Nolan, Cliff

Cliff Nolan – (1992)

 

CLIFF
NOLAN

Cliff Nolan began his abbreviated athletic career at Longfellow Junior High School in 1940. During his Longfellow days he was to receive nine letters, three each in track, basketball and football.

Sporting 185 lbs. on a 6′ frame, Cliff was a king-size junior high fullback and linebacker who commanded plenty of attention as he led Longfellow to three consecutive titles while suffering only one loss.

Track season found Cliff competing in the shotput, the high jump and the hurdle relays. His best jump was 5’1″ and the relay team set a city record that may still stand. Cliff was a top scorer and rebounder on the roundball court.

Everything appeared “Rosy” to Nolan as he entered Lorain High School to challenge for a spot on the varsity football team. He had bulked up to 200 lbs. and was quite pleased to find that Coach Pryor employed the same sets and plays as Ralph Rogers did at Longfellow. It helped smooth Cliff’s path to earning a spot on the varsity. He made the varsity as a sophomore starter at quarterback and at linebacker, in tandem with Joe Bartos. Mostly operating out of the single wing and short punt formation, Cliff’s quarterback duties consisted of blocking for halfbacks George James and Ray Drobiszewski and fullback Joe Bartos. James and “Droby” ran the tackles or swept the ends, while Bartos could run up the middle, off-tackle or around the ends. When Bartos dropped back to pass, Cliff was part of the pass protection. He did well when called upon to carry the ball.

Cliff’s blocking was eminently successful as Bartos was All-Ohio, All-Cleveland Area and All-Lake Erie League fullback. Under-rated James made All-Cleveland and All-Lake Erie halfback, as Lorain amassed 248 points for the 1943 season. A crunching tackler, Cliff spearheaded the defensive stands with Jesko at end, Mitro and Baum at guard and tackle and Bartos at the other linebacker position. The opposition scored only 69 points all season against the defense.

All the “Roses” of the 1943 season turned to “Thorns” for Nolan’s 1944 football hopes. Pre-season practice brought the usual drills from new coach Herb Mills. While participating against two teammates in the “Nut-cracker Drill”, Cliff damaged his knee. He played hurt until the Sandusky game when the knee was severely re-injured. It ended Cliff’s season and led to major surgery and months of rehabilitation.

By the time the fall of 1945 rolled around, Nolan had healed sufficiently to play for his third coach in three years, Bryce Bloom, who immediately shifted Cliff to guard. From that point on he was a lineman for the Steelers, ranked 15th in the state at season’s end. Post season honors for Nolan included Honorary Captain and First Team Guard on the All-Lake Erie team and Third Team Associated Press All-Ohio.

After pulling military duty as Physical Training Instructor at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Nolan returned to Lorain. He was contacted by the Cleveland Browns front office for a try-out. The University of South Carolina Coach ladened with Lorain talent, Dave Sparks, Harry Jabbusch and Dick Phiel called Coach Bloom to help enroll Nolan. Convinced his knee would not stand the punishment, he declined both offers.

Cliff married Flossie Kelley in March 1946 and they raised two boys, Gene and Jim and two girls, both now married, Shelley Harris and Peggy Hamrlik, mother of four boys.

Owner of Genie Door Sales founded in 1964, Cliff has turned the helm over to son, Jim, and retired in 1989. The Nolans now reside on Hickory Hill Drive in Lorain.