Town honors Penn alum, NFL comish Bell

Former NFL commissioner -- and Penn coach and quarterback -- Bert Bell loved football, and by dedicating a state historic marker in his honor next week, Pennsylvanians will show their love for him. Hosted by the Historical Society of Narberth, Pa., Saturday's public dedication of the historical marker in Bell's hometown will honor the Penn alum for his contributions to professional football. Bell served as the second commissioner of the National Football League, from 1946 to 1959. The marker, much like the one honoring the Penn Relays outside the Palestra, is a gift from the Borough of Narberth and its Athletic Commissions office to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which focuses on heritage preservation. The marker will stand on Narberth's Haverford Avenue, outside Davis' general store, where "Bell actually used to discuss the football scores with his cronies," said Mary Jo Pauxtis, a resident of Narberth and the coordinator of the ceremony. Describing Bell as "a real figure in Narberth," Pauxtis noted that she and the town's other residents "are really very excited. "This is a big deal for a little town," she said. "It was a lot of fun to put together." Bell's life and football history go hand in hand. Born in Philadelphia in 1895, Bell was NFL commissioner from 1946 until his death in 1959, when he suffered a heart attack at Franklin Field during a Philadelphia Eagles-Pittsburgh Steelers game. Best remembered by his quote, "All I ever wanted to be was a football man," Bell was a devoted Penn alum. After he graduated in the early 1920s, he returned to the Quakers as coach in 1928 and remained for eight years, until he took over the post at Temple. Opting to leave college football in 1933, Bell purchased a Philadelphia football team, which he later re-named the Eagles, and for seven years served as both its coach and ticket agent. Bell was also co-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers between 1941 and 1946. In 1963, he became a charter inductee of the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. As NFL commissioner, Bell's goal was to increase professional football attendance so much that it would overshadow the college games. To do this he instituted the player draft system, which equalized the league by allowing teams with poor standings to pick more talented players and improve their records. Bell also began the controversial practice of blacking out TV coverage of local games, so that fans would have no viewing options except to purchase tickets and watch the game in person. Creating many other standards of the game, Bell promoted high ethical values to keep gamblers from affecting players and established that the NFL Players' Association was the league's only legal bargaining agent. Because of his many achievements, Bell was regarded as a celebrity, especially in his hometown of Narberth, where he and his family resided for 18 years. According to Pauxtis, Bell was attracted to Narberth because of its historically sports-minded residents, like intercollegiate football referee Wilmer Crowell and former Quakers football coach Lou Young. Saturday's marker dedication begins at 10:30 a.m. on Haverford Avenue. The festivities include speeches by fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer and Penn alumnus Chuck Bednarik. Mayor Ed Rendell, other politicians, Bell's children and former personal secretary will also honor Bell at the ceremony. The ceremony will be captured by NFL Films, whose documentary on Bell will be released this winter.