Arnie Shockley
Encyclopedia
Arnold Shockley was a professional football
player who spent 1 season in the National Football League
with the Boston Bulldogs in 1929
. Shockley was an all-conference tackle at Southwestern Oklahoma State University
in 1926 and 1927. He then went on to be a coach and administrator working for more than 30 years in schools at Jackson
, Greer
and Kiowa
counties. He spent his last 13 years working at Mountain View High School before retiring in 1965. He was inducted into the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1965.
, however, Shockley never played for the Bulldogs in 1929. The player listed on the field as Arnold Shockley was really Perry Jackson
, a teammate of Arnie's from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. According to Jackson, he was disappointed when he didn’t receive an invitation to tryout for any professional team after playing college football. However Arnold Shockley, received an invitation to try out for the Bulldogs. Shockley decided not to go to the try out and Jackson saw this as an opportunity to tryout for a pro team. He went to the camp, assuming the name of his teammate, Shockley. He made the team and played that year as Arnold Shockley. The only problem with his story is that Jackson was playing for the Providence Steam Roller
in 1928-1930. However his write up for the SWOSU Hall of Fame states that he played for Providence for four seasons. This sets up a controversy over which teams Shockley and Perry played for. Also the stats for Perry and Shockley appear to be same according to profootballreference.com and databasefootball.com In trying to clear up the mistake in identity of the players, Bob Carroll
, also of PFRA stated that the real Jackson, under the alias Shockley, played for Providence, while Shockley, using Jackson's name, played for Boston.
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 who spent 1 season 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...
with the Boston Bulldogs in 1929
1929 NFL season
The 1929 NFL season was the 10th regular season of the National Football League. The league increased back to 12 teams with the addition of Orange Tornadoes and Minneapolis Red Jackets and the re-entry of the Buffalo Bisons...
. Shockley was an all-conference tackle at Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a public university in Weatherford and Sayre, Oklahoma. It is one of seven state regional universities in the state of Oklahoma.The current president of SWOSU is Randy Beutler.-History:...
in 1926 and 1927. He then went on to be a coach and administrator working for more than 30 years in schools at Jackson
Jackson County, Oklahoma
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 28,439. Its county seat is Altus.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
, Greer
Greer County, Oklahoma
Greer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 6,061. Its county seat is Mangum. From 1860 to 1896, the state of Texas claimed an area known as Greer County, Texas, which included present-day Greer County along with neighboring...
and Kiowa
Kiowa County, Oklahoma
Kiowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 10,227. Its county seat is Hobart.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of . is land and is water....
counties. He spent his last 13 years working at Mountain View High School before retiring in 1965. He was inducted into the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1965.
Right name, wrong player?
According to an article by the Professional Football Researchers AssociationProfessional Football Researchers Association
The Professional Football Researchers Association is an organization of researchers whose mission is to preserve and, in some cases, reconstruct professional football history. It was founded on June 22, 1979 in Canton, Ohio by writer/historian Bob Carroll and six other football researchers and is...
, however, Shockley never played for the Bulldogs in 1929. The player listed on the field as Arnold Shockley was really Perry Jackson
Perry Jackson
J. Parnel Jackson was a professional football player who spent three seasons in the National Football League with the Providence Steam Roller in 1928, 1929 and 1930. Jackson won an NFL championship in 1928 with Providence.-Right name, wrong player?:...
, a teammate of Arnie's from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. According to Jackson, he was disappointed when he didn’t receive an invitation to tryout for any professional team after playing college football. However Arnold Shockley, received an invitation to try out for the Bulldogs. Shockley decided not to go to the try out and Jackson saw this as an opportunity to tryout for a pro team. He went to the camp, assuming the name of his teammate, Shockley. He made the team and played that year as Arnold Shockley. The only problem with his story is that Jackson was playing for the Providence Steam Roller
Providence Steam Roller
The Providence Steam Roller was a professional American football team based in Providence, Rhode Island in the National Football League from 1925 to 1931. Providence was the first New England team to win an NFL championship...
in 1928-1930. However his write up for the SWOSU Hall of Fame states that he played for Providence for four seasons. This sets up a controversy over which teams Shockley and Perry played for. Also the stats for Perry and Shockley appear to be same according to profootballreference.com and databasefootball.com In trying to clear up the mistake in identity of the players, Bob Carroll
Bob Carroll (author)
Robert Nuehardt Carroll, Jr. was an American historian and author.Carroll was best known for his contributions to American football research. He was the founder and executive director of the Professional Football Researchers Association , and edited the group's newsletter, The Coffin Corner until...
, also of PFRA stated that the real Jackson, under the alias Shockley, played for Providence, while Shockley, using Jackson's name, played for Boston.