All-Star team of players who played semi-pro football

[Halas Hall]

I came across this list published in July 1980 by a Sacramento-based researcher named Joe Cronin and thought it was interesting. I added the numbers in parentheses (number of games played in the NFL).

OT - Roger Finnie (Bridgeport Jets) (121)
OT – Wade Key (Pottstown Firebirds) (121)
OG – Woody Peoples (Richmond Rebels) (168)
C – Jim Clack (Norfolk Neptunes) (146)
QB – Ken Stabler (Spokane Shockers) (184)
FB – Marv Hubbard (Hartford Knights) (103)
TB – Tony Baker (Des Moines Warriors) (86)
WR – Gino Cappelletti (Sarnia Golden Bears) (153)
WR – Jack Dolbin (Pottstown Firebirds) (62)
K – Garo Yepremian (Michigan Arrows) (177)

DE – Coy Bacon (Charleston Rockets, Orlando Panthers, Oklahoma City Plainsmen) (180)
DE – Robert Eddie Brown (Wheeling Ironmen) (146)
DT – Andy Rice (Wheeling Ironmen) (102)
LB – Dick Absher (Virginia Sailors) (58)
LB – Ed Beard (Wheeling Ironmen) (97)
LB – Ron Acks (Des Moines Warriors) (105)
DB – Cliff Harris (Santa Ana Rhinos) (141)
DB – Bobby Bryant (Des Moines Warriors) (161)
DB – Joe Taylor (Montreal Rifles) (108)
DB – Nelson Munsey (Norfolk Neptunes) (72)
P – Ron Widby (Oklahoma City Plainesmen) (81)

[JohnTurney]

great list.

Joe Cronin was great, he sold old NFL record books that he'd recreated to make them affordable...1940s-50s-60s were so rare and there was no ebay when he started ... so you didn't have to go to HOF library

Thanks f or posting

[Mark]

Didn't Johnny Unitas play semi-pro football? I would rate him above Stabler.

[JuggernautJ]

Didn't Johnny Unitas play semi-pro football? I would rate him above Stabler.

Good Call!
Bloomfield Rams, 1955.

[slats7]

Eric Swann made two Pro Bowls after playing semi-pro ball.

[TodMaher]

Having known Joe, I doubt if he labeled his list "semi-pro" since these are all minor league players.

Unitas played semi-pro ball, not minor league ball, which is probably why he's not the list.

Also, recent research has revealed that Bobby Bryant did NOT play minor league (or semi-pro) football.

[TodMaher]

I found the article in San Francisco Chronicle (7/8/1980). It does say "semi-pro" but I think was the Chronicle and not Joe.

And when Cliff Harris played for the Rhinos is beyond me. His final college season was 1969 and in July of 1970 he's in camp with the Cowboys. There were claims by the Rhinos in 1970 that Harris had played for them but beyond that there is no "proof" anywhere else.

[Bob Gill]

Having known Joe, I doubt if he labeled his list "semi-pro" since these are all minor league players.

Unitas played semi-pro ball, not minor league ball, which is probably why he's not the list.

Also, recent research has revealed that Bobby Bryant did NOT play minor league (or semi-pro) football.

Yeah, what he said.

Also, a few other guys who should be added to Joe's list:

Bob Kuechenberg at guard. He played in the Continental League in 1969, then almost 200 games with the Dolphins. Made a few all-pro teams along the way.

Same goes for center Jeff Van Note, who also played in the Continental League in 1969 and then played forever with the Falcons. I think he'd outrank Jim Clack.

Defensive lineman Otis Sistrunk didn't play as many NFL games as the guys Joe listed, but he made all-pro a couple of times and had more impact than the guys Joe listed, except maybe for Coy Bacon. Sistrunk, who didn't go to college, started out in the Central States League, then played with the Norfolk Neptunes for three years before the Raiders signed him.

[Gary Najman]

For a return specialist we could include WR/PR Steve Schubert, who played for the New England Colonials of the ACFL in 1973, then he played in the NFL from 1974-1979, mainly for the Chicago Bears, for a total of 74 games. He returned three punts for touchdowns and still is ranked in the top 200 all-time in NFL punt returns history.

[Shipley]

This is an interesting topic close to my heart. Here are a couple of players who are also candidates to at least be part of the discussion.

C: Carl Mauck, Harrisburg Capitol Colts, 166 games
TE: Bob Tucker, Pottstown Firebirds, 156
OG: Conway Hayman, Hagerstown Bears, 77
P: Duane Carrell, Hagerstown Bears, 47

Also, Jack Dolbin played for the Schuylkill Coal Crackers in 1971 in addition to the Pottstown Firebirds in 1970.

I posted a screen shot of the all-star team on my Semi-Pro Football History Facebook group along with some pictures if anyone is interested in seeing what our followers have to say on this topic.