Jerry Noonan
Encyclopedia
Gerald Michael Noonan was a Fordham All-American who played professional football
. "Jerry's" football career included playing at Santa Clara College, Oakland and playing on the Olympic Club
Football Team in San Francisco. He played in the National Football League
with the Rochester Jeffersons
and the New York Brickley Giants (not related to the modern-day New York Giants
). His brother George was selected for the Olympic Hockey Team and played in the NFL for Hammond, Indiana.
While with Jeffersons in 1924
, Noonan became the team's head coach, serving as a player-coach
.
Prior to joining the NFL, Noonan played college football
at the University of Notre Dame
as well as Fordham College.
Gerald (Born:Gerard) was one of six sons born to Judge Thomas Francis Patrick Noonan (New Jersey Law Journal) and Hannah P. Kelly.
Five of the six sons, Thomas III, Jerry, George, Vincent, and Mathew served in World War I
and sister Mary served as a nurse with the Red Cross. Gerard became Lt. Gerald M. Noonan in 1917 when he enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps
in Canada, because he was not of age to be recruited for the American Air division.
Gerard first saw service at the Mexican border in the Summer of 1916 with his brothers Thomas and George as a members of the famed Essex Troop (essextroop.org/1916).Thomas was later with the U.S. Aviation Corps in Texas and George was at Anniston detailed to military police duty. Gerard was sent to France during duty and survived being shot down over Europe.
Gerard's father, Thomas F. Noonan Jr., was elected reading clerk of the Assembly in 1883, he was appointed Judge of the Bayonne District Court in 1890 and completed his law studies in the office of Job H. Lippincott. Now of the Supreme Court he was admitted as counselor in 1892. He achieved a reputation all over the State as a political speaker in the Democratic side of politics. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for 20 Years. Gerard's Mother, Hannah P. Kelly (married as Anna Kelly) was a well-known opera singer.
Gerard had four sisters: Mary (Red Cross), Elisabeth (Actress/Real Estate), and film stars Molly O'Day
(Hollywood Walk of Fame
) and Sally O'Neil
, who were well known in their era.
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...
. "Jerry's" football career included playing at Santa Clara College, Oakland and playing on the Olympic Club
Olympic Club
The Olympic Club is a San Francisco, California, athletic club and private social club with three golf courses located at San Francisco's border with Daly City, California. The club's main "City Clubhouse" is located in downtown San Francisco. The club's "Lakeside Clubhouse" is located just north...
Football Team in San Francisco. He 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...
with the Rochester Jeffersons
Rochester Jeffersons
The Rochester Jeffersons from Rochester, New York played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1925.Formed as an amateur outfit by a rag-tag group of Rochester-area teenagers after the turn of the century , the team became known as the Jeffersons in reference to the locale of their playing...
and the New York Brickley Giants (not related to the modern-day 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...
). His brother George was selected for the Olympic Hockey Team and played in the NFL for Hammond, Indiana.
While with Jeffersons in 1924
1924 NFL season
The 1924 NFL season was the 5th regular season of the National Football League. The league had 18 teams play during the season, including the new clubs Frankford Yellow Jackets, Kansas City Blues, and Kenosha Maroons. The Louisville Brecks, Oorang Indians, St...
, Noonan became the team's head coach, serving as a player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
.
Prior to joining the NFL, Noonan 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...
at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
as well as Fordham College.
Gerald (Born:Gerard) was one of six sons born to Judge Thomas Francis Patrick Noonan (New Jersey Law Journal) and Hannah P. Kelly.
Five of the six sons, Thomas III, Jerry, George, Vincent, and Mathew served in World War I
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...
and sister Mary served as a nurse with the Red Cross. Gerard became Lt. Gerald M. Noonan in 1917 when he enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in Canada, because he was not of age to be recruited for the American Air division.
Gerard first saw service at the Mexican border in the Summer of 1916 with his brothers Thomas and George as a members of the famed Essex Troop (essextroop.org/1916).Thomas was later with the U.S. Aviation Corps in Texas and George was at Anniston detailed to military police duty. Gerard was sent to France during duty and survived being shot down over Europe.
Gerard's father, Thomas F. Noonan Jr., was elected reading clerk of the Assembly in 1883, he was appointed Judge of the Bayonne District Court in 1890 and completed his law studies in the office of Job H. Lippincott. Now of the Supreme Court he was admitted as counselor in 1892. He achieved a reputation all over the State as a political speaker in the Democratic side of politics. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for 20 Years. Gerard's Mother, Hannah P. Kelly (married as Anna Kelly) was a well-known opera singer.
Gerard had four sisters: Mary (Red Cross), Elisabeth (Actress/Real Estate), and film stars Molly O'Day
Molly O'Day
Molly O'Day was an American film actress and the younger sister of Sally O'Neil.Born as Suzanne Dobson Noonan in Bayonne, New Jersey, she was the youngest of 11 children of Metropolitan Opera singer Hannah Kelly and Judge Thomas Francis Patrick Noonan. After their father's death, O'Day and her two...
(Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
) and Sally O'Neil
Sally O'Neil
Sally O'Neil was an American film actress of the 1920s. She was born as Virginia Louise Noonan, one of 11 children born to a judge in Bayonne, New Jersey. One of her sisters was actress Molly O'Day....
, who were well known in their era.