Carl Storck

Carl H. Storck (born November 14, 1892 – March 13, 1950) was a co-founder of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the founding owner of the Dayton Triangles. He was also the Triangles coach from 1922 to 1926. Storck served as the NFL's secretary-treasurer from 1921 to 1939 and president from 1939 to 1941.

Biography Early life

Carl Storck was born November 14, 1892, in Dayton, Ohio. He lived in that city throughout his life, attending Stivers High School, where he was a three sport athlete — a football halfback, basketball guard, and a sprinter and shot-putter on the track and field squad.

On October 1, 1916, Storck left for Chicago to attend the YMCA Training School there. He was simultaneously made the physical director of the Sears and Roebuck Company YMCA club in Chicago. While successful on the court, the team was plagued by poor attendance, however, resulting in an abrupt shutting down of home games and completion of a truncated schedule on the road. Corinne Griffith, wife of Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, recalled this process in her 1947 memoir: "A big name was desired by all. Draft meetings were postponed, schedules sidetracked, and football players forgotten. The hunt for a big name began. Every living famous name in the United States was suggested, I believe."

The restructuring changed the league's leadership, and Carl Storck's position was removed. As a result, Storck later resigned from his role as president. He had given twenty years of his life to the NFL as a league official and had performed his duties capably. He was not the subject of criticism during his tenure as president. Now he was seemingly rendered a veritable minister without portfolio or even function.

Initially, Storck stated that he would remain on the job as league president if the owners defined his duties in a contract. However, on April 4, 1941, he abruptly reversed course and announced that he would be resigning the position "for the best interests of the game".

Life outside football

Storck worked full-time as a foreman in the Inspection and Packing Department of the National Cash Register Company. He then worked as assistant manager at Delco.

Illness and death

At the time of his resignation, Storck was seriously ill with Neurasthenia. He had been bedridden for seven weeks prior to his resignation and was partially paralyzed on the right side of his body.