Buff Wagner Explained

Position:Back
Birth Date:31 May 1897
Birth Place:Marinette, Wisconsin, U.S.
Death Place:Olmsted County, Minnesota, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:9
Weight Lbs:165
High School:Marinette (Wisconsin)
College:Carroll
Pastteams:
Statlabel1:Games played
Statvalue1:4
Pfr:WagnBu20

Almore Charles "Buff" Wagner (May 31, 1897 – February 12, 1962) was a professional football player for the Green Bay Packers in 1920 and 1921. He played college football at Carroll University.[1]

Wagner played for the Packers in 1920 before they entered a professional league. He signed with the Packers in August 1921 before the 1921 season.[2] Wagner participated in the Packers' first game in the American Professional Football Association, which would later become the National Football League (NFL). The Packers were down 6 - 0 late in the game to the Minneapolis Mariners before Curly Lambeau completed a pass to Wagner for 37 yards to put the Packers close to the end zone.[3] A few plays later, Art Schmaehl scored a touchdown and Lambeau kicked the extra point to secure the Packers first league victory.[4] A rumor persisted that the Packers needed to win this game, or at the very least be competitive, in order to remain in the league.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Buff Wagner Stats . Pro-Football-Reference.com . October 23, 2023 . October 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231023230439/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WagnBu20.htm . live .
  2. News: Buff Wagner, Star Halfback, to Play with Packer Team . August 18, 1921 . November 8, 2023 . . 5 . clipping . . https://web.archive.org/web/20231108183917/https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-buff-wagner-sta/134845342/ . November 8, 2023 . live.
  3. Web site: High Five: Packers future at stake in 1921 game . March 6, 2014 . November 8, 2023 . Christl . Cliff . Cliff Christl . Packers.com . March 23, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230323204209/https://www.packers.com/news/high-five-packers-future-at-stake-in-1921-game-12709015 . live .
  4. Web site: Packers Played First (And Almost Last) NFL Game 100 Years Ago . SI.com . Huber . Bill . October 23, 2021 . November 8, 2023 . August 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220812222119/https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/packers-played-first-and-almost-last-nfl-game-100-years-ago . live .