European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 10, 1967, Darmstadt, Hesse Sports scene the legendary Bronko Nagurski Bronko Nagurski the legendary pro football Star whose legs worked like pistons while he burst through tackle and guard for the Chicago bears has his own Gas station nowadays. He s still a hard worker. Bronko puts in 10-hour Days while running the station with just two part time helpers. His station is at the busiest Down town Corner in International Falls minn., a Small Canadian Border paper Mill an fishing town. It is Nagurski s Hometown and be came Back to it after his foot Ball Days with the University of Minnesota and the National football league bears. But not before the Bull Strong Man with the Blue eyes and the Arnild manner inspired Gridiron legends that will out live him. All America at Minnesota in 1929 and All pro three times with the bears 1932-34nagurski did things on a football Field men still write and walkabout. This remains a source of quiet pleasure and amusement to Bronko. Hen a sports writer has no topic of the moment he will often reconstruct a game in which Nagurski turned Apaul Hunan trick or several. Some of it s True some of it s sex by George Moses a staff writer agg rated he said recently betwee cars. Sometimes i think they re talk ing about the wrong but they re not talking about the wrong Guy when they haul out the superlatives for Bronko. When he turned out for freshman football in 1926 at the University of Minnesota he stood6-foot-2 and carried a hefty 210 pounds. He was cat Quick and obviously a Nat ural with the football. His Sophomore year he moved up tothe Vai sity where coach c. W. Spears used him As end in the Bronk s firs game against North Dakota. After Nagurski had knocked out several opposing linemen simply by running Over them Spears took him out and Madea tackle out of him. Next year Spears tried to make fullback out of Bronko but found the big Fellah was More needed in the the Iowa game he fractured two Vertebra but continued to play with cumbersome harness on his Back. And against Wisconsin he returned to the backs held and scored the winning to. And in 1929, despite the fact that replayed fullback for More than half the season he was named All american tackle. The Blue and while signs at the station simply say Bronko Nagurski the proprietor was sitting at his desk in his Blue uniform Reading the sports Page and listening to the radio when a visitor arrived. The station Walls were lined with photographs of other football tourists old enough to remember him sometimes ask Bronko to pos for pictures which he does willingly. Bronko bought the station about six years ago after he quit pro wrestling which had followed his retirement from the bears in 1943. He s 57 now and weighs 270 about30 pounds Over his playing weight. Bronko guided fishing parties on fabulous Rainy Lake near International Falls which he knows so Well. But now he fishes and even Hunts even More for his own tourist walked in slightly self conscious in new Straw hat and Blu denims. Could either of you gentlemen including Bronko s visitor Tell me How i get to Cormorant Bay he asked politely. I was trying to find some Good smal Nouth Bass Don t have to go that far for Bass Bronko said. He produced a map and began tracing on it with massive fingers handier Bass Sites. Nagurski who signed with the bears in 1930 for exactly nothing laughs at the huge bonuses paid untried Rookie recently and says the National foot Ball league american football league merger had to come or somebody was Gonna get Hurt awful Nagurski often gets Calls from sport figure s and writers especially when somebody Dies or when a Junior Nagpur ski is coming up. There were Many such Calls when Bronko jr., now an All Canadian pro tackle with the Hamilton Tiger cats came to pick a College. Bronko or. Went to notre Dame. There Are five other children ranging Down to a boy of nine. But Only one Bronko thinks May inspire More name is Ronald and some Day sportswriters May have to do something about that. He will be a High school Junior this fall stands 6-foot-l, weighs200 and plays both football and hockey. Hell be As Good As Bronko jr.,"says the old Man and adds with a note of Pride he s got just a Little meaner temperament. Hell be a Little Page 16 the stars and stripes sunday september 10, 1967
