John Albert "Automatic Jack" Manders (January 13, 1909 – January 29, 1977) was an

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wit ...

player. He played professionally in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ma ...

(NFL) for the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...

from 1933 to 1940. He's considered pro football's first kicking specialist. Manders considered one of the biggest stars of the NFL early years, and was the second pro football player to appear on a Wheaties box. He was also a member of the Chicago team coached by

George Halas George Stanley Halas Sr. (; February 2, 1895October 31, 1983), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American professional football player, coach, and team owner. He was the founder and owner of the National Football League's Chi ...

that defeated the

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...

in the

1940 NFL Championship Game The 1940 NFL Championship Game, sometimes referred to simply as 73–0, was the eighth title game of the National Football League (NFL). It was played at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. on December 8, with a sellout capacity attendance o ...

by the memorable score of 73–0. He was the older brother of

Clarence "Pug" Manders Clarence Edward "Pug" Manders (May 5, 1913 – January 13, 1985) was a National Football League running back for the Brooklyn Dodgers/Tigers from 1939 through 1944. He was drafted in the second round of the 1939 NFL Draft. He led the NFL in ru ...

References

1909 births 1977 deaths American football fullbacks American football halfbacks American football placekickers Chicago Bears players Minnesota Golden Gophers football players Players of American football from Chicago People from Milbank, South Dakota {{runningback-1900s-stub