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MSUM Alum Publishes History of Minnesota’s First NFL Team

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English lecturer publishes history of Minnesota's first NFL team

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Marines, Red Jackets name origins unknown

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The first-ever NFL team from Minnesota was the Minneapolis Marines, which later took on a new name, the Minneapolis Red Jackets. Here is a team photo of the Red Jackets. The origin of the original Minneapolis Marines name is unknown, but if it was a military reference, perhaps the name was inspired by the USS Minneapolis naval cruiser, which served in the Spanish-American War. The origin of the Minneapolis Red Jackets name is also unclear, but “Red Jackets” may have been inspired by the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment, a volunteer force that mustered at Fort Snelling in 1861 and fought in the Civil War. The men of the 1st Minnesota wore red shirts, not by choice, but because they were available. The Minneapolis Marines and Minneapolis Red Jackets both wore red jerseys, with white stripes. Read more in Mill City Scrum , the history of Minnesota's first team in the National Football League.
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First Gophers All-American McGovern led All-Star teams vs. the Marines

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University of Minnesota Gophers player John McGovern was the team's first-ever All-American in 1909 at quarterback. (This image is from the December 23, 1934, Minneapolis Sunday Tribune.) From 1912-16 and 1919-20, McGovern organized exhibition teams dubbed the Minnesota All-Stars, which played opponents on Thanksgiving Day at Nicollet Park. McGovern's Minnesota All-Stars included mostly former Gophers players, and they usually played the Minneapolis Marines, the local professional football team, which joined the NFL in 1921. McGovern's all-star teams always beat the Marines or, just once, they tied. McGovern later opened a successful law practice in Washington, D. C. Read more in Mill City Scrum , the history of Minnesota's first team in the National Football League.
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Walt Buland played for the Minneapolis Marines (1907-09, 1911-17)

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Walter Daniel “Fat” Buland from Minneapolis played mostly right tackle for the Minneapolis Marines (1907-09, 1911-17) and as a ringer for West Duluth (1916). During his time with the Marines, he worked as a shipping clerk and then as a policeman for the Soo Line Railroad. Buland served in the 122nd Machine Gun Battalion during World War I and fought in the trenches near Amiens, France, and in the battle of Saint-Mihiel. After the war, Buland played football for the Rock Island Independents (1917, 1919-21, 1924, 1927), coached and played for the Hibbing All-Stars (1922-23, 1925), and played for the Green Bay Packers (1924) and Duluth Eskimos (1926). Born February 7, 1892, Buland passed away on May 26, 1937. Read more in  Mill City Scrum , the history of Minnesota's first team in the National Football League.
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