Hall-of-Fame Worthy Players of the 1940s and 1950s Who are Still Waiting

By John Turney

Last summer, I picked a team of pre-World War II players who had the most deserving cases for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now, I'm fast-forwarding through the next 30 years to choose a team covering a span from the beginning of World War II up until the AFL-NFL merger.

It's an era that began with two-way players and ended with a platoon system made possible when free substitution became permanent in 1949 ... or about midway through the careers of many of these players.

If someone's career began before the war or bled into the first few years of the 1960s, he qualified for my team. I wanted to be flexible and group players in the eras they were dominant. So I did. But, as you can see, there are no full offensive and defensive squads here; just a dozen players that excelled in their eras.

Call it journalistic license. I call it my Dirty Dozen. Let's see who they are.

ENDS

Jim Benton—In 1945, the season his Cleveland Rams won the NFL title, Benton had one of the best years of any receiver in any era with 1,067 receiving yards in a 10-game season. But he missed a game, so his per-game average was 118.6 yards -- the fifth-best of all time. He was a two-time All-Pro and a two-time second-team All-Pro.

Jim Benton 

Ken Kavanaugh—A deep ball threat (he had a career average of 22.4 yards per catch), Kavanaugh was twice an All-Pro, a 1940s' all-decade selection and part of three NFL championship teams.

Ken Kavanaugh

Gene Brito—A defensive end who played some offense, Brito was a consensus All-Pro four times and played in five Pro Bowls. Plus, he was a 1954 all-conference choice in the CFL when he went north for a better paycheck. Among this group, he has one of the top two cases for induction into the Hall.

Gene Brito

TACKLES

Al Wistert—Yes, him again. I've written about him several times before. "Ox" may be the most honored player without a bust in Canton. He was a consensus All-Pro five times and six overall, as well as an all-decade choice. He was a key blocker for Steve Van Buren, who retired as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, and the owner of two NFL championship rings.

Al Wistert

Gene "Big Daddy" Lipscomb—"Big Daddy's" 10-year NFL career crept into the 1960s, but he's included anyway. Right after the 1962 NFL season, his life was cut short by an accidental drug overdose -- one many think may not have been self-induced. 

A defensive tackle, Lipscomb was a consensus All-Pro with the Baltimore Colts in 1958-59 and was on the Player's All-Pro team (released by the Newspaper Enterprise Association) in 1960 and 1961 -- making him a four-time All-Pro. He was a dominant run defender on the two Colts' NFL title teams, then developed into a great pass rusher with the Steelers.

Gene Lipscomb

GUARDS

Dick Barwegen—Playing eight seasons, Barwegan was a four-time All-Pro and member of the 1950s' all-decade team. He was a four-time consensus All-Pro and a second-team selection a few times, as well. 

Dick Barwegen

Riley Matheson—"Snake" has been a truly forgotten player. A World War II-era player, he was a six-time All-Pro (five consensus) and played for the 1945 NFL champion Cleveland Rams. His best years occurred when so many young men were in the military that the NFL was talent-depleted, so he failed to gain the recognition he deserves. But there are plenty of Hall of Famers who excelled during the war, including Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman.

It may be time to take another look at some of these players. Wistert's case reportedly was hurt because he didn't serve in the war, with some early Hall voters using that as a reason not to induct him. 

CENTER

Charley Brock—Brock didn't get a lot of "alls," but he was a fine center and linebacker for the 1940s' Green Bay Packers. He played for two NFL title teams and was an all-decade choice. Brock had a knack for causing turnovers, including interceptions. And, while no stats are available, reports then had him responsible for a significant number of forced fumbles.

Charley Brock

QUARTERBACK

Frankie Albert—Albert twice led the All-American Football Conference in touchdown passes and was the AAFC's co-MVP (with Otto Graham) in 1948. However, his teams could never get past Graham's Browns, even though they had a winning season in each of his years in the AAFC. But Albert wasn't alone. A lot of teams couldn't get past the Browns.

Frankie Albert

RUNNING BACKS

Ward Cuff—Cuff's career began before the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, but he really didn't fit that group. So he was omitted from my pre-WWII team. He fits better here.

Cuff was one of the last great wingbacks, a position in the old single-wing offense. The Giants also used a variant of the single-wing called the "A-formation," and Cuff was vital in both. His value was as an all-around player -- blocker, runner, receiver and defender -- and he was the most prolific kicker of his time.

He was an  All-Pro in 1941 and 1943-44 and second-team a few other seasons. He's someone who cannot be judged by stats alone. 

Ward Cuff

Tank Younger—Younger was a fullback and linebacker most noted for being one-third of the Rams' so-called "Bull Elephant" backfield. But even though he was a fine runner, blocker and receiver, he was better as a defensive player 

He was All-Pro in 1951 and second-team in both 1952 and 1954. Only his final season was based on his running alone.  

Tank Younger (left) and Dan Towler (right)

Dan Towler—"Deacon" Dan was another Rams' running back and another one-third of the "Bull Elephants." He was the NFL's leading rusher once and an All-Pro three times. He and Younger have championship rings from the 1951 season.

In Towler's six NFL seasons, only Hall-of-Famer Joe Perry rushed for more yards, and no one ran for more touchdowns.

Note: The All-Pro teams cited are all accepted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and are included in "Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the NFL".