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Frank Raymond Nesser (June 3, 1889 – January 1, 1953) was an American professional football player in the Ohio League and the early National Football League (NFL). During his career he played mainly for the Columbus Panhandles, however he did also play for a little for the Akron Indians, whenever he was recruited by Indians manager, Peggy Parratt. Frank was a member of the Nesser Brothers, a group consisting of seven brothers who made-up the most famous football family in the United States from 1907 until the mid-1920s.

Nesser frequently engaged in kicking contests with the legendary Jim Thorpe; he once was credited with a 63-yard field goal and his punts were recalled as averaging 70 yards in the air. Frank was also a sensational runner, but his greatest value for the Panhandles was as a passer. He led the Panhandles in scoring during most of his professional seasons.

Nesser was also a minor league baseball player in the Ohio State League from 1910 to 1914. He later played in the North Carolina State League in 1915 and 1916. After abandoning baseball for a few years he restarted his career in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in 1920 and played one final season, in 1921, in the Michigan–Ontario League. He left baseball after nine seasons in which he posted a .325 batting average.

Nesser later worked as a boilermaker for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He died on January 1, 1953, at Doctors Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He had resided in Amanda, Ohio prior to his death.

References

1. "Frank Nesser, Ex-Panhandle Gridder, Dies". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. Associated Press. January 3, 1953. p. 10. Retrieved September 11, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .

Additional sources

• Peterson, Robert W. (January 1, 1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. Oxford University Press. p. 262. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
• Roberts, Milt (1979). "Peggy Parratt MVP" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 1 (6). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2012.
• PFRA Research. "Parratt Stays on Top 1914" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2012.
• PFRA Research. "Elyria Out of Nowhere 1912" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 11, 2012.

External links

• Career statistics from NFL.com · Pro Football Reference
• Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Frank Nesser at Find a Grave

• 1889 births
• 1953 deaths
• American boilermakers
• American football fullbacks
• American football guards
• American football tackles
• Baseball first basemen
• Baseball outfielders
• Akron Indians (Ohio League) players
• Chillicothe Babes players
• Columbus Panhandles players
• Columbus Indians players
• Columbus Panhandles (Ohio League) players
• Greensboro Patriots players
• Lima Cigarmakers players
• Peoria Tractors players
• Saginaw Aces players
• Winston-Salem Twins players
• Nesser family (American football)
• People from Fairfield County, Ohio
• Players of American football from Columbus, Ohio
• Baseball players from Fairfield County, Ohio
• Baseball players from Columbus, Ohio