Phillip Gregory Nesser (December 10, 1880 – May 9, 1959) was a German-American professional American football player in the Ohio League and the early National Football League (NFL) for the Columbus Panhandles. He was also a member of the Nesser Brothers, a group consisting of seven brothers who made up the most famous football family in the United States from 1907 until the mid-1920s. He is distinguished as being the first German to play in the NFL.
| Date of birth | December 10, 1880 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Trier, Rhine Province, German Empire |
| Date of death | May 9, 1959 (aged 78) |
| Place of death | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Guard, Tackle, Wingback |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| US college | None |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1909–1921 | Columbus Panhandles |
| Career stats | |
| |
Phil was primarily a tackle, although he often carried the ball on several plays.
Outside of football, Phil was considered a math genius although he never attended school past the fourth grade. According to his daughter, Phil later taught at Central High School in Columbus until the school's administrators found out he did not have a degree and forced him to resign. In addition to football, he was a champion hammer thrower.
References
edit- Peterson, Robert W. (1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
- Lahman, Sean (2008). The Pro Football Historical Abstract. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-59228-940-0.
Al Nesser football.
- PFRA Research. "Parratt Stays on Top 1914" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2012.
- A Colorful Game: Names are in the Book
- Pro Football Reference Stats