A Football Family?

I used to think that my families football connection was limited to my mothers side of the family. My grandfather, Al Crook, was the center and defensive end for Washington & Jefferson's 1922 Rose Bowl team. They played the mighty California Berkley team to a 0-0 tie. To me, and to my 14 year old son, my grandfather is a mythical figure. A two-way player for W&J Al Crook was a Walter Camp All-American and played professionally for the Detroit Panthers and Kansas City Cowboys in what would eventually become the National Football League.

In my last post, I talked about the pending death of my father, who in his 90's is ready, willing, and able to enter into hospice to live a productive life in his last days. When I recently visited him, he showed me a treasure trove of pictures, some over 100 years old, from long last family photo albums. You see, my father, is trying to complete his memoirs before he dies. 

In looking at the photos, there were priceless photos of him in 1937 with his football uniform on tackling his friends. There were also photos of my Uncle Joe, who starred at Wheeling Central Catholic and later at Mount St. Mary's College as a halfback. Back "in the day" there was no distinction between schools. All were deemed to be on the same level. One can only imagine how DIII W&J would fair today against D1 Cal. It wouldn't be close. 

What caught my attention though was my dad pointing out his jersey number; 24, after the Notre Dame halfback Frank Caredio. My dad proceeded to tell me stories of listening to the Irish on the radio and how Caredio was his favorite player. He recalled how my grandfathers shirts would come with a cardboard sheet to keep the shirts tight after starching. My grandfather would take the card board and record, play by play, all of the Irish games. What I wouldn't give for a piece of those memories. You see, I always thought that football was limited to my mothers side of the family. I didn't understand that deep down, my grandfather, was raising martial men. Four sons who would serve in World War II. Three in Tokyo Bay; one in the clandestine services. Douglas MacArthur always said that if he needed a man for an important mission, he wanted a West Point football player. All four played football.

Today, my son is the only one in a family of 12 boys and girls to play high school football. I played four years of high school football; my son is the last of his line. I hope that he will learn the same lessons that have been passed from generation to generation. For, just as my father and uncles fought in WWII, so did I fight in the Global War on Terrorism, earning a Bronze Star, just as my father did over 60+ years ago.

You see, America, football is important. It's vitally important, to the future of our nation. Building physically and mentally tough young men is the life blood of our country. Football, has an important role in that.