tn ir lh ita

New York Times-Sept. Ll, 1938
IN THIS CORNER with * JACK CUDDY
United Press Staff Correspondent Copyright, 1938, by the United Préss
PAY COLLEGE PLAYERS |

Dr. John Ke Brallier of Latrobe, Pas, is the guy who started peel-
ing frogskins off the pigskine who sterted demanding bucks for buckinge
fie was our first professional football pleyere

And now at 61, Dentist Brallier is still yelling for footbs11
dough; not for himself but for the leds who play it. He is cam~
paigning for pey checks every month for college performers, as well
as the prose :

"y was the first man ever paid outright for playing football" the
robust old molar mauler said. "But 2 certainly wasn't the first to be
subsidized for joining a college teame Colleges were taking care of
the football boys long before my times They're still doing it under
cover. That suberosa business is wronmge They should pay the boys
openlys" vo

  

Brallior, father of three childrenand a grandfather through one
of his offspring, says he became America's first pro gridster back

in 1895. He was attending Weshingten end Jefferson at the time and
just beginning his gallop to glory a6 4 quarterback.

The nearby steel town of Latrobe had its own football teame
This outfit was slated for an important game when its quarterback,
Deacon Blair suffered an attack of celic, spavin the heaves or some-
things So the Latrobe manager, in desperation, got in touch with
Brallier at We and J. and asked if he could fill in for Blair. Brallier
replied, "I don't see how I could do ite"

"But we've just got to have a good quarterback for this game,"
insisted the frantic manager. "Would $10 and expenses interest you?"
"I"l] say it willt" exolaimed Bralliers 1°11 be your quarterback."

IN BIG DOUGH

In those days 10 bucks and expenses was big dough for the sturdy
put struggling son of Widow Brallier of Indiana, Pa. Accordingly
Brallier participated in several Latrobe gemes while still playing with —
We and Js And he was paid for every Latrobe game.

Latrobe's team was composed of young stee] workers, miners and one
of two former college players. They were competing for fun and fame
alone=-as were the lads on all other town and city teams--until Brallior
came alonge When the word got out that our dentist friend was getting
paid, other stellar performers started demanding cash for their effortse

Sueh was the birth of the commercial gridstare