John Victor "Blood" McNally (November 27, 1903 - November 28, 1985) was an American football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1963.
John Victor "Blood" McNally (November 27, 1903 - November 28, 1985) was an American football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1963.
By Matthew Strauss and Pam Richter.  This article originally appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of Western Pennsylvania History. There was a time when Pittsburghâ??s sports teams shared more than just team colors. When Art Rooney established his professional football franchise in 1933, he borrowed the name of the cityâ??s well-established baseball team, hoping the â??Piratesâ?â?¦
John McNally still had a year of college eligibility remaining when he decided to take a shot at pro football. To protect his eligibility, he needed an alias, a common practice in the 1920s. He and a friend passed a theater where the movie, Blood and Sand, was playing. Suddenly, McNally exclaimed to his friend: "That's it. You be Sand. I'll be Blood." So "Johnny Blood" it was, through 14 seasons in the NFL.
John Victor "Blood" McNally (November 27, 1903 - November 28, 1985) was an American football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1963.
By Matthew Strauss and Pam Richter.  This article originally appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of Western Pennsylvania History. There was a time when Pittsburghâ??s sports teams shared more than just team colors. When Art Rooney established his professional football franchise in 1933, he borrowed the name of the cityâ??s well-established baseball team, hoping the â??Piratesâ?â?¦
John McNally still had a year of college eligibility remaining when he decided to take a shot at pro football. To protect his eligibility, he needed an alias, a common practice in the 1920s. He and a friend passed a theater where the movie, Blood and Sand, was playing. Suddenly, McNally exclaimed to his friend: "That's it. You be Sand. I'll be Blood." So "Johnny Blood" it was, through 14 seasons in the NFL.
John Victor "Blood" McNally (November 27, 1903 - November 28, 1985) was an American football player and coach. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1963.
