1942…WICHITA'S FIRST PRO FOOTBALL TEAM IS BORN
The year is 1942. It's early August in Wichita…it's hot, humid and windy.
The country is at war. Men are enlisting to fight for their country. Football
is the last thing you would think about.
But then comes the headline from the August 2, 1942, (Wichita Beacon), "WICHITA
GETS BIG-TIME PRO GRID CLUB."
Quoting Jack Copeland, the (Wichita Beacon) Sports Editor, "Big time
professional football was assured Wichita for the 1942 season with the
announcement last night that Aero Parts Manufacturing Company would sponsor a
team composed of former intercollegiate stars, and feature a schedule against
leading service clubs of the country. The announcement was made by John
MacCullough, Aero Parts owner, a prominent Wichita sportsman and football
enthusiast."
The Wichita Aero Commando Football Team was born.
WHY A WICHITA PRO
FOOTBALL TEAM IN 1942
The decision to sponsor a football team at the professional level was made by
John MacCullough following an indirect request by the President of the United
States. President Roosevelt requested that sports be continued as much as
possible.
"Because President Roosevelt has signified willingness for the sports programs
to continue," MacCullough stated, "and because Wichita is one of the nation's
leading defense cities, I feel that an outstanding football team will afford
much recreation for the workers." He went on, "We hope to give Wichita both.
We are making every effort to line up leading players as well as schedule strong
teams."
Personally, my compliments to MacCullough for undertaking this endeavor.
Remember, at this period of history some of the greatest athletes of the time
were going off to war. Athletes like Ted Williams, Bob Feller and a host of our
greatest baseball players, football players and all sports athletes were
enlisting to fight for their country. Feller, for example, would possibly have
won more than 300 games pitching for the Cleveland Indians had his career not
been interrupted at the prime of his baseball life for his military service.
HEAD COACH…FRANK
"PETE" BAUSCH
In the same announcement came word that the team would be led by player-coach
Frank "Pete" Bausch, younger brother of famed Olympic gold medal winner in the
1932 decathlon, James Bausch.
What a great hire. "Pete" Bausch was considered one of the best centers in the
NFL-NFC in the 30"s. One of the greatest all-around athletes ever at Kansas
University, Bausch was a graduate of Wichita's Cathedral High. Bausch won nine
letters in football, basketball and track as a shot putter at KU and was a two
time All-Pro lineman in the NFL-NFC, where he played for the Boston Redskins
(1934-36), Chicago Bears (1937-40) and Philadelphia Eagles (1941).
Bausch's desire to get into coaching at the professional level took him to
Philadelphia in 1941 to coach for Pro Football Hall of Fame Head Coach "Greasy"
Neale.
Bausch returned to Wichita in early 1942 and went to work at Boeing as a guard.
Later in 1942, Bausch took the job as assistant chief of police and head
football coach at the Aero Parts Company.
Bausch even had the backing of the greatest professional head football coach of
the era, George Halas of the Chicago Bears. "I consider Frank "Pete" Bausch as
a most capable coach," Halas said, "and I wish the Wichita team every success."
Bausch was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame by the Halas years later.
By the way, for your information…Bausch used the "T" formation. At the time, it
was the dominate offense used by the NFL and at the college level, because of
its wide open style.
After his football career, Bausch founded Weyl-Bausch Tire Service with his
partner, Don Weyl. Their first location was at 157 N. Waco. Bausch ran his
successful tire business for many years and became a respected member of the
Wichita business community.
Wichitanewsbrief.com 10/21/2005