The 1945 NFL Meeting, held alongside the draft on April 8th, navigated the challenges of World War II, impacting team rosters and player availability. Discussions focused on league stability, potential mergers, and rules adjustments amidst wartime constraints. This crucial meeting set the stage for the player selections that followed, influencing the competitive balance of the NFL in the post-war years.
April 8, 1945 - The NFL held its spring meetings and had a busy itinerary.
First on the docket was to take the level of franchises from the war-torn count of ten to a higher amount. Pittsburgh co-owner Bert Bell suggested 16 teams to bring talent from the newly rising rival leagues of the All-America Football Conference, the U.S. Football League, and the Trans America Conference. The owners settled on 12 teams as the former Brooklyn franchise would merge with Boston, the Card-Pitt combined team would again split into two franchises, plus one new franchise, possibly in Buffalo but that would be determined at a later meeting after careful study.
Another agenda item was that a draft of college players was conducted. The first round went like this:
1 Chicago Cardinals Charley Trippi Halfback Georgia
2 Pittsburgh Steelers Paul Duhart Halfback Florida
3 Brooklyn Tigers Joe Renfroe Back Tulane
4 Boston Yanks Eddie Prokop Back Georgia Tech
5 Cleveland Rams Elroy Hirsch Flanker Michigan
6 Detroit Lions Frank Szymanski Center Notre Dame
7 Chicago Bears Don Lund Back Michigan
8 Washington Redskins Jim Hardy Quarterback USC
9 Philadelphia Eagles John Yonakor Defensive end Notre Dame
10 New York Giants Elmer Barbour Quarterback Wake Forest
11 Green Bay Packers Walt Schlinkman Fullback Texas Tech
The 1946 NFL Draft produced a remarkable class of future Pro Football Hall of Famers, each leaving an indelible mark on the sport. Here's a look at those legends:
✦ Charley Trippi: Selected first overall by the Chicago Cardinals, the halfback from Georgia earned his place in Canton in 1968.
✦ Elroy "Crazylegs" Hirsch: The Cleveland Rams drafted the dynamic wide receiver from Michigan fifth overall, and he joined Trippi in the 1968 Hall of Fame class.
✦ Pete Pihos: The Philadelphia Eagles found a defensive powerhouse in the fifth round, selecting the defensive end from Indiana University. Pihos was inducted in 1970.
✦ Tom Fears: Also drafted by the Cleveland Rams, the end from UCLA was a steal in the 11th round. Like Pihos, he entered the Hall of Fame in 1970.
✦ Arnie Weinmeister: The Brooklyn Tigers selected the defensive tackle from Washington in the 17th round, and he was enshrined in 1984.
Source New York Daily News - Mon, Apr 09, 1945 ·Page 166
