David Jamison Jones (October 29, 1883 – July 28, 1966) was an American physician who became the second owner of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

(NFL)'s

Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ...

. He also owned a considerable number of shares in the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Jones was born in

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is a city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, Johnstown is the principal city of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area, whi ...

, the son of Welsh immigrant John Jones and the English-born Emma Terill Jones. In 1929, Jones bought the Cardinals from the team's founder, Chris O'Brien for $12,000. O'Brien sold the team after growing weary from a combination of losses, apathetic fans, and the popularity of the northside's Chicago Bears. In his first year of ownership, Jones coaxed

Ernie Nevers Ernest Alonzo Nevers (June 11, 1902 – May 3, 1976), sometimes known by the nickname "Big Dog", was an American football and baseball player and football coach. Widely regarded as one of the best football players in the first half of the 20th ...

, a future member of the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

, out of retirement to become the team's

player-coach A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...

. In 1929, Nevers scored an NFL-record 40 points on six touchdowns and four extra points in an historic 40–6 victory over the cross-town Bears on

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden and ...

. However Jones soon found that not even having a great player like Nevers in the line-up could bring success to the Cardinals. In 1930, the team finished in the middle of the standings with a mediocre record of 5–6–2. A year later the team posted a 5–4 record. One night in 1932, Jones and his wife, Elsa, were guests at an informal dinner party aboard Charles W. Bidwill's luxurious power-cruising yacht. Bidwill, a lawyer and the vice president of the Chicago Bears, spoke with Jones that night. Inevitably, the conversation turned to pro football, with Jones complaining of the poor state of his team. Half jokingly, Charles' wife,

Violet Violet may refer to: Common meanings * Violet (color), a spectral color with wavelengths shorter than blue * One of a list of plants known as violet, particularly: ** ''Viola'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants Places United States * Viol ...

, asked Jones, "Why don't you sell the Cardinals to Charley?" Jones replied that he would sell anything he owned if the price was right. Bidwill soon turned to Jones and the two began to discuss an offer. Bidwill would go on to buy the Cardinals from Jones for $50,000. Bidwill handed Jones a down payment of $2,000 to seal the deal and the two men shook hands. The sale was not announced until 1933 to allow Bidwill time to dispose of his stock in the Chicago Bears. Jones died at Augustana Hospital in Chicago of heart trouble, aged 82.

References

Additional sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, David Jamison 1883 births 1966 deaths People from Johnstown, Pennsylvania Chicago Cardinals owners Physicians from Illinois American people of Welsh descent American people of English descent