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Chris Cagle (football)
Encyclopedia
Christian "Red" Keener Cagle (May 1, 1905 – December 26, 1942) was a professional American football
halfback
and quarterback
from 1930 to 1934, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1954.
(then named Southwestern Louisiana Institute or SLI) from 1922–1925, where he earned a degree in arts and sciences. In his career
at Louisiana-Lafayette, he scored 235 points from touchdowns, extra points and field goals, a school record that lasted until 1989. Besides being the football captain (1925), he also was a star in basketball
and track and field
sports at Louisiana-Lafayette, where he received a degree in arts and sciences.
Cagle then played college football
for four years at the United States Military Academy
(Army) 1926-1929 but did not graduate because he had secretly married in August 1928 in violation of Academy rules. He was forced to resign in May 1930. Known as the "Red Thunderbolt of West Point," he was an All-America
n halfback for the last three years. His longest runs were 75 yards against Yale
, 1928; 70 yards against Ohio Wesleyan
and 65 yards against Yale, 1929. In four years at Army
he scored 169 points, averaged 6.4 yards per attempt in rushing and 26.4 yards on kickoff returns.
Team captain at Army in 1929, he was featured on the September 23 cover of Time
magazine of that same year. Cagle was noted for playing with the chin strap loose from his helmet, and sometimes without helmet. Sportswriters liked to refer to him as "Onward Christian" because of his ability to advance the ball.
from 1930 to 1932. In 1933, he and fellow former New York Giants player John Simms Kelly became co-owners of the NFL's Brooklyn Dodgers
franchise. Cagle played for the team in 1933 and 1934. Dan Topping
bought Cagle's half of the team in 1934.
, he was one of eight children, including five brothers and two sisters. Cagle was named after an uncle, who in turn was named after the late Bishop Christian Keener of the Methodist church
. He attended high school in Merryville
, a small community about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of De Ridder. According to local legend, he was known for getting off the school bus and racing it to school, a race that he quite often won. The football field at Merryville High School is named Keener Cagle Field in his honor.
Cagle was forced to resign before graduating from West Point for a violation of Army rules; He had secretly married Marian Haile after meeting her at Louisiana-Lafayette, and marriage was forbidden at the academy.
Cagle died in 1942, at 37 years of age, from a peculiar mishap the day after Christmas
(December 26). He was discovered unconscious at the bottom of a Manhattan
subway
stairwell. According to The Advertiser report, "Cagle tripped and fell the full length of a flight of subway steps." He died three days later of a fractured skull
. At the time of his death he had lived in a Queens
apartment house with his wife and was employed by an insurance company.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
and quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
from 1930 to 1934, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1954.
College career
He first starred at the University of Louisiana at LafayetteUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the heart of Acadiana...
(then named Southwestern Louisiana Institute or SLI) from 1922–1925, where he earned a degree in arts and sciences. In his career
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Louisiana-Lafayette, he scored 235 points from touchdowns, extra points and field goals, a school record that lasted until 1989. Besides being the football captain (1925), he also was a star in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
sports at Louisiana-Lafayette, where he received a degree in arts and sciences.
Cagle then played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for four years at the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
(Army) 1926-1929 but did not graduate because he had secretly married in August 1928 in violation of Academy rules. He was forced to resign in May 1930. Known as the "Red Thunderbolt of West Point," he was an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n halfback for the last three years. His longest runs were 75 yards against Yale
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, 1928; 70 yards against Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
and 65 yards against Yale, 1929. In four years at Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
he scored 169 points, averaged 6.4 yards per attempt in rushing and 26.4 yards on kickoff returns.
Team captain at Army in 1929, he was featured on the September 23 cover of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine of that same year. Cagle was noted for playing with the chin strap loose from his helmet, and sometimes without helmet. Sportswriters liked to refer to him as "Onward Christian" because of his ability to advance the ball.
Professional career
He played professional football for five seasons. He was with the New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1930 to 1932. In 1933, he and fellow former New York Giants player John Simms Kelly became co-owners of the NFL's Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
franchise. Cagle played for the team in 1933 and 1934. Dan Topping
Dan Topping
Daniel Reid Topping was a part owner and president of the New York Yankees baseball team from 1945 to 1964. Daniel Reid Topping was the son of Rhea Reid and Henry J. Topping. Rhea Reid, the daughter of Daniel G. Reid, known as the "Tinplate King" for his vast wealth in the tin industry, was the...
bought Cagle's half of the team in 1934.
Personal life
Born in De Ridder, LouisianaDe Ridder, Louisiana
DeRidder is a city in and the parish seat of Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 9,808 at the 2000 census. A small portion of the city extends into Vernon Parish....
, he was one of eight children, including five brothers and two sisters. Cagle was named after an uncle, who in turn was named after the late Bishop Christian Keener of the Methodist church
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. He attended high school in Merryville
Merryville, Louisiana
Merryville is a town in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,126 at the 2000 census. It is part of the DeRidder Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Merryville is located at ....
, a small community about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of De Ridder. According to local legend, he was known for getting off the school bus and racing it to school, a race that he quite often won. The football field at Merryville High School is named Keener Cagle Field in his honor.
Cagle was forced to resign before graduating from West Point for a violation of Army rules; He had secretly married Marian Haile after meeting her at Louisiana-Lafayette, and marriage was forbidden at the academy.
Cagle died in 1942, at 37 years of age, from a peculiar mishap the day after Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
(December 26). He was discovered unconscious at the bottom of a Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
subway
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
stairwell. According to The Advertiser report, "Cagle tripped and fell the full length of a flight of subway steps." He died three days later of a fractured skull
Skull fracture
A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the skull usually occurring as a result of blunt force trauma. If the force of the impact is excessive the bone may fracture at or near the site of the impact...
. At the time of his death he had lived in a Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
apartment house with his wife and was employed by an insurance company.