Paul Des Jardien dominates the trenches as a two-time All-American center for the University of Chicago, catching the eye of legendary coach Amos Alonzo Stagg before making a controversial leap to the professional ranks.
Football Bio
August 24, 1893 – Paul Des Jardien played center for the University of Chicago and was selected as an All-American for the 1913 and 1914 seasons at this position.
He entered into the confines of the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. After school, he played for both the Cleveland Indians baseball team and the Cleveland Indians football team in 1916.
Later, he played professionally for the Hammond Pros, Chicago Tigers, and the Minneapolis Marines. He played for Amos Alonzo Stagg at the University of Chicago. [National Football Foundation]
And Mr. Stagg, Coach Stagg, did not like the professional game. He felt it tainted the game by paying players and taking away the fun and pure enjoyment of the game. He felt that college football was the purest, and he wasn’t the only one at that time.
Paul Des Jardien bridges the gap between the amateur ideals of the early gridiron and the gritty reality of early professional football. Despite Coach Stagg’s disdain for the pro game, Des Jardien proves his elite athletic prowess across multiple sports and leagues, securing his lasting legacy as a 1955 College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1955.
- Consensus First-Team All-American: 1914.
- First-Team All-American: 1913.
- Multi-Sport Professional Athlete: Played Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in 1916, alongside his professional football career.
- Early NFL Pioneer: Played in the American Professional Football Association (which became the NFL) for the Chicago Tigers (1920).
- Ironman Era Center: Anchored the University of Chicago’s offensive and defensive lines under legendary head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg.
