packers 1935-1945... Born: 1/31/1913, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Don Hutson starred at the University of Alabama, 1931-35, was an All-American College End, 1934, and was an outstanding pass receiver for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League from 1935-45. Hutson annually led the league in pass receptions or scoring. In 1942, he scored 17 touchdowns, kicked 33 extra points and one field goal. Hutson was elected to the Football Hall of Fame in 1963. When he retired he was number one in career passes caught for touchdowns with 99 and first in career total TD, 105. Don Hutson's career stats: Passes Caught 488, Yards 7,991, Ave. 16.4, PAT 172, FG 7, Total Points 823.

Famous Football Players

Joe Perry
San Francisco 49ers - 1950s

Pro Football's Greatest Players - Joe Perry HB

From old book by Coach George Allen with Ben Olan

Joe Perry was nicknamed 'The Jet' early in his pro career by San Francisco quarterback Frankie Albert, who marveled at his teammate's quick-starting abilities. It was appropriate because Perry had the kind of speed that could break games wide open.

Perry came into pro football in 1948 after playing at Compton Junior College and in the Navy. In high school he was clocked in 9.7 seconds for the 100, sprinter speed that marked him as something special. But in his first high school football scrimmage, he broke an ankle. It was only a slight setback, though. When he got to Compton, Perry scored 22 touchdowns in one season, proving he was fully healed.

In the Navy he caught the eye of John Woudenberg, a tackle with the 49ers. San Francisco signed Joe the Jet for the 1948 season, launching a brilliant career that would lead Perry to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

After playing two years in the old All-American Conference, Perry moved with San Francisco into the NFL in 1950. He instantly was recognized as one of the top runners in his new league. He became the first man in the NFL to rush over 1,000 yards in two consecutive years. He had 1,018 yards in 1953 and improved that to 1,049 yards the next season. He gained 1,345 yards in his two seasons in the AAC and produced 8,378 for 14 NFL seasons. Perry had a combined total of 71 touchdowns.

Perry, 6-foot, 200-pounder, also was one of the first running backs to catch passes out of the backfield. He caught 260 passes for 2,021 yards and scored 513 points. In 1961, San Francisco traded Perry to Baltimore. He spent two years with the Colts and then returned to the 49ers for his final season, 1963. It was hoped he could play in at least three games to qualify for an NFL pension. But Perry surprised everyone by playing in nine games instead. Footballhistorian.com Archives - Pro Football History

USA TODAY NEWSPAPER CLIPPING - Top Salaries in 2000

Union Chief won't give up signing bonuses! May 23, 2000 by Larry Weisman... USA TODAY NFL team owners complain about the huge signing bonuses they pay to players, but there's no relief in sight on the labor front. Players get 64% of the NFL's defined gross revenues (broadcasting and gate receipts). NFL union chief Gene Upshaw says, ' I don't think the percentage they're getting is high enough. I could live with 67%.' All of which means contracts would get even more complicated. Even now, they are loaded with fascinating structural tricks and incentives: Miami paid $1,200 gor game tickets for quarterback Dan Marino. Arizona pays $24,400 to lease a luxury box at Sun Devil Stadium for quarterback Jake Plummer. Baltimore tallied $46,800 in loan interest paid for linebacker Ray Lewis. Players also get paid for controlling themselves in the face of bullet lines. Kansas City Chiefs' offensive tackle Victor Riley picked up $30,000 in bonuses tied to his weight. The Green Bay Packers' Earl Dotson pocketed $250,000 for the same. In many contracts, a signing bonus replaces base pay. consider the package feeding the Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell. He picked up $7.9 million in renegotiating signing bonuses last year in exchange for minimal base salaries for 1999 and 2000 ($400,000). Top Salaries for Position in the NFL: Position, Team: '99 Salary - CB, Dallas Cowboys, Deion Sanders $6.2 million ... DE New Orleans Saints, Joe Johnson $5.6 million... DT Tampa Bay Buccaneers Warren Sapp $6.23 million... LB Pittsburgh Steelers Levon Kirkland $5.34... OL Chicago Bears, James Williams $5.15... P/K Cleveland Browns, Chris Gardocki $1.24... QB Dallas Cowboys, Troy Aikman $6.7... RB St. Louis Rams, Marshall Faulk $4.3... Safety Tennessee Titans Blaine Bishop $3 million... TE New England Patroits, Ben Coates $2.85... WR Cincinnati Bengals, Carl Pickens $5.2 million - Footballhistorian.com

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