It Was Mostly Home Talent That Made the Big Green One of the Best of the Earliest Pro Football Teams

by Joe “Chappy” Sharpe

(Note: This article appeared in the February 25, 1985, edition of The Valley Gazette)

I remember reading in The Valley Gazette about a month or so ago about Nick Zulick, formerly of Coaldale and now a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper living in the West Chester area. He wanted more information about the history of the Coaldale Big Green football team. He wanted information on his boasts about the caliber of football that was played here in the lower coal region. He wanted some information to prove that big-time football started here in our area.

This is part of my personal knowledge in the fact that I was born and reared on Laurel Hill, Phillips Street, across the street from the Coaldale field. That was the playground for us kids at that time. I saw all the games from 1920 to 1925 when the Big Greens were at their peak. After that the game began to decline. There were other Big Green games after that, but it was Class B ball.

The early history of the Big Greens was recorded in past issues of the Coaldale Observer and in the 125th anniversary edition of the history of Coaldale. Most of the following was written by Jim “Casey” Gildea, manager of the Big Greens and editor and owner of the Coaldale Observer.

David Williams is credited with being the first man to take a football to Coaldale at the turn of the century. During the 1902 strike, the National Guard was stationed at Manila Grove Park, just west of Coaldale Hospital. Panther Valley players played the soldier team and won. Members of the team included T.J. Evans, Clarence Starr, Dr. Will Neumiller and his brother, Carl; Franklin Jones, Burk Harvey, Jim Kennedy, Bill Evans, Owen Boyle, John Kelley, George Morrall, Tommy West, Jimmy Middleton, Deverus Jones and Jack Burton.

An earlier team saw “Foag” Gallagher, Paddy Bonner and others in action against Nesquehoning. John Bugarewicz was also in the lineup. The Coaldale Juniors of 1903 included Fred Weaver, manager; Tommy West, George Morrall, John West, Reese, George Yemm, William Evans, Carl Neumuller, Clarence Stall, John Kelley. They played Williamsport and Lansford and other opposition in the area.

Next in line as a Coaldale football team were John Melley, Kid Hill, Tom Lewis and others. Their place in the sun was challenged by Jimmy Lithgow and his Old Street Stars: “Big” Smith, Mike Shigo, Paddy Malloy, “Barber” McGeehan and others. Coaldale Rosebuds took up where Old Street left off, held together by Irv Murphy, “Rub” Morgan, Andy Aiken and a few others. Another Old Street team arose to challenge their place in the football sun. A memorable game in 1911 on Thanksgiving Day saw “Blue” Bonner plunge over the Phillips Street goal line to bring victory to the Old Street team and start a new team on its way to greatness.

In 1912 a combined Old Street and Rosebud team took the field under J.H. Gildea as manager. Gildea managed Coaldale football for 21 years, and during that time the name Coaldale was blazoned all over the sporting pages of big daily newspapers, bringing advertising and credit to Coaldale.

Coaldale football may said to be continuous since 1900. The Big Green organization dates back to 1912, although the name “Big Green” was not applied to the team until after adoption of its famous green jerseys in 1917.

The years 1913 and 1914 saw memorable games against Lansford. The 1914 game was to live in memory as the 50-50 game. It broke up when jubilant Coaldale fans swarmed all over Lansford field as Coaldale scored its winning and tie-breaking touchdown. The game was played for a side bet and winner-take-all of the gate receipts. Coaldale was forced to take a 50-50 settlement when Lansford took the case to Carbon County Court.

It was the Pottsville game at Tresckow in 1916 that really dates Coaldale Football, and in some people’s mind that game set the foundation under today’s pro football. Coaldale, with “Buzz” Flanagan (who I think worked at the Atlas—a college player) furnishing the deception and “Blue” Bonner carrying the ball, played “T” formation football in 1916. Irv Murphy was the quarterback and directed Coaldale to a win over Pottsville on the Coaldale field in the first game with Pottsville. In a return engagement at the Brick Yard near Minersville, Pottsville scored and the game broke up when the fans swarmed on the field and the players fought. The next day at Hazleton the famous Tresckow game was arranged to be played at Tresckow on December 10, 1916. Big men came into the picture and Coaldale and coal region football went forward from that day.

Herman Meyer, secretary-treasurer of the Middle Atlantic Athletic Union, was the referee. Coming here as a stranger, he liked what he saw and unquestionably the influence of his true sportsmanship helped develop Coaldale to the full extent of its football ability. Pottsville had an all-star lineup. Chief Wheelock, the great Carlisle Indian fullback, was in the Pottsville backfield; also Johnny Herndon, George Cockill, coach at Bucknell, who played one tackle, while his brother, Tom, played the other. Mackert of Lebanon Valley, Waddell of Bucknell, Danny Roth, Gus Swaving were also among the stars in the Pottsville lineup. The odds favored Pottsville, but when it was all over, Chief Wheelock was in the Hazleton Hospital in the fourth quarter. Coaldale won 10-0. Howie Miller (I think he was from Nesquehoning) kicked a field goal early in the game. Kutsko, Shenandoah’s great guard, scooped up a fumble and went 60 yards for what has always been known as the thousand-dollar touchdown to put the game on ice for Coaldale.

That game started it. The rush for imported players was on. Coaldale justified its faith in home talent on the frozen field at Tresckow and stayed put. Members of the 1916 squad included Jack “Honeyboy” Evans at Center, John Homick, Dan Bonner and Ed Boyle, guards; “Bub” Melley and Joe Garland, tackles; Howie Miller, John “P” McGeehan, Charlie Sharpe and “Rub” Morgans, ends; Irv Murphy, quarterback; “Blue” Bonner, “Buzz” Flanagan, Dan Moser, Hen Boock and “Red” McMichael, backs.

Pressed into service for the Pottsville game was Evan Evans. Irv Murphy was hurt in the earlier game with Pottsville. Charlie Sharpe, substitute quarterback, suffered a head injury in the Bethlehem Blue Star game. That day wrote the history of fierce determination and self-confidence which remained Big Green football characteristics to the end. On that day “Buzz” Flanagan gave Coaldale a slogan that endured. “Give it to Blue” was his advice in the clutches. He knew the opposition had him covered and he realized then, as many others found out later, they just could not stop “Blue” Bonner.

But it was not Flanagan who was to challenge Blue’s rating as Coaldale’s #1 all-time great. Many close to the Coaldale scene will give that distinction to Jack “Honeyboy” Evans. A ball hawk by instinct, a sure passer from his Center position, a fearless tackler and a football player faster than he looked, Evans had everything that goes to make an All-American.

Then, when you satisfy yourself that “Honeyboy” was the best, try telling it to a Joe Garland admirer. You will quickly find out you don’t know a thing about it. Garland outshone them all, in the estimation of many staunch Coaldale fans.

Right there you have the story of Coaldale’s football success. The team had outstanding tackles, wonderful ends, prospective All-Americans in at least three positions, and the supreme belief it could play any team, any place, any time.

That confidence was to be challenged after the Anthracite League was formed following World War I. Pottsville, Shenandoah and Gilberton went out after the best the college world produced.

Coaldale remained satisfied with coal region players, including “Frojer” and Stan Giltner, Bob Hartwig, “Goo Goo” Davis and Irv Schwartz of Tamaqua. Jack and Tom Chapman came from Centralia. Coaldale youngsters had grown up to replace the older men on the 1916 team and the team of the championship days saw Coaldale take the field with Dr. Len Lithgow, Vince Gildea, Steve Zaleha, Ben Herring, Mike Pavlick, Metro Roadside, Bill “Honeyboy” Evans, Tom Raymer, and Oscar Keebler.

Imported stars were Earl Potteiger and Les Asplundh. Asplundh put the foot in football for Coaldale. It is questionable if college or pro football from that day to this ever produced a better punter than Les Asplundh. He was from Swarthmore and he and his family were in the tree nursery and tree trimming business. He was the last of the Big Green players to die about two years ago at age 82. He could not only boot them a mile high and 60 yards long, he could boot field goals from anywhere near the 40 yard line. What will always be considered the longest placement in coal region history was his game-winning boot at Shenandoah in 1932. Arguments arise as to its length, but consensus of opinion is the ball was placed on the ground beyond the midfield stripe. The ball not only cleared the goal post but went out over the fence. (I can verify that as my father took me to that game up in the Heights in Shenandoah. I was also at the 1924 game.)

Famous games at Frankford, Atlantic City, Staten Island and elsewhere adorn the memories of close followers of Coaldale football, and college stars taken in by rival coal region teams reads like a record of the period’s choicest college stars. Gilberton came up with Fritz Pollard from Brown, the first black All-American; Joe Alexander (on Walter Camp’s All-Time All-American team), “Nasty” Nash, Downey Gaffney, Finn, “Butch” Boslego, to mention a few. Shenandoah countered with “Hinkey” Haines, Bill Kenyon, Joe Dumoe, Joe Lehehecka, Mike Palm and its well-entrenched home squad. Pottsville went all the way out and had a truly great team with Larry Conover, Carl and Clarence Beck (Gettysburg), Pete “Pud” Henry (W&J, on Walter Camp’s All-Time All-American Team), “Bots” Brunner, “Snaps” Emanuel, “Doggie” Julian (coach at Albright), Stan Cofal, Duke Osborne and Gus Sonnenberg.

The measure of Coaldale and coal region football can be gauged by Pottsville’s success. In 1924 the Pottsville Maroons won the coal region title, defeating Coaldale, 10-7 and 3-0, the identical scores by which Coaldale won over Pottsville in 1923. Then in 1925 Pottsville entered the National Football League to win its championship the first time out. Not only that, in a post-season game at Shibe Park against the “Four Horseemen and Seven Mules” of Notre Dame, considered to have been the outstanding football team of all time when playing for Notre Dame in 1924. Pottsville upset the Four Horsemen, 9-0. (The Pottsville Republican has the score 9-7 in favor of Pottsville with the winning margin a last-minute field goal by Charley Berry from Lafayette who was later a big league umpire for years.)

That’s the story. A home-talent football team, with no college football furnishing its background, met them all and held the name Coaldale high in the field of America’s toughest competition.

“Brave deeds are remembered to be imitated.”

All of the Coaldale Big Green players are deceased. Manager J.H. Gildea is the lone survivor.

February 25, 1985, The Valley Gazette.