Edgar Manske
Encyclopedia
Edgar John "Eggs" Manske (July 4, 1913 – January 27, 2002) was a former professional American football
player who played six seasons in the National Football League
. Manske was the last NFL player to play without a football helmet
. Manske played in two NFL championship games with the Chicago Bears
, including the historic 73-0 victory over the Washington Redskins in 1940.
. He graduated from Nekoosa High School.
A member of the College Football Hall of Fame
, Manske excelled in college at both football
and basketball. A three-year letterman at Northwestern
, he began his football career as a walk-on, became a starter during his sophomore season after excelling as a substitute end in a 1930 game against Notre Dame, and ended his career as team Most Valuable Player in 1933. Manske was elected to the All-Big Ten Conference
and United Press International
All-America
teams in 1933. He was also named to the All-Big Ten team in basketball in 1933. In his senior year, Manske played all sixty minutes against Ohio State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Illinois, and all but two minutes against Michigan.
during the surprising 1934 All-Star game; Manske performed well against starting Bears lineman George Musso
. Halas eventually obtained Manske's services by trade with Philadelphia in 1937.
During his professional football career, Manske played both wide receiver
and defensive end
. Manske led the Philadelphia Eagles
in scoring during the 1935 season; his picture appeared on a Wheaties
box in 1936. As a member of the Chicago Bears
, Manske played his last professional game in the memorable 73-0 playoff win over Washington.
Manske was involved in a trade considered among the most lopsided in NFL history. In 1938, he was traded from Chicago to the Pittsburgh Steelers
for the Steelers' first-round selection (#2 overall) in the upcoming 1939 NFL draft. The Bears then drafted future Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman
. Manske re-signed with the Bears later in 1939, leaving Pittsburgh with nothing to show for its top pick.
, Manske joined the Navy
as a lieutenant commander. During officer training at the St. Mary's Preflight School in 1942, he also played on the team and earned All-Service All-America honors.
in 1941. After the war, he returned to coach at Boston University
and the University of Maryland
, then worked as an assistant coach for the University of California-Berkeley under Pappy Waldorf
from 1947–52, facing his former Northwestern team in the 1949 Rose Bowl.
Manske eventually became an educator, and taught biology at Berkeley High School (Berkeley, California) from 1955 until his retirement in 1975.
He was married for 53 years to 1928 Olympian and 1932 Summer Olympics
bronze medalist, Jane Fauntz
.
In 1988 Manske was inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 1989 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
.
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 played six seasons 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...
. Manske was the last NFL player to play without a football helmet
Football helmet
A football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
. Manske played in two NFL championship games with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, including the historic 73-0 victory over the Washington Redskins in 1940.
Early life and college career
Manske was born in 1913 in Nekoosa, WisconsinNekoosa, Wisconsin
Nekoosa is a city in Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. Its name derives from the Ho-Chunk word, "Nakrusa" which translates to "running water." The population was 2,590 at the 2000 census...
. He graduated from Nekoosa High School.
A member of 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...
, Manske excelled in college at both 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...
and basketball. A three-year letterman at Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, he began his football career as a walk-on, became a starter during his sophomore season after excelling as a substitute end in a 1930 game against Notre Dame, and ended his career as team Most Valuable Player in 1933. Manske was elected to the All-Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
and United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
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...
teams in 1933. He was also named to the All-Big Ten team in basketball in 1933. In his senior year, Manske played all sixty minutes against Ohio State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Illinois, and all but two minutes against Michigan.
NFL career
As part of the first College All-Star team to line up against the current NFL champions, Manske caught the eye of Chicago Bears coach George HalasGeorge Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
during the surprising 1934 All-Star game; Manske performed well against starting Bears lineman George Musso
George Musso
George Francis Musso was an American National Football League lineman, playing both offensive guard and tackle as well as defensive middle guard...
. Halas eventually obtained Manske's services by trade with Philadelphia in 1937.
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
and defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
. Manske led the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in scoring during the 1935 season; his picture appeared on a Wheaties
Wheaties
Wheaties is a brand of General Mills breakfast cereal. It is well known for featuring prominent athletes on the exterior of the package, and has become a major cultural icon...
box in 1936. As a member of the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Manske played his last professional game in the memorable 73-0 playoff win over Washington.
Manske was involved in a trade considered among the most lopsided in NFL history. In 1938, he was traded from Chicago to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
for the Steelers' first-round selection (#2 overall) in the upcoming 1939 NFL draft. The Bears then drafted future Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Luckman
Sid Luckman
Sidney Luckman, known as Sid Luckman, was an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 1939 to 1950...
. Manske re-signed with the Bears later in 1939, leaving Pittsburgh with nothing to show for its top pick.
Military career
One of 995 NFL players who served during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Manske joined the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as a lieutenant commander. During officer training at the St. Mary's Preflight School in 1942, he also played on the team and earned All-Service All-America honors.
Post-NFL career
Manske began his coaching career at Holy Cross UniversityHoly Cross University
Holy Cross University may refer to:* Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome, Italy* Holy Cross College * Other colleges and universities affiliated with the Congregation of Holy Cross...
in 1941. After the war, he returned to coach at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
and the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, then worked as an assistant coach for the University of California-Berkeley under Pappy Waldorf
Pappy Waldorf
Lynn Osbert "Pappy" Waldorf was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, , Kansas State University , Northwestern University , and the University of California, Berkeley ,...
from 1947–52, facing his former Northwestern team in the 1949 Rose Bowl.
Manske eventually became an educator, and taught biology at Berkeley High School (Berkeley, California) from 1955 until his retirement in 1975.
He was married for 53 years to 1928 Olympian and 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
bronze medalist, Jane Fauntz
Jane Fauntz
Jane Fauntz Manske , was a national champion swimmer and diver, and a member of the United States Olympic teams in 1928 and 1932 . She was the bronze medalist for springboard diving at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.Fauntz was born in New Orleans...
.
In 1988 Manske was inducted into the Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 1989 he 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...
.