Al Nesser

Al Nesser

Date of birth	June 6, 1893
Place of birth	Columbus, Ohio, United States
Date of death	March 1967 (aged 73)
Place of death	Akron, Ohio
Career information
Position(s)	Offensive lineman
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	195 lb (88 kg)
College	None
Career history
As coach
1926	Akron Indians
As player
1910–1919	Columbus Panhandles
1914	Canton Professionals
1920–1925	Akron Pros
1921	Columbus Panhandles
1925	Cleveland Bulldogs
1926	Akron Indians
1926	Cleveland Panthers
1926–1928	New York Giants
1931	Cleveland Indians
Career highlights and awards
2× NFL Champion (1920, 1927) Buffalo Evening News: 1st team all-APFA (1921) George Halas: 2nd team all-NFL (1922)
Career stats
Playing stats at DatabaseFootball.com Coaching stats at Pro Football Reference

Alfred "Al" Louis Nesser (June 6, 1893 – March 1967) was a professional American football offensive lineman. He played for seven teams (Akron Pros, Cleveland Bulldogs, Columbus Panhandles, Akron Indians, New York Giants, and Cleveland Indians) in the National Football League and the Cleveland Panthers in the first American Football League. He won NFL Championship titles with the Akron Pros in 1920 and the New York Giants in 1927. During his career, Nesser played against Charlie Copley, Fritz Pollard and Jim Thorpe.

Although he didn't play college football, prior to the formation of the NFL, Nesser played in the "Ohio League" for the Columbus Panhandles and the Canton Professionals (later renamed the Canton Bulldogs). He was one of the seven Nesser Brothers who played professional football. He became the last Nesser brother to retire from the game, when he ended his playing career in 1931. He was the last football player to play without having to use a mandatory helmet.

Although none of the Nessers have been named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Al was elected to the professional branch of the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame in 1952.

References

• Peterson, Robert W. (1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
• Lahman, Sean (2008). The Pro Football Historical Abstract. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-59228-940-0.
• Maroon, Thomas (2006). Akron-Canton Football Heritage. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-19-511913-8.
• PFRA Research. "Parratt Stays on Top 1914" (PDF). Coffin Corner (Professional Football Researchers Association): 1–3.
• A Colorful Game: Names are in the Book