Columbus Panhandles

In 1901 workers at the Panhandle shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad in Columbus, Ohio formed a professional football team called the Columbus Panhandles. The railroad workers, mainly European immigrants, learned the game of football not on college gridirons, but on the sandlots of railroad yards during their lunch breaks. With the leadership of an innovative team manager and its tough physical play, the Panhandles went on to play for more than twenty years as one of the most successful teams in the rag-tag days of professional football.
Incorporating original interviews and actual newspaper accounts, Chris Willis recreates the largely forgotten story of this unique squad of men. In The Columbus Panhandles: A Complete History of Pro Football's Toughest Team, 1900-1922, Willis shows how team manager, future NFL commissioner Joseph Carr, used the perks of free railroad travel for employees and the gate attraction of the famous Nesser brothers to build pro football's most successful traveling team. Season by season, Willis provides a fascinating account of the team's spectacular triumphs and crushing losses.

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 (2005) and The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr (2010), both published by Scarecrow Press.

Part 1 Preface Part 2 Acknowledgments Part 3 Reader's Note: History, Rules, Scoring, Equipment, and Salaries of Early Pro Football Part 4 Part I: The Seasons, 1900-1922 Chapter 5 Chapter 1 The Panhandle Shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad in Columbus, Ohio Chapter 6 Chapter 2 Origin of the Columbus Panhandles, 1900-1901 Chapter 7 Chapter 3 1902 Season Chapter 8 Chapter 4 1903 Season Chapter 9 Chapter 5 1904 Season Chapter 10 Chapter 6 1907 Season Chapter 11 Chapter 7 1908 Season Chapter 12 Chapter 8 1909 Season Chapter 13 Chapter 9 1910 Season Chapter 14 Chapter 10 1911 Season Chapter 15 Chapter 11 1912 Season Chapter 16 Chapter 12 1913 Season Chapter 17 Chapter 13 1914 Season Chapter 18 Chapter 14 1915 Season Chapter 19 Chapter 15 1916 Season Chapter 20 Chapter 16 1917 Season Chapter 21 Chapter 17 1918 Season Chapter 22 Chapter 18 1919 Season Chapter 23 Chapter 19 1920 APFA Season Chapter 24 Chapter 20 1921 APFA Season Chapter 25 Chapter 21 1922 APFA Season Chapter 26 Chapter 22 The Legacy of the Columbus Panhandles Part 27 Part II: The Players Chapter 28 Chapter 23 Hi Brigham Chapter 29 Chapter 24 Earl Colburn Chapter 30 Chapter 25 Joe Mulbarger Chapter 31 Chapter 26 Al Nesser Chapter 32 Chapter 27 Frank Nesser Chapter 33 Chapter 28 Fred Nesser Chapter 34 Chapter 29 John Nesser Chapter 35 Chapter 30 Phil Nesser Chapter 36 Chapter 31 Ted Nesser Chapter 37 Chapter 32 Emmett and Homer Ruh Chapter 38 Chapter 33 John Schneider Chapter 39 Chapter 34 Lee Snoots Chapter 40 Chapter 35 Other Longtime Panhandle Players Part 41 Part III: Places and Events Chapter 42 Chapter 36 Columbus Panhandles Results against Columbus Opponents, 1901-1922 Chapter 43 Chapter 37 Columbus Panhandles Team Colors and Logo Chapter 44 Chapter 38 Neil Park Athletic Field, Columbus, Ohio Chapter 45 Chapter 39 The First Game in NFL History Chapter 46 Chapter 40 The First NFL Office Building, 16 Easy Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, 1921-1939 Chapter 47 Chapter 41 The 1951 Panhandle Team Reunion Part 48 Appendix A Columbus Panhandles All-Time Roster, 1901-1922 Part 49 Appendix B Columbus Panhandles All-Time Yearly and Season Records, 1901-1922 Part 50 Appendix C Columbus Panhandles All-Time Records by Opponent Part 51 Appendix D Complete Box Scores of All Columbus Panhandles Games, 1901-1922 Part 52 Bibliography Part 53 Index Part 54 About the Author