Joseph Carr sports executive in football, baseball, and basketball | The Columbus Dispatch
Joseph Carr sports executive in football, baseball, and basketball | The Columbus Dispatch
Joseph Carr died on May 20, 1939
Joseph Carr died on May 20, 1939. He was a lifelong resident of Columbus. Carr worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and a Columbus newspaper. He founded baseball and football teams with railroad workers. In 1921, he became president of the National Football League. He expanded the NFL into major cities. He also led the American Basketball League and worked to rebuild Minor League Baseball. Under his leadership, minor league teams grew from 12 to 40. He enforced player rules to stabilize professional football. Carr moved the NFL headquarters to Columbus. His leadership helped lay the foundation for the modern NFL. After his death, the league created the Joe F. Carr Trophy in his honor. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. Carr’s work in sports greatly influenced football, baseball, and basketball nationwide.
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