John Brallier
Brallier in uniform for Washington & Jefferson, circa 1895
|
|
| Date of birth | December 27, 1876 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Date of death | September 17, 1960 (aged 83) |
| Place of death | Latrobe, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| College |
Washington & Jefferson College, West Virginia University, Medico-Chirurgical College, Indiana Normal School Note: Brallier never attended Indiana Normal, but still played on its football team |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1896, 1902–1907 | Latrobe Athletic Association |
| As player | |
| 1895–1896 | Latrobe Athletic Association |
| 1896 | Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania |
| 1898 | Pittsburgh Athletic Club |
| 1898 | Latrobe Athletic Association |
| 1902–1907 | Latrobe Athletic Association |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 U.S. Army
|
| Years of service | 1898 |
| Battles/wars | Spanish–American War |
Washington & Jefferson College, West Virginia University, Medico-Chirurgical College, Indiana Normal School
John Kinport "Sal" Brallier (December 12, 1876 – September 17, 1960) was one of the first professional American football players. He was nationally acknowledged as the first openly paid professional football player when he was given $10 to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association for a game against the Jeanette Athletic Association in 1895.
Brallier was born in Cherry Tree, Pennsylvania, near Indiana. He was the son of Dr. Emanuel Brallier, a physician, and his wife, Lucy M. Kinport Brallier. His grandparents were from Alsace-Lorraine, accounting for the French-sounding name. As a boy, Brallier remembered having worked in a glass factory. His first recollection of football was in 1890, at the age of 13, playing in high school for the West Indiana Public School team. By his sophomore year in 1892, he was the captain and right halfback.
In 1893, while still attending high school, also played quarterback for the Indiana Normal football club in 1893 and 1894. The team won three of four games played that year. Among Brallier's teammates was left guard Alex Stewart, future father of movie star James Stewart. During the fourth game of the 1894 season, Normal lost, 28–0, to Washington & Jefferson College. However, Brallier's outstanding play led the Presidents coach E. Gard Edwards to write from Pittsburgh asking Brallier to play football for his team. Further correspondence followed through the winter between Brallier and Washington & Jefferson Presidents manager H. Wilson Boyd. The result was that Brallier agreed to go to Washington & Jefferson "if all expenses are paid for the entire year." The young football star graduated from Indiana Public School that spring and was awaiting the start of college when something happened 30 miles away in Latrobe, Pennsylvania that was to affect his career and the rest of his life.
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