Dave Noble

Dave Noble

Personal information
Born:	(1900-07-29)July 29, 1900 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Died:	January 24, 1983(1983-01-24) (aged 82)
Career information
College:	Wisconsin, Nebraska
Position:	Fullback/Halfback
Career history
Cleveland Bulldogs (1924–1925) Cleveland Panthers (1926)
Career highlights and awards
NFL champion (1924) First-team All-Pro (1925)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing touchdowns: 11

David Gordon Noble (July 29, 1900 – January 24, 1983), nicknamed "Big Moose", was an American football running back. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, where he scored the first touchdown in Memorial Stadium history. After his college years, Noble played three seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one in the American Football League (AFL), and was voted to the NFL All-Pro team in 1925.

Career

College

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Noble attended the University of Wisconsin, but he spent most of his college career with the University of Nebraska. Playing for the Cornhuskers from 1921–1923,^[1] he helped the team win three consecutive Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) championships.^[2] Two of Noble's most notable college performances came in 1923. On October 13, the Cornhuskers opened Memorial Stadium with a game against the University of Oklahoma Sooners. In the second half, Noble scored the first touchdown in the new stadium, the first of two touchdowns by him in a 24–0 Nebraska win.^[2] Later in the season, Noble scored two touchdowns in a 14–7 Cornhuskers victory over Knute Rockne's University of Notre Dame team.^[3] Noble ran 24 yards for a touchdown in the first half, and caught a 20-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.^[4] It was the Fighting Irish's only loss of the 1923 season.^[5] Noble was named to the 1923 All-MVC team.^[2] He was also a member of Nebraska's track team, running in sprints.^[6]

Professional

After turning pro, Noble signed with the NFL's Cleveland Bulldogs for 1924.^[7] On October 12, he scored his first NFL touchdown in a Bulldogs win against the Akron Pros.^[8] Playing in all nine of the team's games, and starting in eight, he totalled four rushing and two receiving touchdowns,^[7] helping the 7–1–1 Bulldogs win the NFL championship.^[9] For his performance, Noble was named to the All-NFL second-team after the season.^[7] In 1925, Noble earned NFL All-Pro honors after recording three rushing and three receiving touchdowns during the season;^[7] he started all but one game in Cleveland's 5–8–1 season.^[7][10]

The following year, Noble stayed in Cleveland but changed teams, playing for the Cleveland Panthers of the new AFL. In five games,^[11] Noble helped the Panthers finish with a final record of 3–2 and was tied for second in the league in rushing touchdowns with four, despite his team's limited schedule. He also caught one touchdown pass.^[12] It would prove to be Noble's final professional season.^[11]

Post-retirement

Following his playing career, Noble became an official and worked for the Big Ten Conference. In later years, he became an executive for an insurance company. In 1972, Noble was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame. He suffered a stroke on January 24, 1983, and died at the age of 82.^[13]

References

1. "Nebraska Football Letterwinners – N". Nebraska Cornhuskers. March 19, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2008.
2. Rohr, Nate (October 9, 2007). "This Week in Husker History: NU Moves into New Home". Nebraska Cornhuskers. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
3. "Top 10 Memorial Stadium games: No. 6, Notre Dame 1923". Lincoln Journal Star. September 10, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
4. Bland, Evan (February 7, 2021). "Husker History: That day in 1923 when Nebraska corralled Notre Dame's famous Four Horsemen". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
5. "Super Seasons". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 15, 2016. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
6. "Nebraska Shows Class". Los Angeles Times. March 31, 1923. p. I13.
7. "Dave Noble Statistics". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
8. "1924 Cleveland Bulldogs". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
9. "1924 NFL Standings, Stats and Awards". Database Football. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
10. "1925 NFL Standings, Stats and Awards". Database Football. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
11. "Dave Noble". Database Football. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
12. "1926 AFLG Standings, Stats and Awards". Database Football. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
13. "Nebraska Great Dies". Star-Banner. Associated Press. January 25, 1983. Retrieved December 26, 2009.