A contemporary of George Halas, Paddy Driscoll had a knack for playing his best when the two faced off against each other on the field. Hall of Famer Driscoll was an excellent team leader and played in the backfield at quarterback and halfback. He was also one of the best dropkickers and punters in the league when he played in the 1920s. He played the last four seasons of his 10-season career with his friend and former adversary, George Halas and the Chicago Bears.
Driscoll was 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, yet he was able to deploy his skills in a game in which most opponents were much heavier than him. Born in Evanston, he attended Evanston Township High School and Northwestern University. During World War I, he was a teammate of George Halas on the Great Lakes Navy Team. He played on a couple semi-pro teams before the NFL was established. From 1920-1925, he played extensively for the Hammond Pros and then from 1926-1929 he played for the Chicago Bears. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965 and is named on the list of 100 Top Bears of All Time.
Driscoll served as head coach of the Chicago Cardinals (1920-1922) and the Chicago Bears (1956-1957). He also served as assistant coach and held administrative positions in the Bears organization for many years and he was head coach at Marquette University from 1937-1940. Driscoll spent his life in football where he could vie his athletic and coaching talents.
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Daniel Norris, Tokyo
