Bert Bell
DeBenneville "Bert" Bell (February 25, 1895 – October 11, 1959) was an American football player, coach, and executive who served as the National Football League's (NFL) commissioner from 1946 until his death.[1] A quarterback at the University of Pennsylvania, Bell captained the 1916 Quakers team that competed in the program's sole Rose Bowl appearance.[2] Bell entered professional football ownership by co-founding the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933 amid the Great Depression's financial strains on the league.[1] Facing competitive imbalances favoring wealthier franchises, he proposed the annual collegiate player draft in 1935, implemented the following year to distribute talent more evenly and sustain smaller-market teams.[3] After selling the Eagles, he co-owned the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1941, further embedding his influence in NFL operations.[1] Appointed commissioner in 1946 following the league's antitrust struggles, Bell prioritized integrity by enforcing rigorous anti-gambling policies and resolving player contract disputes.[1] Under his leadership, the NFL secured foundational television agreements, introduced sudden-death overtime, televised night games, and established home-game broadcast blackouts to boost live attendance, which doubled during his tenure while player salaries rose substantially.[4][2] Bell collapsed from a fatal heart attack at Franklin Field on October 11, 1959, while observing a contest between his former franchises, the Eagles and Steelers.[1] He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963.[1]Early life (1895–1932)
Family background and childhood
De Benneville Bell, known throughout his life as Bert, was born on February 25, 1895, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John Cromwell Bell, a distinguished lawyer who served as district attorney of Philadelphia from 1907 to 1911 and attorney general of Pennsylvania from 1919 to 1923, and Fleurette de Benneville Myers, whose family lineage traced back before the American Revolutionary War.[5][6][7] The Bells were a prominent Quaker family from Philadelphia's affluent Main Line suburbs, enjoying substantial wealth derived from legal, real estate, and civic endeavors, which afforded their children access to elite social circles and educational opportunities.[8][9] Raised as the youngest son in a household of privilege, Bell spent his early years in a grand mansion near Rittenhouse Square, designed by renowned architect Horace Trumbauer and staffed with maids and butlers, reflecting the family's upper-class status in turn-of-the-century Philadelphia society.[10] This environment instilled an early appreciation for discipline and competition, influenced by his father's public service career and the era's emphasis on physical fitness among the elite; however, Bell reportedly disliked his formal given name from a young age, preferring the nickname "Bert" that stuck through adulthood.[11][12] Bell's childhood transitioned into adolescence at Haverford Preparatory School, a prestigious institution near his family's Main Line home, where he emerged as a multisport standout, captaining the football, basketball, and baseball teams by his senior year around 1913.[1][9] These experiences honed his athletic talents and leadership skills amid a backdrop of family expectations for professional success, setting the stage for his later pursuits in sports and business without evident financial pressures that plagued less privileged peers.[10]University of Pennsylvania career (1914–1919)
DeBenneville "Bert" Bell enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in 1914 and joined the freshman football team that year.[10] He majored in English and became a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.[10] Bell earned the starting quarterback position as a sophomore in 1915, an uncommon achievement for underclassmen at the time.[10] During the 1916 season, he quarterbacked the Penn Quakers to a 7-6-1 record, securing the team's sole historical invitation to the Rose Bowl, played on January 1, 1917, against the University of Oregon.[2] Penn lost the game 14-0, though Bell contributed the Quakers' longest offensive gain of 20 yards via a run.[13] Bell's college career was interrupted by World War I, during which he served in the U.S. Army after being drafted.[10] He returned to Penn in 1919 as team captain, leading the Quakers to a 6-2-1 record that season.[10] Bell played quarterback for Penn from 1915 through 1919 overall.[2]Initial coaching and business activities (1920–1932)
Following his playing career at the University of Pennsylvania, Bell returned to the institution as an assistant football coach in 1920, a position he held through 1928.[9] Initially, he worked under head coach John Heisman from 1920 to 1922, contributing to the Quakers' strategies during a period when Penn compiled records of 3-4-1 in 1920, 5-3 in 1921, and 6-3 in 1922.[9] After Heisman's departure to Cleveland in 1923, Bell continued in the role under subsequent head coaches, including Carl Slomer and Herbert McCracken, amid varying team performances that included a 9-1 season in 1924 but also struggles in later years.[14] These coaching duties were part-time, allowing Bell to maintain involvement in football while pursuing other professional endeavors. Concurrently with his coaching at Penn, Bell entered the oil business, reflecting his diversification into commercial ventures amid the post-World War I economic landscape.[14] This period marked his initial foray into entrepreneurship, leveraging family connections in Philadelphia's business circles, though specific operational details such as company affiliations or ventures remain sparsely documented in contemporary accounts.[5] After leaving Penn in 1928, Bell focused more intensively on these business interests during a transitional gap year in 1929, before resuming coaching as an assistant at Temple University from 1930 to 1932 under head coach Henry C. "Pop" Warner.[9] At Temple, he supported the Owls' development during seasons that yielded records of 7-2-1 in 1930, 8-1 in 1931, and 3-3-2 in 1932, emphasizing offensive tactics aligned with Warner's single-wing formation.[15] Bell's dual commitments to coaching and business during this era underscored his early administrative acumen in football, honed through hands-on roles that foreshadowed his later executive influence, while his oil sector involvement provided financial stability amid the Great Depression's onset by 1932.[10]NFL team ownership (1933–1946)
Philadelphia Eagles (1933–1940)
In 1933, Bert Bell and Lud Wray purchased the dormant Frankford Yellow Jackets franchise from the NFL for $2,500 and relocated it to Philadelphia, renaming it the Eagles.[16] The team played its inaugural season that year under coach Lud Wray, finishing with a 3–5–1 record.[10] The following seasons yielded similarly poor results: 4–7 in 1934 and 2–9 in 1935, leaving the franchise in financial distress amid low attendance and operational costs.[10] Bell assumed sole ownership after the 1935 season by buying out Wray for $4,500.[17] As owner, president, and general manager from 1936 to 1940, he also took over as head coach starting that year due to budget constraints, compiling a 10–43–2 record over five seasons.[18] The Eagles continued to struggle competitively, including a 1–11 mark in 1936—their worst finish—and never contended for the NFL title, often finishing near the bottom of the Eastern Division.[1] Financially, Bell frequently discounted or gave away tickets to boost crowds, exacerbating losses.[19] During this period, Bell played a key role in NFL governance, co-authoring the proposal for the league's first player draft in 1935 to promote competitive balance and curb bidding wars for college talent.[20] The Eagles held the inaugural first-overall pick that year after their 2–9 record, selecting Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger, though he never played professionally.[21] Bell's efforts to sign players personally, such as traveling to recruit prospects, underscored his hands-on approach amid the team's instability.[22] Bell's Eagles tenure ended in December 1940 when he partnered with Pittsburgh Pirates owner Art Rooney to consolidate ownership; Bell acquired a share of the Pirates (later renamed Steelers), while Rooney joined as co-owner of the Eagles.[20] This arrangement followed the sale of the Pirates to Alexis Thompson, marking Bell's shift to Pittsburgh amid ongoing league realignments during World War II preparations.[23]Pittsburgh Steelers (1940–1946)
In December 1940, following the sale of Art Rooney's Pittsburgh Pirates franchise—renamed the Steelers earlier that year—to Alexis Thompson, Bell facilitated a franchise exchange that positioned him as co-owner of the Steelers alongside Rooney. This arrangement stemmed from Thompson's acquisition of Bell's Philadelphia Eagles, with Rooney purchasing a partial interest in the Eagles in return, enabling Bell to shift his ownership focus to Pittsburgh amid financial pressures on both Pennsylvania teams.[20][1] Bell assumed additional responsibilities as head coach for the Steelers' first two games of the 1941 season, compiling an 0–2 record before the team transitioned to Aldo Donelli and Walt Kiesling, resulting in an overall 1–9–1 finish and fifth place in the NFL East Division. The Steelers' performance remained inconsistent during Bell's tenure, with records of 1–9 in 1942, a merged 5–4–1 mark as the "Steagles" in 1943 (combining with the Eagles due to wartime player shortages), 0–10 in the 1944 Phil-Pitt merger, and 2–8 in 1945, reflecting challenges like talent depletion from military drafts and limited financial resources. Amid World War II, Bell advocated for the NFL's continuation rather than suspension, emphasizing the league's role in sustaining public morale and arguing against operational halts until hostilities fully ended. He contributed to wartime adaptations, including the 1943 and 1944 mergers of the Steelers and Eagles to field viable rosters despite enlistments reducing available players by over 300 league-wide. In March 1942, Bell was elected to represent the NFL's Eastern Division on the executive committee, where he influenced policies on player procurement and scheduling to address labor shortages.[25][13] Bell's Steelers ownership concluded in 1946 upon his unanimous election as NFL commissioner on October 16, prompting him to sell his shares back to Rooney to assume the league-wide role. During his time as co-owner, the franchise struggled competitively but benefited from Bell's growing influence in broader NFL governance, laying groundwork for his commissioner reforms.[1][20]NFL commissioner tenure (1946–1959)
Election, gambling scandal, and early reforms (1946–1948)
Bell was unanimously elected as the NFL's second commissioner on January 11, 1946, succeeding Elmer Layden, whose contract had not been renewed amid the league's post-World War II challenges.[1] As part of assuming the role, he sold his ownership interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers back to primary owner Art Rooney to avoid conflicts of interest.[20] He relocated the league headquarters from Chicago to Philadelphia, his hometown, to centralize operations under his direct oversight.[26] In his first season, Bell addressed a critical threat to the league's integrity through the handling of a gambling scandal that surfaced hours before the December 15, 1946, NFL championship game between the New York Giants and Chicago Bears.[27] Gambler Alvin J. Paris had approached Giants quarterback Frank Filchock and fullback Merle Hapes days earlier, offering each $2,500 to manipulate the point spread, along with potential winnings from bets and off-season jobs; neither accepted the bribe but failed to report it promptly despite league rules requiring such disclosure.[28] After interrogating the players in New York City Mayor William O'Dwyer's office, Bell suspended Hapes indefinitely before kickoff for the nondisclosure, while permitting Filchock to play due to insufficient evidence of complicity in the fix attempt; the Bears won 24–14, after which Bell extended an indefinite suspension to Filchock as well.[28][29] Paris was later convicted of bribery in 1947.[28] The scandal underscored the NFL's vulnerability to gambling influences, prompting Bell to prioritize anti-gambling enforcement as a foundational policy to safeguard the sport's credibility amid competition from baseball and emerging rivals like the All-America Football Conference (AAFC).[1] He hired former FBI agents to surveil betting activities in NFL host cities and implemented measures to limit interactions between players, officials, owners, and known gamblers.[29] At the January 1947 owners' meetings, Bell secured authority for lifetime bans on any participant in game-fixing schemes, establishing a precedent for rigorous conduct codes that extended beyond mere suspensions.[30] These steps, combined with preparations to counter the AAFC through resistant scheduling and draft negotiations, fortified the NFL's operational stability by 1948, setting the stage for later expansions while emphasizing competitive integrity over short-term gains.[27]AAFC merger and league expansion (1949–1950)
The All-America Football Conference (AAFC), formed in 1946, competed aggressively with the NFL by signing high-profile players and escalating salaries, straining both leagues' finances and attendance through 1949.[27] Bert Bell, as NFL commissioner, rejected proposals for coexistence such as a shared draft or postseason "World Series," instead pursuing absorption of viable AAFC franchises to eliminate the rival league outright.[27] His firm stance pressured AAFC owners amid mounting losses, culminating in secret negotiations that produced a merger agreement announced on December 9, 1949. Under the terms, the NFL incorporated three AAFC teams—the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Colts—expanding the league from 10 to 13 franchises for the 1950 season, while the remaining AAFC clubs disbanded and their players entered a dispersal draft.[31] The merger was formalized on December 19, 1949, temporarily renaming the combined entity the National-American Football League (NAFL), though it reverted to the NFL name on March 3, 1950, following unanimous owner approval and legal advice.[31] Bell resolved ancillary issues, including player assignments and the New York Bulldogs' replacement by the AAFC's New York Yankees (rebranded as the Yanks), ensuring operational stability in the enlarged league.[31] Bell also fielded expansion bids for a 14th team from cities like Buffalo, Houston, and Oakland, but these failed due to the NFL's requirement for unanimous owner consent, with Buffalo's effort garnering only a 9-4 majority despite raising over $250,000.[31] The merger thus marked the primary expansion under Bell's early tenure, stabilizing the NFL by integrating proven talent—such as the undefeated Browns—without diluting competitive balance through unchecked growth.[27]Television policies, marketing, and revenue sharing (1950–1956)
Bell established a league-wide television blackout policy in 1952, prohibiting the broadcast of home games within a 75-mile radius of the host stadium to protect attendance at live events.[32] This measure addressed concerns that local telecasts were reducing gate revenues, as evidenced by the Los Angeles Rams' earlier experiment with full local coverage in 1950, which led to financial losses and prompted their adoption of a home blackout.[33] The policy, which allowed televising of road games back to home markets, became the foundation of the NFL's television code through the 1950s and 1960s, fostering consistent league growth by balancing broadcast access with in-person viewership.[27] Federal courts upheld the arrangement in 1953, affirming its role in maintaining competitive viability amid antitrust scrutiny.[27] To expand national visibility, Bell pursued centralized television agreements, culminating in a 1956 deal with CBS that affiliated 11 of the league's 12 teams following the collapse of the DuMont Network.[33] This contract marked CBS's entry into NFL broadcasting and emphasized pooled rights sales over individual team negotiations, enabling broader marketing reach while mitigating disparities in local media markets.[34] Bell viewed television as essential for promoting the league's appeal, testifying before Congress to secure antitrust exemptions for such collective bargaining, which differentiated the NFL from college football's restrictive stance on broadcasts.[35] Revenue sharing formed a core component of Bell's strategy to ensure parity, with 1956 CBS negotiations prioritizing equitable distribution of television proceeds—initially weighted by market value but paving the way for uniform allocation—to bolster weaker franchises.[36] Bell advocated this pooling mechanism to counteract advantages held by larger-market teams, arguing it sustained overall league health without fully equalizing shares at the time due to owner resistance.[35] By integrating blackouts, national contracts, and revenue equalization efforts, these policies enhanced the NFL's marketability, driving attendance increases and establishing television as a revenue engine that supported expansion into new territories by 1956.[3]Player relations, NFLPA compromise, and late innovations (1956–1959)
In late 1956, a group of NFL players, led by figures such as Creighton Miller, convened at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York to form the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), marking the first organized effort by players to address grievances like low salaries and poor working conditions.[37] In January 1957, the NFLPA submitted formal proposals to Commissioner Bert Bell, including a minimum annual salary of $5,000, team-provided and maintained clean uniforms and equipment, and improved travel accommodations.[37] These demands arose amid broader tensions, including the 1957 Supreme Court ruling in Radovich v. National Football League, which subjected the NFL to antitrust laws and weakened the league's push for a sports exemption, with players testifying against owners before Congress.[38] Bell, prioritizing league stability over owner resistance, formally recognized the NFLPA in 1957—the first commissioner to do so—despite unanimous opposition from team owners who viewed the union as a threat to their control.[39] He declared his intent to negotiate directly with NFLPA representatives, persuading reluctant owners like Baltimore Colts' Carroll Rosenbloom to support recognition, which averted potential congressional scrutiny and strikes while granting players a limited voice without immediate collective bargaining power.[15] This compromise yielded modest gains, such as informal discussions on benefits, but deferred major concessions like binding agreements until after Bell's tenure, reflecting his pragmatic approach to balancing player demands with owner interests amid rising league revenues.[40] Bell's late tenure also featured key rule innovations to enhance game competitiveness and appeal. In 1958, he implemented sudden-death overtime for playoff games, where the first team to score ends the contest, aiming to resolve ties dramatically and boost fan engagement; it debuted in the NFL Championship on December 28, 1958, between the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants, resulting in a 23-17 Colts victory after 8:15 of overtime in what became known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played."[17] This format, tested earlier in regular-season exhibitions, addressed persistent tie issues—such as the 17 ties in 1957—and laid groundwork for future overtime rules, underscoring Bell's focus on product quality as attendance and television interest surged.[13] Additionally, Bell advanced player welfare by laying foundations for a pension system, lobbying Congress as a registered agent to secure tax-exempt status for league benefits, which enabled the NFL's first formalized retirement plan shortly after his death.[13] These efforts, amid ongoing revenue sharing and anti-gambling enforcement, solidified player relations improvements before Bell's fatal heart attack on October 11, 1959, during a Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers game.[1]Personal life
Family and relationships
Bell married Broadway actress and Ziegfeld Follies performer Frances Upton on January 4, 1934, in a private ceremony after she broke off her prior engagement.[41] Upton, who had appeared in Hollywood films and stage productions, retired from acting following the marriage and provided financial backing that enabled Bell to co-found and purchase the Philadelphia Eagles franchise earlier that year.[42] The couple remained married until Bell's death in 1959, during which time Upton supported his football endeavors amid the family's Philadelphia establishment ties.[41] They had three children: sons John Bert Bell Jr. (born circa 1936) and Upton Bell (born 1937), and daughter Mary Jane Bell (born circa 1942).[10] [43] Upton Bell later pursued a career in professional football management, serving as general manager for the Baltimore Colts and New England Patriots.[44] The family resided in Narberth, Pennsylvania, where Bell balanced his NFL roles with domestic life.[10]Health issues and death (1959)
In 1959, Bell's health declined amid personal and professional stresses, including the death of longtime NFL associate Tim Mara in February, after which Bell suffered a non-fatal heart attack.[45] His physician subsequently advised him against attending games to mitigate risks.[46] Despite the warning, Bell attended the Philadelphia Eagles' home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on October 11, 1959, at Franklin Field.[47] With roughly two minutes left in the fourth quarter, he collapsed in the stands near the south end zone from a massive heart attack.[10][46] Rushed to a nearby hospital, the 65-year-old commissioner was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.[47][1]Legacy
Major achievements and contributions
Bell's advocacy for the college player draft in 1935, as owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, addressed talent disparities by prioritizing selections for the weakest teams, with the inaugural draft occurring on February 8, 1936, establishing a system of parity that persists in modern sports leagues.[3] As commissioner from 1946 to 1959, he engineered the December 1949 merger with the All-America Football Conference, admitting the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Baltimore Colts to expand the league to 13 teams and infuse competitive depth from the rival circuit's successes.[4] He also implemented anti-gambling protocols in response to scandals like the 1946 Chicago college betting incident, enforcing lifetime bans and elevating the league's integrity to attract broader public trust.[3] Bell's television strategies proved transformative: local blackouts of sold-out home games preserved attendance while permitting broadcasts of marquee away contests, spurring sellouts and negotiating foundational deals with networks like CBS and NBC that instituted equal revenue distribution, which doubled league attendance and raised player salaries over his tenure.[3][2] He further recognized the NFL Players Association in the 1950s, fostering structured labor relations, and debuted sudden-death overtime rules in 1958 preseason games to eliminate ties, culminating in the dramatic New York Giants–Baltimore Colts championship that catalyzed national interest.[3][4] These measures collectively professionalized the NFL, shifting it from precarious regional play to a viable national enterprise.[2]Honors and recognitions
Bell was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963 as a member of its inaugural charter class, recognizing his foundational contributions to professional football as commissioner, including league stabilization, revenue policies, and competitive balance initiatives.[1][20] The selection committee highlighted his role in transforming the NFL from a struggling enterprise into a viable national sport, citing specific achievements such as the 1946 player draft, merger with the All-America Football Conference, and establishment of the annual championship game format.[1] Following his death on October 11, 1959, the Maxwell Football Club—which Bell co-founded in 1937—established the Bert Bell Award in 1959 to honor the NFL's most outstanding player each season, perpetuating his legacy of promoting excellence and sportsmanship in the league.[48] This annual award, voted on by a panel including NFL personnel, coaches, and media, underscores Bell's influence on player recognition and league prestige, with recipients selected based on on-field performance and leadership qualities he championed.[49]Criticisms and unresolved challenges
Bell's implementation of a local television blackout policy in 1950, which prohibited broadcasting home games within a 75-mile radius regardless of sellout status, faced significant backlash for restricting fan access and prioritizing gate receipts over broader viewership. Critics, including fans and broadcasters, argued the rule stifled the sport's growth in an era of expanding television popularity, with particular controversy erupting over the 1957 NFL Championship Game between the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns; Michigan Governor G. Mennen Williams and federal officials urged Bell to lift the blackout, citing public demand, but he refused, maintaining the policy's necessity to sustain franchise viability amid uneven attendance.[27][30] Bell dismissed charges of censorship in TV coverage, insisting the measure protected the league's economic foundation, though it remained unpopular and contributed to ongoing debates over media rights.[3] Some team owners criticized Bell's 1956 compromise with the nascent NFL Players Association (NFLPA), viewing his formal recognition of the group as a bargaining agent—following a threatened players' strike—as an unnecessary concession that empowered labor at the expense of ownership control. This accord, which averted disruption but yielded only modest gains like improved travel conditions and a minimal pension framework, left underlying tensions unresolved, with players decrying inadequate compensation relative to physical risks and short career spans.[50] Persistent challenges in player welfare persisted under Bell, including limited protections against the sport's inherent violence and insufficient post-career support; while he enforced conduct rules and supported the inaugural pension plan in 1959—providing $80 monthly benefits after five credited seasons—these measures were deemed insufficient by many, as evidenced by later NFLPA efforts in the 1980s to extend coverage to pre-1959 players excluded from vesting, highlighting equity gaps in disability and retirement provisions that originated during his tenure.[51] Bell's death in October 1959 also left the NFL confronting the emerging American Football League without his steady leadership, amplifying unresolved competitive and structural threats to the established order.[52]Head coaching record
NFL record
Bert Bell compiled an overall NFL head coaching record of 10 wins, 46 losses, and 2 ties (.172 winning percentage) across 58 games from 1936 to 1941, with no postseason appearances.[7] He coached the Philadelphia Eagles full-time from 1936 to 1940, achieving a 10–44–2 mark, before serving as head coach for the first two games of the 1941 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates (renamed Steelers in 1940), going 0–2 and being relieved of duties thereafter.[53] Bell's teams struggled competitively, often finishing in the lower half of the Eastern Division, which typically comprised five teams during his tenure; his best season was 1938 with the Eagles at 5–6 (fourth place).[7]| Year | Team | Games | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. | Division Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Philadelphia Eagles | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | .083 | 5th (East) |
| 1937 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11 | 2 | 8 | 1 | .200 | 5th (East) |
| 1938 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | .455 | 4th (East) |
| 1939 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11 | 1 | 9 | 1 | .100 | 4th (East) |
| 1940 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11 | 1 | 10 | 0 | .091 | 5th (East) |
| 1941 | Pittsburgh Pirates | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | (relieved after 2 games; team finished 5th) |
| Total | 58 | 10 | 46 | 2 | .172 |