John Kinport "Sal" Brallier was one of the first professional American football players.
24 Facts About John Brallier
2.
John Brallier was nationally acknowledged as the first openly paid professional football player when he was given $10 to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association for a game against the Jeanette Athletic Association in 1895.
3.
John Brallier was the son of Dr Emanuel Brallier, a physician, and his wife, Lucy M Kinport Brallier.
4.
John Brallier's grandparents were from Alsace-Lorraine, accounting for the French-sounding name.
5.
In 1893, while still attending high school, John Brallier played quarterback for the Indiana Normal football club in 1893 and 1894.
6.
John Brallier contacted the seventeen-year-old at his home in Indiana and offered him expenses to play for Latrobe.
7.
John Brallier remained with Latrobe for a second game against an Altoona squad before leaving for college.
8.
John Brallier accepted the West Virginia University offer, since he wanted to continue his education and the Mountaineers' offer was better than other schools could offer.
9.
John Brallier had captained the team and "Doggie" Trenchard, a former All-American from Princeton was the Mountaineer's coach.
10.
John Brallier signed a contract to play for Latrobe for $150 and expenses for the season.
11.
However, Penn had worried that John Brallier had played so much professional ball that the school's amateur standing would be at stake.
12.
John Brallier had planned to give up football for his studies.
13.
John Brallier was elected captain and quarterbacked the school's undefeated team which wound up gloriously with a win over rival Jefferson Medical College.
14.
John Brallier returned to Medico-Chi and captained another undefeated team in its regular schedule.
15.
John Brallier graduated in 1902 with a degree in Orthodontia.
16.
John Brallier rejoined the Latrobe football team as player-coach for 1902.
17.
John Brallier had turned down pro football offers from the Franklin Athletic Club and Oil City Athletic Club, located in northwestern Pennsylvania.
18.
From 1903 to 1905 John Brallier led Latrobe to three straight undefeated seasons.
19.
John Brallier finished his career in 1907 and was considered as one of the best players of his era, right alongside Pudge Heffelfinger.
20.
John Brallier went on to practice dentistry, and served the community during a 20-year tenure as a school director, from which he retired at the end of 1931.
21.
John Brallier spent his time, after his 1946 retirement from professional life, in parts of Canada and Florida.
22.
John Brallier enjoyed his recognition as one of the first professional football players.
23.
John Brallier was buried at the Oakland Cemetery in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
24.
In 1979, John Brallier was voted one of the "Best Pros Not in the Hall of Fame" by the Pro Football Researchers Association.