Arda Bowser
| Date of birth | January 9, 1899 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Fullback Halfback |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg) |
| US college | Bucknell Bethany |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1922 | Canton Bulldogs |
| 1923 | Cleveland Indians |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Career stats | |
| |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |  U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1917–1919 |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Arda "Ard" Crawford Bowser (January 9, 1899 – September 7, 1996) was a professional football player who spent two years of the National Football League with the Canton Bulldogs and the Cleveland Indians. Bowser won an NFL championship with the Bulldogs in 1922. In 1923, he played for the Indians. He was the first NFL player to use the kicking tee. Arda was considered the last surviving member of the 1922 Canton Bulldogs team, when he died in 1996.
Early life
Arda Crawford Bowser was born on January 9, 1899, in Danville, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Rev. Addison Bartholomew Bowser (1858-1936) and Ella Zelima Stebbins (1869-1954).
College career
After serving in the
He received Honorable Mention on
In 1921, Bowser was Bucknell's captain and again led the East in scoring with 112 points. He was named first-team All-America on Grantland Rice's All-American team.[1]
Professional career
In 1922, Bowser discovered that he used up his all of college football eligibility. He however stayed on to finish his degree requirements and assist head coach
However most college officials tried to steer their personnel away from the pro game. This made Arda give up a coaching career in favor of playing professionally. In 1922 Arda won the 1922 NFL Championship with the Canton Bulldogs, when he was made the team's kicker, after
In 1923, Bowser got a job with the
In 1924, the White Motor Company transferred Arda to
Post football
Over time, Bowse became an insurance executive. However a massive heart attack in 1947 forced him to retire. He had been told by doctors that he had a year to live. He moved to Florida in 1947, and live for almost another 50 years.
75th Season
Bowser was interviewed in 1994 for the special
Oldest pro
As part of its 75th anniversary celebrations in 1994, the NFL honored Bowser, then 95, as the league's oldest living ex-NFL player.[4] It was only later that NFL officials discovered that they had made a mistake – because Ralph Horween (then 99), who had played for the Chicago Cardinals in 1921–23 season, was still alive and living in Virginia.[4] Horween later became the first NFL player to live to 100 years of age.
Halls of Fame
- In 1979, Bowser was elected into the Bucknell University Athletics Hall of Fame.[5]
- In 1973, he was inducted into the Ford City Hall of Fame in 1973.[6]
- In 1973, he was inducted into the Armstrong County Sportsman's Hall of Fame.[7]
Family
Arda had five children: Marilyn B. Siff, Nevin G. Bowser, Robert S. Bowser, Ann Murphy and Thomas A. Bowser. His father was a
Notes
- ^ a b c d e "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2010. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Arda C. Bowser, Pro Football Pioneer, 97". The New York Times. September 9, 1996.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2010. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ ISBN 9780810856608. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ "Athletic Hall of Fame || Arda Bowser || Bucknell University". Archived from the original on November 27, 2008. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2011. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Armstrong County Sportsman Hall of Fame - Past Hall of Fame Inductees". Archived from the original on May 7, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-07.
- ^ "Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records".