View source for Ed Healey

{{Short description|American football player (1894–1978)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        =
| image       = Ed Healey.jpg
| alt         = 
| caption     = 
| number      = 13, 16
| position    = [[Tackle (gridiron football position)|Offensive Tackle]],<br>[[Guard (gridiron football)|Guard]],<br> [[End (gridiron football)|End]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1894|12|28|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Indian Orchard, Springfield, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1978|12|9|1894|12|28|mf=y}}
| death_place = [[South Bend, Indiana]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lbs  = 207
| high_school = Springfield (MA) Classical
| college     = [[Dartmouth Big Green football|Dartmouth]]
| pastteams   =
* [[Rock Island Independents]] ({{NFL year|1920}}–{{NFL year|1922}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL year|1923}}–{{NFL year|1927}})
| highlights  =
* 5× First-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1922 All-Pro Team|1922]]–[[1926 All-Pro Team|1926]])
* [[NFL 1920s All-Decade Team]]
* [[Chicago Bears#Top 100 greatest Bears of all-time|100 greatest Bears of All-Time]]
| pfr         = HealEd20
| HOF         = ed-healey
| CollegeHOF  = 1277 
}}

'''Edward Francis Healey Jr.''' (December 28, 1894 – December 9, 1978) was an American professional [[American football|football]] player in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). Regarded as one of the best linemen in the league's early days, Healey was inducted into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] as part of its second induction class in 1964. He was also named in 1969 to the [[National Football League 1920s All-Decade Team|NFL 1920s All-Decade Team]]. In 1974, he was also inducted into the [[College Football Hall of Fame]].

A native of [[Springfield, Massachusetts]], Healey played [[college football]] at [[College of the Holy Cross]] in 1914 and at [[Dartmouth College]] in 1916, 1917, and 1919.

Healey played professional football as a [[Tackle (American football)|tackle]] in the NFL for the [[Rock Island Independents]] from 1920 to 1922 and for the [[Chicago Bears]] from 1922 to 1927. He never played for a team with a losing record during his NFL career and, in 1922, became the first player in NFL history to be sold to another team. He was named as a first-team All Pro player by at least one selector for five consecutive years from 1922 to 1926.

==Early life and college==
Healey was born in 1894 in [[Indian Orchard, Springfield, Massachusetts|Indian Orchard]], a neighborhood at the northeast end of [[Springfield, Massachusetts]].<ref name=PFR>{{cite web|title=Ed Healey|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 10, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HealEd20.htm}}</ref>  His parents, Edward F. Healey Sr. and Nora Healey were the children of Irish immigrants, both born in Massachusetts. His father worked in the street sprinkler business and later as a contractor in the wood business. Healey had four older sisters and one younger sister.<ref>1900 Census entry for Edward and Nora Healey and family. Son Edward born December 1894. Census Place: Springfield Ward 1, Hampden, Massachusetts; Roll: 652; Page: 32B; Enumeration District: 0570; FHL microfilm: 1240652. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line].</ref><ref>1910 Census entry for Edward F. and Nora Healey and family. Son Edward F. Jr., age 15. Census Place: Springfield Ward 1, Hampden, Massachusetts; Roll: T624_591; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 0596; FHL microfilm: 1374604. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line].</ref>

Healey attended [[Springfield Central High School|Central High School]] in [[Springfield, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TI2Tuzaq4KYC&pg=PA19|title=Chicago Bears: The Complete Illustrated History|first=Lew|last=Freedman|date=September 15, 2008|publisher=MBI Publishing Company|isbn=9781610600934|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Pnalka, Vol. IV|year=1913|publisher=Senior Class of Central High School in Springfield, Massachusetts|page=68}}(Edward Francis Healey listed as mid-year freshman).</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Pnalka, Vol. VII|year=1913|page=72}}</ref> He then attended and played college football at the [[College of the Holy Cross]] in [[Worcester, Massachusetts]], in 1914 and at [[Dartmouth College]] in [[Hanover, New Hampshire]], for three years.<ref name=cfbhof>{{cite web|url={{College Football HoF/url|id=1277}}|title=Ed Healey profile|publisher=National Football Foundation|access-date=December 10, 2016}}</ref> In Healey's three years with the Dartmouth football program, the teams compiled records of 5–2–2 ([[1916 Dartmouth football team|1916]]), 5–3 ([[1917 Dartmouth football team|1917]]), and 6–1–1 ([[1919 Dartmouth football team|1919]]).<ref>{{cite web|title=Dartmouth Big Green School History|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=December 11, 2016|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/dartmouth/}}</ref> [[Walter Camp]] reportedly called Healey "the best tackle I ever saw."<ref name=cfbhof/><ref>{{cite news|title=Football Pioneers Are Honored|newspaper=Alexandria (LA) Daily Town Talk|date=April 28, 1974|page=B4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7797299/football_pioneers_are_honored/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}(The quote attributed to Camp cannot be located in contemporaneous sources and appears dubious insofar as Camp never named Healey to one of his college football All-America teams.)</ref>

==Professional career==

===Rock Island Independents===
[[File:Healey-Ed-1922.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Healey in 1922 in the green-and-white of the Rock Island Independents.]]
Healey began playing professional football with the [[Rock Island Independents]] in 1920, the inaugural season of the [[National Football League]] (known as the American Professional Football Association until 1922). He helped lead the [[1920 Rock Island Independents season|1920 Rock Island team]] to a 6–2–2 record, good for fourth place out of 14 teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=1920 APFA Standings & Team Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 10, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/}}</ref>

Healey remained with Rock Island during its [[1921 Rock Island Independents season|1921 season]] when the team compiled a 4–2–1 record and finished in fifth place out of 21 teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=1921 APFA Standings & Team Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 10, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1921_APFA/}}</ref>

Healey began the [[1922 NFL season]] with Rock Island. After the Islanders completed their seventh and final game of the 1922 season, a losing contest against the [[Chicago Bears]], Independents team owner [[Walter Flanagan (American football)|Walter Flanagan]] sold the contract of his star 28-year old tackle to the team that had just defeated them. Bears co-owner and starting right end [[George Halas]] later offered a colorful tale of how the deal was done.

Halas indicated that he had been blocking against Healey and did "just a wee bit of holding" in order to spring star halfback and Bears co-owner [[Edward Sternaman|Dutch Sternaman]] for a 7 yard gain.<ref name=Roberts>Howard Roberts, ''The Story of Pro Football.'' New York: Rand McNally, 1953, pp. 68-69.</ref> "Holding!" the tough guy Healey allegedly stormed, "You were holding me, Halas! Do that again and I'll knock your block off!"<ref name=Roberts /> The same play was run again, with Halas using the same illegal technique to generate a similar result. "I was still on my hands and knees," Halas recounted, "when some sixth sense told me to duck.... It's a darned good thing I did, by golly, for Healy's fist whizzed past my nose so fast it buried itself up to the wrist in the ground."<ref name=Roberts /> Halas stated that "right then I decided I would rather have Healey on my side than playing against me."<ref name=Roberts /> 

As Independents owner Flanagan already owed Halas $100, Halas instead took Healey's contract to settle the debt, he said.<ref name=Roberts /> Healey would play the last 3 games of the 1922 season with the Bears and would remain with the team for an additional five years,<ref name=Stats>[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HealEd20.htm "Ed Healey statistics,"] Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com</ref> earning induction into the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in 1964.<ref>[https://www.profootballhof.com/hall-of-famers/years/ "Hall of Famers by Year of Enshrinement,"] Pro Football Hall of Fame, www.profootballhof.com</ref> The transaction was the first instance of an NFL player's contract being sold from one team to another.<ref name=Sale>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-first-sale-of-pro-grid-man-m/164049583/ "First Sale of 'Pro' Grid Man Made to Bears,"] ''Hammond Times,'' Nov. 28, 1922, p. 12.</ref>

This entertaining story, told by Halas decades after the fact, is contradicted by reporting in the ''Rock Island Argus'' at the time of the deal, however. According to the newspaper account, Healey was instead scheduled to be loaned to the [[Racine Legion|Horlick-Racine Legion]] team for the last three games of the season.<ref name=BearsBuy>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-bears-buy-healey/164050208/ "Bears Buy Healey: Thought First Sale of Gridiron Player,"] ''Rock Island Argus,'' Nov. 27, 1922, p. 12.</ref> Bears co-owner Dutch Sternaman got wind of the free player loan and stepped in to offer Independents owner Flanagan $100 for use of the Healey for the duration of the year.<ref name=BearsBuy />

Provision was made in the contract giving Rock Island the option of buying Healey's contract back for 1923 for the same amount of money or having the transfer made permanent through receipt of one or more players from the Bears in trade.<ref name=BearsBuy /> In any event, Healey never returned to Rock Island, remaining in Chicago for the duration of his professional football career.<ref name=Stats />

Healey later recalled his pleasure at joining a team with superior facilities: "At Rock Island, we had no showers and seldom a trainer. At [[Wrigley Field]], we had a nice warm place to dress and nice warm showers."<ref name=PFHOF/>

===Chicago Bears===
Healey spent six seasons with the Bears, playing the final three games of 1922 through the end of the [[1927 Chicago Bears season|1927 season]].<ref name=PFR/>  During Healey's tenure with the Bears, the club never had a losing season, winning at least nine games in five of the six seasons.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chicago Bears Franchise Encyclopedia|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 10, 2016|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/}}</ref> Healey was selected as a first-team All-Pro by at least one major selector each year from 1922 to 1926.<ref name=PFR/><ref name=PFHOF/>

In 1924, he ran more than 30 yards to tackle teammate [[Oscar Knop]] who ran the wrong way after intercepting a pass.<ref name=PFHOF>{{cite web|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/players/ed-healey/biography/|title=Ed Healey Bio|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|access-date=December 10, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Larkin|first=Will|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/history/ct-spt-bears-best-players-ed-healey-20190807-eqfa2q7jrbdmhmlvol37f2kvsu-story.html|title=Ranking the 100 best Bears players ever: No. 30 Ed Healey|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=August 7, 2019|access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref> In 1925, he was the only player to be selected as a first-team All Pro by ''Collyers Eye'' magazine, the ''Green Bay Press-Gazette'', and [[Joseph Carr]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1925/allpro.htm|title=1925 NFL All-Pros |publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=December 11, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCvNoVqXOmUC&pg=PA217 |page=217 |title=The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr |author=Chris Willis|isbn=9780810876705 |year=2010 |publisher=Scarecrow Press }}</ref> In 1926, the ''[[Green Bay Press-Gazette]]'' called him "the best tackle in the Pro loop,"<ref>{{cite news|title=Chicago Bears Coming Here Sunday With Great Team: Paddy Driscoll, Ed Healey, Trafton, Mohardt, Walquist Listed as Stars of Bruins|newspaper=The Green Bay Press-Gazette|date=September 21, 1926|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7795097/chicago_bears_coming_here_sunday_with/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> and Bears owner George Halas later called Healey "the most versatile tackle of all time".<ref>{{cite news|title=Rooney, Six Ex-Players Elected to Pro Grid 'Hall'|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=February 28, 1964
|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7797134/rooney_six_explayers_elected_to_pro/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==Family, later years, and honors==
Healey married Lucille Falk in November 1927.<ref>{{cite news|title=Social Items|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=November 17, 1927|page=19|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6419968/lucille_falk_wedding/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>  After retiring from football, Healey and his wife lived in [[South Bend, Indiana]], where he worked as a salesman and later sales manager for France Stone Company. Healey and his wife had a son, Thomas, in approximately 1938.  The family later moved to [[Niles, Michigan]].

Interviewed in 1949, Healey opined that, with the development of the [[Platoon system#Football|platoon system]], modern linemen were "something akin to sissies" and added, "In the old days we used to go on the field prepared for 60 minutes of work and nothing short of a broken leg, arm, or ankle could get us out of there."<ref>{{cite news|title=Bears' Alumni Gather, Replay Steeler Game|author=Harry Warren|date=December 5, 1949|pages=4|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7795110/bears_alumni_gather_replay_steeler/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>

During his retirement, Healey received numerous honors for his contributions to the sport of football.  These honors include the following:

* In February 1964, Healey was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] as a member of its second group of inductees.<ref>{{cite news|title=Three More Ex-Bears, 2 Packers Voted Into Pro Football's Hall of Fame|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=February 28, 1964|pages=3–1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7797026/three_more_exbears_2_packers_voted/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>
* In August 1969, he was selected by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a tackle on the [[National Football League 1920s All-Decade Team|NFL 1920s All-Decade Team]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Pro Football Hall of Fame Honoring First Stars|newspaper=Racine (WI) Sunday Bulletin|date=August 24, 1969|page=4B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7797215/pro_football_league_honoring_first_stars/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>
* In April 1974, Healey was also elected to the [[College Football Hall of Fame]] in the pioneer category.<ref>{{cite news|title=Healey chosen|newspaper=The Lowell Sun|date=April 29, 1974|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7797259/healey_chosen/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>

Healey's wife died in September 1975. Healey died three years later in December 1978 at age 83 from multiple causes, including malnutrition, cardiac and pulmonary failure, and cancer of the stomach and lung. He died at the Cardinal Nursing Home in [[South Bend, Indiana]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Ed Healey Dies|newspaper=Fort Myers (FL) News-Press|date=December 11, 1978|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=7797403|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref><ref name=IDC>Indiana Death Certificate for Edward F. Healey, born December 28, 1894, died December 9, 1978.</ref> His funeral service was held in [[Niles, Michigan]], and he was then buried at Calvary Cemetery in that city.<ref name=IDC/><ref>{{cite news|title=Services Held for Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Healey|newspaper=Ukiah (CA) Daily Journal|date=December 13, 1978|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7798925/services_held_for_pro_football_hall_of/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{Profootballhof|id=91|name=Ed Healey}}
* {{cfbhof|id=1277|name=Ed Healey}}

{{NFL1920s}}
{{1964 Football HOF}}
{{Pro Football Hall of Fame members}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Healey, Ed}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1978 deaths]]
[[Category:American football ends]]
[[Category:American football guards]]
[[Category:American football tackles]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:Dartmouth Big Green football players]]
[[Category:Holy Cross Crusaders football players]]
[[Category:Rock Island Independents players]]
[[Category:College Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Springfield, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:College of the Holy Cross alumni]]