| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born: | March 19, 1919 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died: | January 12, 1992 (aged 72) Wichita, Kansas, U.S. |
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight: | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Harrison |
| College: | Creighton |
| Position: | Halfback |
| NFL draft: | 1941 / round: 3 / pick: 18 |
| Career history | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
John Alexander "Slingshot" Knolla (March 19, 1919 – January 12, 1992) was a National Football League (NFL) player for the Chicago Cardinals. He played college football for Creighton University from 1938 to 1940.
In 1940, he led all NCAA major college players with 1,420 yards of total offense, outpacing Tom Harmon by 52 yards and was named a "Little All American".[1][2][3]
He was drafted in the third round of the 1941 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.[4] He also played professional football in the NFL for the Cardinals in 1942 and 1945. He appeared in 18 NFL games and gained 138 kickoff return yards, 107 punt return yards, 79 rushing yards, and 63 receiving yards.[5]
He later became a teacher, high school football coach and athletic director and then a successful businessman. In 12 non-contiguous seasons at Kapaun Mount Carmel High School, Knolla's teams went 56–43–3, including a 9–0 season and a City League championship in 1963. In 1975 he was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame. In 1978 he was named to the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame.[6]