August 29

Here is what happened in Football History on August 29: The Chicago All-Star series continues to be remembered by a few games played on this date in history, a large QB extension in Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers, and the memories of many legends of the game who were born on this date. We remember the people and events that made the gridiron a great sport. We will provide you with a little bit of football nostalgia. This early team, football history segment, features the Great events, Franchise formations, and the stories of these long-forgotten teams in some cases that helped shape the arena of American pro football into what it is today.

30 Aug 1935, Fri Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) Newspapers.com

August 29, 1935 - The 2nd ever Chicago Charities College Football All-Star Game is played at Soldier Field as the hometown favorite Bears defeated the collegians by a very rare score of  5-0. 77,450 in attendance witnessed the event. A very interesting player from the University of Michigan played in this game for the All-Stars, a certain Gerald Ford, yes the one that became President of the United States in 1973.

August 29, 1940 - The 7th annual Chicago Charities All-Star game is played in the Windy City as the Green Bay Packers treat the over 84,500 fans in attendance at Soldier Field to a 45-28 drubbing of the All-Stars. The game's MVP was Ambrose Schindler the runningback from Southern Cal.

August 29, 2018 - Packer's starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers signed a record contract extension worth $103 million in guaranteed money for the 4 year $134 million with a top side of $180 million with incentives to play for Green Bay.

August 29, 1896 - George McLaren was a former fullback for the University of Pittsburgh who was an All-American in 1917 and 1918 under the legendary coaching of Pop Warner. Remarkably he was never stopped for a loss on any recorded running play where he carried the ball! He was enshrined in 1965 into the College Football Hall of Fame.

August 29, 1915 - George Cafego was a former halfback that played for the University of Tennessee from 1936 through 1939. As a Vol he rushed for 2139 total yards and was voted as an All-American twice. Cafego was also a finalist for the Heisman Memorial Trophy. George Cafego was the number one overall pick in the 1940 NFL Draft by the Chicago Cardinals and played a few seasons with the Cards. After that he played one season with the Brooklyn Dodgers Football team before serving his country in the Army during World War II. During his Army service he played a few games for the Newport News Builders of the Dixie League. When his war service ended in 1943 he returned to the Brooklyn team and then shortly after was traded to the Washington Redskins. The 1944 and 1945 seasons saw Cafego play football for the Boston Yanks and then retiring from the game. Cafego was seleceted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969.

August 29, 1924 - Clyde Scott was a former U.S naval Academy and University of Arkansas fullback who entered the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971's induction class. Scott was a speedster and this showed when in the 1948 Olypics in London he brought home a Silver Medal in the 110 meter hurdles. He was the 8th player chosen overall in the 1948 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and later played for the Detroit Lions. Clyde played on two NFL Championship teams the 1949 Eagles and the 1952 Lions. The University of Arkansas retired his jersey number 12, as one of only two that were ever retired by the school.

August 29, 1939 - Bob Ferguson was a fullback from Ohio State University. After a great 1961 season, Ferguson was the winner of the Maxwell Award and the runner up for the Heisman. He became a first round draft pick of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Diego Chargers of the AFL and chose to play for the Steelers. He suffered a head injury early on in his NFL career so after two seasons with the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings he retired from football. In 1996 Bob Ferguson was recognized by the College Football Hall of Fame when they enshrined him into their museum of football legends.

The picture in the banner above is from the Newspapers.com archives of the Chicago Tribune on August 30, 1935. It shows the College All-Star Buzz Wetzel of Ohio State pounding the ball into the line against Beattie Feathers, George Halas and the rest of the Chicago Bears.