Anthony C. Nardo Memorial Trophy

The Anthony C. Nardo Memorial Trophy was an individual honor awarded by the University of Maryland football team to its most outstanding lineman of the past season.[1]

The award was named in honor of 2LT Anthony C. Nardo, a United States Army officer killed in action in Belgium during the Second World War. Anthony was born to Frank and Carmela Nardo [2][3] in Baltimore, Maryland and attended the University of Maryland where he played football in 1942, before being commissioned into the Army. Nardo was serving in H Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division when he was killed on January 4, 1945. He was awarded the Purple Heart. His remains are interred at the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg.[4]

The 1947 Terrapin (College Park's yearbook) notes that the Maryland Alpha chapter of Phi Delta Theta instituted "the George Barnes - Monk Mier Memorial Trophy for a fellow Phi, Tony Nardo, killed in Europe during the war."[5] There is no mention as to the award's recipient for that year.

To date, the earliest news reference to this trophy appears to be an article published in The Baltimore Sun newspaper (then referred to as simply "The Sun") regarding awards for the 1949 season on February 25, 1950.[6] Prior to this date, news articles refer simply to players being voted as the best lineman for the year. The University of Maryland's Men's Football Media Guide gives the earliest award date as being in 1947; however, there are some discrepancies and inconsistencies regarding this trophy's award for years prior to 1950.

While sources disagree on the inaugural season for this trophy's award, they agree that the final award was given for the 1969 season. From 1970 to 1995, it was replaced by the Bob Beall Trophy and Tommy Marcos Trophy.[7]

Originally conceived as a perpetual award with winners' names inscribed from year to year, the nature of the trophy was changed in 1952 after Bob Ward's multiple receipt of this honor. Ward was given the original trophy "for his permanent possession,"[8] after being voted this award for the 1951 season. In prior years, the award winner had been given a replica trophy.

  1. ^ Stan Jones To Be Enshrined in College Football Hall of Fame Tonight Archived 2012-03-07 at the Wayback Machine, Atlantic Coast Conference, December 12, 2000, retrieved January 26, 2009.
  2. ^ Baltimore City Health Department, Bureau of Vital Statistics (Birth Record Index) 1921, p. 231 (surname mistyped as "Nardi"), retrieved October 25, 2014.
  3. ^ Anthony Nardo, United States Census 1930, retrieved October 25, 2014.
  4. ^ Overseas American Cemeteries Archived July 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, National WWII Memorial, retrieved January 26, 2009.
  5. ^ "Phi Delta Theta." The 1947 Terrapin, p. 27, academic year 1946-1947.
  6. ^ Linthicum, Jesse A. "Maryland Grid Team Honored At Banquet." The Sun, p. 12, February 25, 1950. Retrieved December 10, 2015; appropriate ProQuest subscription required to view link.
  7. ^ All-Time Honors (PDF), 2007 Maryland Terrapins Football Media Guide, University of Maryland, 2007, p. 166, retrieved October 17, 2016.
  8. ^ "WARD CHOSEN TOP GRIDDER: Maryland Teammates Vote Guard Most Valuable." The Sun, p. 14, March 1, 1952. Retrieved December 10, 2015; appropriate ProQuest subscription required to view link.