Notre Dame Four Horsemen to First NFL Commissioner - Elmer Layden
Elmer Layden is not a household name nowadays.  However, back in the early 1920s, he was a quarter of the famed Notre Dame Four Horsemen.  These guys were one of the most famous College football backfields of all-time.  Elmer’s participation with the Four Horsemen started him on the path to fame and glory, ultimately leading to him becoming the First NFL Commissioner.  To get a better understanding, we have to take it all the way back to the beginning.
This is where we stop the DeLorean this week.  The date is May 4, 1903.  Layden was born on this date in Davenport, Iowa.  His full name was Elmer Francis Layden.  As with most heroes of the podcast, Elmer was an All-State legend in Iowa in High School.  His position was the fullback.  The fullback position wasn’t quite the same back in the early 20th century as it is today.  Back then it was more of a focal point.  Now we’re lucky to see a fullback on the field.
Tweet Note - The article below covers the topic of this week's episode.  There are many links throughout the article to enhance your learning of the history of the NFL.  A few of these may be Amazon links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  Keep scrolling to get to the article.
Connect With The Show
Visit the show notes for this episode
Visit me on the web - my about page
Contact the show
Follow me on Twitter
Subscribe for free to the podcast
Subscribe for free on YouTube
Are you interested in sharing your favorite football moment on the show?  This is your chance to share your story with all my listeners.
Click here to share your favorite football moment
Please enter your name. Please enter a valid email address. Mash This Button For More NFL History Content!!! Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again. College Days
Layden used his fame as a fullback to enter Notre Dame in 1921. As a Freshman for the Fighting Irish, Elmer was relegated to backup duty where he had to share reps as a quarterback with Harry Struhldreher. By his Junior year, Layden was given full control of the fullback duties for what would ultimately become the famous Notre Dame Four Horsemen. This group of players would form one of the most famous backfields in American Football History. The other members besides Elmer Layden were Jim Crowly, Don Miller, and Harry Struhldreher. These 4 men were an unstoppable force on the field.
Grantland Rice is credited with coining the nickname - The Four Horsemen. He is one of the most influential sportswriters in history. It was perfect timing for Rice to be around, as he wrote of myths and legends in sports during an era that was called "The Golden Age of Sports". They sure did break the mold with Grantland Rice. I talked about Grantland giving the nickname Galloping Ghost back in the Red Grange episode. Do you remember that episode and the captivating poem written by Red Grange? Well, guess what, that game occurred on the exact same day as the game that led to the Notre Dame Four Horsemen.
That day was October 18, 1924. On this day, Grantland Rice changed the way people looked at football forever more. I say this is easily one of the more important dates in sports writing history. The Galloping Ghost poem was an inspiring performance from an individual player. However, Grantland's depiction of The Four Horsemen was of a group of men that just bowled over the opposition. The poem went as such:
"Outlined against a blue, gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore, they were known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction, and Death. These were only aliases. Their real names are Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowly, and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice of Polo Grounds this afternoon" ~ Grantland Rice
Now talk about painting a picture of legendary proportions. Chew on