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The first ever NFL draft was held in 1936
Selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 7th rd (57th player taken) of that draft was End Marty Peters- a Peoria native who had been a HS star at Peoria Spalding Institute.
Peters was a starting end on the University Notre Dame football team.
He was also a co-captain of the 1935-36 ND basketball team that was be named "Helms Foundation National Champions' in those pre NCAA Tournament years.
Peters did not turn pro. instead Marty decided for a life in coaching. He became the head coach at St Teresa in Decatur-coaching the basketball team to the State of Illinois Catholic Championship & an invitation to the National Catholic HS Tourney.
That National Tourney was a big deal for a long time- the first ever winner of that Tournament was Peoria Spalding in 1924
After a year at St Teresa's, Peters became the longtime head football coach at St Benedicts College in Atchison KS
An aside, Peters had been selected in the '36 NFL draft before his fellow starting end on the Irish squad-Wayne Millner (selected by the Boston Redskins with the 65th pick- 8 after Marty had been chosen).
Millner did decide to give pro football a try- and would end up being one of a small group that has been inducted over the years into both the College Football AND Pro Football Halls of Fame
The first ever NFL draft was held in 1936
Selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 7th rd (57th player taken) of that draft was End Marty Peters- a Peoria native who had been a HS star at Peoria Spalding Institute.
Peters was a starting end on the University Notre Dame football team.
He was also a co-captain of the 1935-36 ND basketball team that was be named "Helms Foundation National Champions' in those pre NCAA Tournament years.
Peters did not turn pro. instead Marty decided for a life in coaching. He became the head coach at St Teresa in Decatur-coaching the basketball team to the State of Illinois Catholic Championship & an invitation to the National Catholic HS Tourney.
That National Tourney was a big deal for a long time- the first ever winner of that Tournament was Peoria Spalding in 1924
After a year at St Teresa's, Peters became the longtime head football coach at St Benedicts College in Atchison KS
An aside, Peters had been selected in the '36 NFL draft before his fellow starting end on the Irish squad-Wayne Millner (selected by the Boston Redskins with the 65th pick- 8 after Marty had been chosen).
Millner did decide to give pro football a try- and would end up being one of a small group that has been inducted over the years into both the College Football AND Pro Football Halls of Fame
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