Lavvie Dilweg and the Bears

[LJP]

Dilweg played for the Milwaukee Badgers in 1926 and after they disbanded, he joined the Packers, playing with them from 1927-34. However, in the buildup to the Bears-Packers game on 21st November 1926, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel lists Dilweg as a member of the Bears. He is in the projected linup as a backup LE and the brief article states - "Among the new players in the Chicago lineup are Dilweg and Johnny Bryan, who were with the Milwaukee team this year until the Cream City unit disbanded a week ago". The MJS of 18th November 1926 mentions that Bryan and Dilweg had "signed to finish the season with the Chicago Bears". Bryan played for the Bears in the Packers game as a backup QB and also played 2 later games with the Bears in 1926. I haven't seen a mention of Dilweg in the Bears lineup at the end of the 1926 season at all and he's not listed in the program for the Frankford game 4th December, whereas Bryan is, so he was presumably with the Bears for at least one game anyway, but did not play.

[LJP]

Found similar references in the Chicago Tribune for Dilweg and the Bears.

However, he never joined the team... https://lombardiave.com/2015/08/21/gree ... ie-dilweg/

Just goes to show that you can't trust everything that appears in the news

[Moran]

Very interesting - maybe if the Bears had Dilweg in the line up they would have been victorious against Frankford and won the 1926 championship.

[LJP]

It did seem a bit strange that they would sign him and not them use him. Also that there were no later references either.

Ah well. Dilweg probably would have made a big difference for the Bears late in 1926. The title basically being decided by a blocked PAT.

[John Maxymuk]

Off the top of my head, I think Halas wanted Dilweg to sign thru the 1927 season but Dilweg wanted to leave his options open. I would have to doublecheck that, though.

[rewing84]

best i could come up with https://lombardiave.com/2015/08/21/gree ... ie-dilweg/

[Moran]

I love this note: In Green Bay, he also began his legal career. He would practice football in the morning and law in the afternoon.

Kind of reminds me that the Giants had to schedule football practice around the office hours of Dr. Joe Alexander.

[rhickok1109]

I love this note: In Green Bay, he also began his legal career. He would practice football in the morning and law in the afternoon.

Kind of reminds me that the Giants had to schedule football practice around the office hours of Dr. Joe Alexander.

In fact, Dilweg ran for district attorney of Brown County in 1928 but he lost ... to teammate Verne Lewellen. Lewellen was DA for four years and was playing for the Packers throughout. He lost in the 1932 election and retired from football after that season.

[TanksAndSpartans]

Both are in the HOVG, but what I wouldn't have guessed is that Lewellen is right there with Dilweg on the all 20s team Bob Carroll put together using all-pro selections (not only that since players are ranked in order both Dilweg and Lewellen would be starters (first team) if you had to pick 11 of the 18):

E: Lavie Dilweg, Guy Chamberlin
Ray Flaherty
T: Ed Healey, Wilbur Henry
Cal Hubbard, Gus Sonnenberg
G: Swede Youngstrom, Jim McMillen
Mike Michalske
C: George Trafton
B: Paddy Driscoll, Verne Lewellen, Doc Elliott, Benny Friedman
Ernie Nevers, Joe Sternaman, Rip King