Remembering the Legend of Press

by Billy "DawgBert" McClurg
dawgbert@dawgbyteproductions.com

I'm presenting you with a challenge and sending you on a journey... a journey to discover our NFL roots! Occasionally, you'll find a local newspaper or magazine article featuring the Portsmouth Spartans, Ironton Tanks, or Glenn Presnell.

If you've lived in Southern Ohio for any length of time you should know what I'm talking about, maybe you've seen the floodwall murals in Portsmouth Ohio, and you've heard the legends... Yet you've never bothered to research it further. Shame on you, shame on all of you who have not expressed an interest in learning about the history of your community?

Southern Ohio was once a big part of the football universe. You can't talk about the history of the NFL in Southern Ohio without mentioning a local football legend & friend, Glenn Presnell.

Glenn Presnell was an All-American running back at Nebraska, he played semipro ball for the Ironton Tanks from 1927 to 1930, Presnell later joined the Portsmouth Spartans of the NFL, which three years later became the Detroit Lions.

Presnell led the league in scoring that season and was first team All-Pro. He had earned second team honors before and on Oct. 7, 1934, kicked a then-NFL record 54-yard field goal. The record stood for 19 years.

I previously mentioned the floodwall murals in Portsmouth Ohio... while visiting Portsmouth, I recommend you visit the Spartan Tribute; that's Glenn running for a touchdown!

It was in Detroit that Presnell enjoyed his finest NFL seasons, leading the Lions to the 1935 league championship. It was also in Detroit that Presnell earned his best-ever pro football salary of $4,000.

Presnell retired after nine professional seasons and spent one year as an assistant coach at Kansas, then went to his alma mater Nebraska before serving in the Navy for three years during World War II.

After the war, Presnell was hired at Eastern Kentucky and spent 17 years as head coach and another 11 as the athletic director before retiring in 1974.

Former Eastern Kentucky head football coach Roy Kidd, who won 300 games during his career, played for Presnell at EKU. He said Presnell was one of the all-time great players.

"It's a shame he didn't get into the Hall of Fame," Kidd said.

One player in the Lions backfield from the '35 championship team was Dutch Clark. Presnell shared the backfield duties with Clark, but Presnell said that when things got tight at the end of the game, Lions coach Potsy Clark always turned to him.

"Potsy had more confidence in me. We'd get the lead and Potsy would always turn to me and say, 'Get in there Glenn and hold 'em,'" Presnell said. That's when Glenn got his nickname "Press"!

The game forgot "Press"! But I can't, I won't and I'm again challenging you to learn more about this man and this game.

If you've got a computer, and internet access, you're ready to begin.

Glenn Presnell, who was one of the National Football League's oldest living former players, is dead. Glenn died Monday, September 13th, 2004 at the age of 99.

Editors Note: The Portsmouth Spartan Historical Society will continue the effort for the induction of Glenn Presnell in the Pro Football Hall of Fame ... Visit our web site and sign the petition - portsmouthspartans.org

I also have a question for our local schools… Why don't we teach about local/community history in our schools?

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Billy "DawgBert" McClurg is the CEO-Webmaster of DawgByte Productions, as well as the webmaster/creator of RiverCitiesEzine.com, RiverCitiesDirectory.com, RiverCities Classified, and many, many others.

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