Several family members traveled from Southern California when Fred (Lefty) Miller, a pitcher from the early 1900s, was inducted into the St. Thomas Athletic Hall of Fame last fall.
They brought with them whatever photos and clippings that could be found for use by researcher Dave Kelly.
One photo showed Miller as the team doctor for the Minneapolis Libertys, a semipro football team.
This became intriguing, because the players on the team included Johnny McNally, who would become a legendary NFL running back. Apparently, the Libertys were the first team with which he used the name Johnny Blood.
Dick Gordon offered the background in a story that appeared in the Minneapolis Sunday Tribune in September 1953, when McNally was on the Gophers coaching staff:
"Blood was the name McNally took in 1924 when he began his first of 18 seasons as a semipro and professional gridder. He didn't want to hamper his one year of remaining eligibility at St. John's, so he and a friend -- in deference to the movie 'Blood and Sand' -- became Blood and Sand with the old Minneapolis Libertys."
PATRICK REUSSE
