John Alexander (American football)
Encyclopedia
John Alexander was a professional football
player with the Massillon Tigers
of the "Ohio League
" and the independent Gilberton Cadamounts
, Coaldale Big Green
, Melrose Athletic Club
and Millville Big Blue. He also played in the National Football League
for the Milwaukee Badgers
and New York Giants
. He is best known for becoming the first person to have played outside linebacker.
. During his time in the Army, Alexander served under General John Pershing, who was attempting to end Pancho Villa
's raids along the US-Mexican border in 1916. Shortly after being discharged, Alexander found himself again in the Army again as an officer fighting in the First World War
.
. While enrolled at Rutgers, he played football under head coach George Sanford
and his assistant coach Paul Robeson
, who was an All-American end while at Rutgers in 1917 and 1918. According to Alexander it was Robeson's suggestion that led to him experimenting with a new style of defense, which eventually became the outside linebacker position.
in 1919. There they joined the Massillon Tigers of the "Ohio League" and would play football for money on Sundays. While with the Tigers Alexander played along side the likes of Gus Dorais
, Bob Higgins, Lou Little
, Jock Sutherland
, Tiny Thornhill, Greasy Neale and Knute Rockne
. In 1919, the Tigers came in second in the "Ohio League".
When the National Football League was formed in 1920, Alexander did not join the league. He instead played for several independent teams such as the Gilberton Cadamounts, Coaldale Big Green, Melrose Athletic Club and Millville Big Blue. However in 1922, he joined the NFL and played for the Milwaukee Badgers. On October 1, 1922, Alexander made football history while playing for the Badgers against the Chicago Cardinals. In that NFL game, he became the first person to ever play the outside linebacker position. While nobody though much of change in position at the time a reporter for the Milwaukee Sentinel reported on the new position but didn't refer to it as the outside linebacker. The name would come later.
After his stint with the Badgers, Alexander played on several teams located in the New York Metropolitan area. However in 1926 he played for the New York Giants. Although he liked playing for them, John did not return for the 1927 season because, he was told that he have to take a cut in pay from $100 a game to $75. He played for several Metropolitan teams until 1930, when he was forced to retire due to tuberculosis
.
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...
player with the Massillon Tigers
Massillon Tigers
The Massillon Tigers were an early professional football team from Massillon, Ohio. Playing in the "Ohio League", the team was a rival to the pre-National Football League version of the Canton Bulldogs. The Tigers won Ohio League championships in 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906, then merged to become...
of the "Ohio League
Ohio League
The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1903 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship . As the name implied, its teams were based in Ohio...
" and the independent Gilberton Cadamounts
Gilberton Cadamounts
The Gilberton Catamounts, sometimes called the Gilberton Cadamounts and the Gilberton Duck Streeters, were an 1920s-era professional footall team based in Gilberton, Pennsylvania. However the team played many of its home games in nearby Mahanoy City because Gilberton's home field, Stoddard Field....
, Coaldale Big Green
Coaldale Big Green
The Coaldale Big Green was an early professional football team based in Coaldale, Pennsylvania. The club played as an independent until joining the Anthracite League in 1924. After leaving the league in 1924, the team spent its 1925 season as an independent, then joined the short-lived Eastern...
, Melrose Athletic Club
Melrose Athletic Club
The Melrose Athletic Club was a professional football team based in Atlantic City, New Jersey from 1921 until around 1927. The club which was also known as the Atlantic City Roses and the Atlantic City Atlantics was arguably the most popular football team in New Jersey during the 1920s...
and Millville Big Blue. He also played in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Milwaukee Badgers
Milwaukee Badgers
The Milwaukee Badgers were a professional American football team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that played in the National Football League from 1922 to 1926. The team played its home games at Athletic Park, later known as Borchert Field, on Milwaukee's north side...
and New York Giants
New 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...
. He is best known for becoming the first person to have played outside linebacker.
Military service
After graduating from high school, Alexander worked in his father's jewelry business before enlisting in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. During his time in the Army, Alexander served under General John Pershing, who was attempting to end Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa
José Doroteo Arango Arámbula – better known by his pseudonym Francisco Villa or its hypocorism Pancho Villa – was one of the most prominent Mexican Revolutionary generals....
's raids along the US-Mexican border in 1916. Shortly after being discharged, Alexander found himself again in the Army again as an officer fighting in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Rutgers
After the war, Alexander enrolled at Rutgers UniversityRutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
. While enrolled at Rutgers, he played football under head coach George Sanford
George Sanford (coach)
-External links:...
and his assistant coach Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
, who was an All-American end while at Rutgers in 1917 and 1918. According to Alexander it was Robeson's suggestion that led to him experimenting with a new style of defense, which eventually became the outside linebacker position.
Pro football
Alexander and Robeson travelled to Massillon, OhioMassillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
in 1919. There they joined the Massillon Tigers of the "Ohio League" and would play football for money on Sundays. While with the Tigers Alexander played along side the likes of Gus Dorais
Gus Dorais
Charles Emile "Gus" Dorais was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He played college football as a quarterback at the University of Notre Dame, where he was an All-American in 1913, and then professionally with the Fort Wayne Friars and Massillon Tigers...
, Bob Higgins, Lou Little
Lou Little
Lou "Luigi Piccolo" Little was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Georgetown College, now Georgetown University, from 1924 to 1929 and at Columbia University from 1930 to 1956, compiling a career college football record of 151–128–13...
, Jock Sutherland
Jock Sutherland
Dr. John Bain "Jock" Sutherland, D.D.S., was an American football coach. He coached college football at Lafayette College and the University of Pittsburgh and professional football for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers...
, Tiny Thornhill, Greasy Neale and Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
. In 1919, the Tigers came in second in the "Ohio League".
When the National Football League was formed in 1920, Alexander did not join the league. He instead played for several independent teams such as the Gilberton Cadamounts, Coaldale Big Green, Melrose Athletic Club and Millville Big Blue. However in 1922, he joined the NFL and played for the Milwaukee Badgers. On October 1, 1922, Alexander made football history while playing for the Badgers against the Chicago Cardinals. In that NFL game, he became the first person to ever play the outside linebacker position. While nobody though much of change in position at the time a reporter for the Milwaukee Sentinel reported on the new position but didn't refer to it as the outside linebacker. The name would come later.
After his stint with the Badgers, Alexander played on several teams located in the New York Metropolitan area. However in 1926 he played for the New York Giants. Although he liked playing for them, John did not return for the 1927 season because, he was told that he have to take a cut in pay from $100 a game to $75. He played for several Metropolitan teams until 1930, when he was forced to retire due to tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
.