Notre Dame Four Horsemen to First NFL Commissioner (Elmer Layden)

Episode • Jun 26, 2019 • 21m

The Football History Dude is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

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EPISODE SUMMARY

Elmer Layden is not a household name nowadays. However, back in the early 1920s, he was a quarter of the famed Notre Dame Four Horsemen. These guys were one of the most famous College football backfields of all-time. Elmer’s participation with the Four Horsemen started him on the path to fame and glory, ultimately leading to him becoming the First NFL Commissioner.

To get a better understanding, we have to take it all the way back to the beginning.This is where we stop the DeLorean this week. The date is May 4, 1903. Layden was born on this date in Davenport, Iowa. His full name was Elmer Francis Layden.

As with most heroes of the podcast, Elmer was an All-State legend in Iowa in High School. His position was the fullback. The fullback position wasn’t quite the same back in the early 20th century as it is today. Back then it was more of a focal point. Now we’re lucky to see a fullback on the field.

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THE FOOTBALL HISTORY DUDE BACKGROUND

The Football History Dude is a show dedicated to teaching NFL fans about the rich history of the game we all know and love. I’m your host, Arnie Chapman, and I’m just a regular dude that loves football and is a nerd when it comes to learning about history.

I created this show to share the gridiron knowledge nuggets I gain from researching various topics about the history of the National Football League. Each episode I welcome you to climb aboard my DeLorean to travel back in time to explore the yesteryear of the gridiron, and yes, that’s a reference to the Back to the Future Movies.

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