Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I contend that Minneapolis Marines player "Sheepy" Redeen was actually John Albert "Al" Redeen and not his brother, Clarence Redeen. Here is my line of evidence. Does anyone have any proof whatsoever that "Sheepy" Redeen was Clarence and not Al Redeen? The earliest proof I can find is a PFRA article by Jim Quirk that has no references listed. From my point of view, the PFRA article appears to include a mistake. Is Jim Quirk, the author of the article, still around to speak about this? What is the proof (from before Quirk's 1998 article) that Clarence Redeen was "Sheepy" Redeen?

Again, here's my line of evidence.


1889 - On December 7, John Albert Redeen is born to Charles Redeen and Hanna (Anderson) Redeen in Minneapolis Minnesota. Throughout his life, John would go by his middle name, Albert, shortened to "Al."

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Minnesota, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.


1891 - On October 7, Clarence E. Redeen is born to Charlie Redeen and Hanna (Anderson) Redeen in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. Minnesota, U.S., Births and Christenings Index, 1840-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.


1910 - The 1910 U.S. Census lists sons Clarence E. (age 18) and Albert Redeen (age 20) residing in the home of their father, Charles Redeen, and mother, Hannah Redeen. Census data is recorded as reported by the members of the household. John Redeen goes by his middle name "Albert." The household reports that his name is Albert.

SOURCE: Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.


1956 - The Minneapolis Star Tribune publishes a photo taken at a reunion party for the Minneapolis Marines. The photograph identifies "Al Redeen."

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97531329/star-tribune/


1971 - Clarence E. Redeen dies at the age of 79. His obituary mentions that he was a retired employee of General Mills. There is no mention of him playing for the Minneapolis Marines. The obituary says he is survived by his brother, J. A. Redeen.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9786658 ... ce-e-aged/


1998 - PFRA publishes an article by Jim Quirk that says "Sheepy" Redeen on the Minneapolis Marines was Clarence Redeen. The article includes NO REFERENCES.

https://profootballresearchers.com/arch ... 01-732.pdf


1979 - The Minneapolis Star Tribune publishes a feature article about Sheepy Redeen. The article mentions that Sheepy Redeen is better known as Al Redeen. At his 90th birthday party, Al Redeen shows guests pictures of him playing for the Marines.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97539035/star-tribune/


1983 - John Albert "Al" Redeen dies at the age of 93. His obituary mentions that he was "a former Marine football player."

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9780281 ... bert-aged/

FWIW---you've convinced me, and congrats on evidently correcting the record. In defense of Jim Quirk and other early researchers trying to piece together fragmentary bio info, back then there was no access to such wonderful online resources as Ancestry and newspapers.com, both of which you cite.