Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

There's a Semi-Pro Hall of Fame that is maintained by a group called the American Football Association. As with most of the members, there's frustratingly little information on their careers, let alone their reason for having their names remembered. I figured out most of the first 100 from research, except for "Bob Engle"-- the name is common enough (including a MLB umpire) that an internet search hasn't turned up much about this individual. The only clues in the media guide are that he was a coach and that he lived in Brooklyn. Another guy, "Stu McLean", was an official with the organization, but is listed as being in there for being a semi-pro coach. Strangely enough, I found the "John Smith" that was referred to (John T. Smith of the Syracuse GP Express), but no angle on Engle. Any information will be appreciated.

The NY Times has an obituary for a Robert V. Engle who was coach of the semi-pro Brooklyn Kings at the time of his death - http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/09/obitu ... or-65.html

Robert Vernon Engle born 16 April 1924 Chicago, Cook, Illinois - https://familysearch.org/search/collect ... id=1462519

Lettered in Football at Wisconsin 1944 & 45 - http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wis ... f#page=287

There is a mysterious semi-pro team from Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Mariners. In existence continually from 1957, still coached by the same guy, Pudgie Walsh. I told him I'd have his records listed but he wants to keep them to himself/

Nothing to do with Bob Engle. Just wanted to mention it...

It may interest the Membership to know that PFRA Member Don Shipley's Father - Richard Shipley - was a 1992 inductee
of the American Football Association Hall of Fame as a coach.

If anyone is sincerely interested in the career of Bob Engle, let me know. He was one of my dearest friends.
He gained national and internationl prominence during and after his days at Newsweek.

This 1961 Newsweek cover is a drawing by Bob Engle.
Twice, his drawings of Jackie Kennedy graced Newsweek covers.

luckyshow wrote:There is a mysterious semi-pro team from Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Mariners. In existence continually from 1957, still coached by the same guy, Pudgie Walsh. I told him I'd have his records listed but he wants to keep them to himself/

Nothing to do with Bob Engle. Just wanted to mention it...

I remember NFL Films did a story on the Mariners a couple years back; I think they're first responders, firefighters and policemen, who put a football team together and play semi-pro. I was looking for the NFL Films segment on youtube, but there are a bunch of Mariners games on there, just search on Brooklyn Mariners.

The "problem" I had/have with the Mariners is they began in 1957 and the Brooklyn Daily Eagle ended, I think, in 1956. Brooklyn lost their baseball team and their newspaper around the same time. Also Robert Moses demolished a large swath of the area for boulevard (exit off the Brooklyn Bridge) and park/memorial. There is the old Richardson (architect) post office which was left and is now landmarked.

I forget where the football team plays. Boys High has a nice enclosed stadium and there is also an artificial turf field that maybe Brooklyn College plays at (well, did, they don't play anymore, but high school teams do)

They play at Kings Bay Field in Sheepshead Bay, built 1960. Sheepshead Bay got its name from the shape of this eastern end of Coney Island. Which was once an island, and the road that crosses where the bay's water now ends was the first bridge to the island, I think constructed in 1890s or a decade earlier.
http://joeproudman.com/brooklyngridiron/

In the article is mention of a tackle team in Huntington. I believe he refers to this one:
http://www.luckyshow.org/football/LIGiants.htm

The Swiss American Football League?:
http://www.luckyshow.org/football/Swiss%20Bowl.htm

An early team from Coney Island:
http://www.luckyshow.org/football/McMonigle's.htm

Okay, I'll stop....

Thank you, LJP and everyone else, particularly the link to his obituary. I had tried searches for the Brooklyn Mariners and the Brooklyn Dodgers (Continental Football League team, not the legends of Ebbets Field), but hadn't been aware of the Brooklyn Kings. That clears up a mystery for me.