Chris O'Brien

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Christopher "Chris" O'Brien (baptized October 4, 1881 in Bohermeen , County Meath , Ireland ; died June 3, 1951 in Chicago ) was an American football official . He founded the franchise that now plays as the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League . He was a founding member of that league.

Life

Chris O'Brien was born in Ireland to Patrick O'Brien and Brigid Clarkin. His father immigrated to the United States while his mother stayed with her family with the children. The father served in the 7th Cavalry Regiment during the time of the conquest of the "Wild West". He later worked in the construction industry and in the real estate business. In 1889 Chris and his brother Patrick moved in with their father.

Chris O'Brien worked as a plumber, house painter and decorator. In 1898, he organized a football team for the Morgan Athletic Club in the Chicago South Side , which was mainly south of the slaughterhouses and was dominated by residents of Irish descent . From this team in 1901 the team of the Racine Cardinals, named after the Racine Avenue in this district. This team initially existed until 1906. In 1913, he revived the team as a professional team. On September 17, 1920, O'Brien attended the meeting at Ralph Hay's automobile business in Canton, Ohio , at which the American Professional Football Association, later called the Nation Football League, was formed. To avoid confusion, the team was referred to as the Chicago Racine Cardinals and from 1922 only as the Chicago Cardinals.

In 1920 he succeeded in signing Paddy Driscoll, one of the best players and coaches at the time. With his support, O'Brien's Cardinals were able to prevail against the city rivals of the Chicago Tigers in the audience's favor. However, when the Decatur Staleys moved to Chicago in 1921, a new competitor emerged.

The franchise was constantly losing money and Chris O'Brien was only able to keep the crew alive with his income from his paint business and a job at the court. Ultimately, he was forced to sell the team.

In mid-July 1929, medical officer David J. Jones bought the franchise for $ 12,000.

Chris O'Brien continues to market football games on the clay court at Racine Avenue and 61. Street (Morgan Playground). He later worked for a steel company.

He died on June 3, 1951 at his home on Racine Avenue. He was buried in the Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery .

He had been married to Frieda Bencke since 1904 and had one son.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 16 Jul 1961, 18 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com. Retrieved June 16, 2020 (English).
personal data
SURNAME O'Brien, Chris
ALTERNATIVE NAMES O'Brien, Christopher (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American football official
DATE OF BIRTH October 4, 1881
PLACE OF BIRTH Bohermeen , County Meath , Ireland
DATE OF DEATH June 3, 1951
Place of death Chicago