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Bert Bell ( 1895- 1959) was co-founder (with Lud Wray) of the Frankford Yellowjackets in 1924 (whose name was changed to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933), and commissioner of the National Football League from 1946 until his death. He was responsible for creating the NFL amateur draft. As NFL commissioner, he merged the NFL with the All-America Football Conference, and single-handedly plotted out league schedules each season on his dining-room table using a giant checkerboard. He died of a heart attack on October 11, 1959 at Philadelphia's Franklin Field, where he was watching a game between the team he co-founded, the Eagles, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, which he briefly co-owned during World War II, when, in part owing to a wartime manpower shortage, the two teams were temporarily merged into the "Pennsylvania Steagles" (officially known as "Phil-Pitt").

He coined the phrase, "On any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team." The Bert Bell Benefit Bowl, coloquially referred to as the Playoff Bowl and first played in 1960 (the year after Bell's death), was named for him.

Preceded by:
Elmer LaydenElmer Francis Layden ( May 4, 1903 June 30, 1973) served as Commissioner of the National Football League and as head football coach at Notre Dame. Layden was born in Davenport, Iowa. At Notre Dame, he played fullback alongside quarterback Harry Stuhldrehe

NFL Commissioners

Succeeded by:
Austin GunselAustin Gunsel ( April 2, 1909 June 1974) was a one-time FBI agent who joined the National Football League in the finance department. He eventually rose to the position of league treasurer. In 1959, after commissioner Bert Bell died suddenly, Gunsel was ap (interim)

Bell, Bert Bell, Bert Bell, Bert

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Topics: Bert Bell, Bertolt Brecht, Bertrand Andrieu, Bertrand Russell...

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Berthe MorisotBerthe Morisot ( January 14, 1841 March 2, 1895) was an impressionist painter who demonstrated the possibilities for women artists in avant-garde art movements at the end of the 19th century. Morisot was born in Bourges, Cher, France into a successful bou	Bert BellBert Bell ( 1895- 1959) was co-founder (with Lud Wray) of the Frankford Yellowjackets in 1924 (whose name was changed to the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933), and commissioner of the National Football League from 1946 until his death. He was responsible for c	BertoleoniBertoleoni is the family name of the kings of Tavolara island ( Sardinia, Italy), supposedly the smallest kingdom of the world (now extinguished, for practical purposes). Charles Albert the King of Sardinia appointed Paolo Bertoleoni King of Tavolara in 1
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Berthold von Stauffenberg	Bertie Wooster	Bertram Fields
Bertuli Diena	Bertie County, North Carolina	Bert Hölldobler

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