Helms Athletic Foundation
The Helms Athletic Foundation, founded in 1936, was a Los Angeles-based organization dedicated to the promotion of athletics and sportsmanship.[1] Paul H. Helms was the organization's founder and benefactor,[2] funding the foundation via his ownership of Helms Bakery.[3] Bill Schroeder founded the organization with Helms and served as its managing director.[4][5] The men were united in a love of amateur athletic competition.[6]
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Abbreviation | HAF |
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Successor | LA84 Foundation |
Formation | 1936 |
Founders |
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Purpose | Athletics, Sportsmanship |
Headquarters | Los Angeles |
The organization became well known for presenting awards and trophies for local, national, and international competition, naming the Southern California Player of the Month and Year, national championships in college basketball and college football, Rose Bowl Player of the Game, Coach of the Year, Pacific Coast football player of the year, and other such awards for athletic achievement. Schroeder selected the organization's national champion teams.[7] The organization dedicated Helms Hall in 1948, which housed a museum for sporting artifacts as well as the Helms Hall of Fame.
Following the death of Paul Helms in 1957 and the eventual closure of Helms Bakery in 1969, Schroeder sought new benefactors. The organization continued under a series of new sponsors as the United Savings–Helms Athletic Foundation, Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation, and First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation. Schroeder died in 1987. Under the direction of Peter Ueberroth the Helms Athletic Foundation collection, library, and archives were absorbed into the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, later renamed the LA84 Foundation.
History
Founding
Schroeder brought to the partnership a large personal collection of sports memorabilia.[5] He sought a corporate sponsor to finance a hall of fame to house his collection and to present awards to local athletes.[5][6]
The idea was taken seriously by Paul Helms, who was himself invested in athletics both personally and professionally.[6][1] The bakery with which he made his fortune was a sponsor of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics,[1] and "Helms Olympic Bread" continued to be associated with the competition. The organization was originally known as the Helms Olympic Athletic Foundation.
In 1936, with Helms' backing, Schroeder set to work from a rented office in downtown Los Angeles.[6] As the organization's only employee, he issued frequent announcements of the selections he made for the Helms Athletic Foundation's various and numerous awards.[8]
Helms Hall
The organization dedicated Helms Hall in 1948.[8] The purpose-built building adjacent to Helms Bakery near Culver City housed a museum for the sports artifacts originally collected by Schroeder, as well as the Helms Hall of Fame.[6]
Schroeder selected the organization's national champion teams and made All-America team selections in a number of college sports, including football and basketball.[7] The Helms Foundation also operated a hall of fame for both college basketball and college football. Besides collegiate athletics, the organization operated halls of fame for professional football, Major League Baseball, the Pacific Coast League, basketball, fencing, golf, tennis, swimming, auto racing, track and field,[9] and soaring.[10]
Later years
After Paul Helms' death in 1957, his family continued supporting the organization until 1969, when the bakeries went out of business.[11][4] Schroeder found a new benefactor in United Savings & Loan,[11] and the organization's name became United Savings–Helms Athletic Foundation.[12][13] United merged with Citizens Savings & Loan in 1973, when the organization became the Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation.[11] It was again renamed in 1982 when First Interstate Bank assumed sponsorship, and it became the First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation.[14][15]
When the Helms Foundation dissolved, its historical holdings were absorbed into the collection of the Amateur Athletic Foundation, renamed the LA84 Foundation in 2007.
National championship selections
BasketballThe champions from 1900–01 through 1918–19 were selected retroactively in 1957.[16] Those from 1919–20 through 1941–42 were selected retroactively in 1943.[2][17][16] The Helms Foundation began releasing Schroeder's national championship selections for college basketball in 1943, when in February 1943 it published his retroactive picks for the national champion for each year from the 1919–20 through 1941–42 seasons.[2][17][16] Later in 1943, Schroeder picked a national basketball champion for the 1942–43 season, and he continued to select national basketball champions for the Helms Foundation annually through the 1981–82 season, its final year of selections.[18] In 1957, the Helms Foundation also released Schroeder's retroactive picks for the college basketball champions for the 1900–1901 through 1918–19 seasons.[16] The retroactive Helms national championships from 1900–01 through 1941–42 were the well-researched opinions of one person about teams that played during an era when, due to factors outside their control (e.g., minimal schedules, lack of intersectional play, differing rule interpretations, minimal statistics), it is difficult to know or assess the relative strength of the teams.[18] The National Invitation Tournament began play in 1938 and the NCAA tournament in 1939; until at the least the mid-1950s, the NIT was widely considered the more prestigious of the two.[19] When Schroeder made his first set of retroactive championship picks in February 1943, he chose the NIT winner as the national champion for 1938 and 1939; for 1940, he chose USC (which won neither tournament that year); and for 1941 and 1942 he chose the NCAA Tournament winners as the national champion. After he began making annual picks in 1943, he selected the NCAA Tournament winner in every year except 1944 (when he picked undefeated Army, which won neither tournament) and 1954 (when he picked undefeated Kentucky, which won neither tournament). Thus, through the final Helms selection in 1982, NCAA Tournament winners Oregon (1939), Indiana (1940), Utah (1944), and La Salle (1954) were the only NCAA champions that were not also Helms champions. Some schools claim a Helms selection as a national championship.[lower-alpha 1] |
FootballThe NCAA recognizes the Helms Athletic Foundation as a "major selector" of college football national championships in their official records book.[20] The champions for 1883 through 1940 were selected retroactively.[20]
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- "A 'championship' is something that is won, most generally on the field of play against direct competition. A 'title' is something that is given or awarded by someone else, in honor of an achievement or as a designation of being considered the best at something. While it is generally true that winning a championship also involves a title being associated with it, the converse does not always hold. In many cases, a title can be given without a formal championship or competition being held at all. In other words, being awarded a title does not necessarily confer that a championship was even present much less attained. In earlier years of collegiate basketball, there are many titles that can be claimed, some which are associated with winning a tournament (e.g. NCAA Tournament or NIT) and some which are not (Associated Press #1, highest attendance, top Sagarin Rating). The latter do not constitute a championship. It is into this group that the Helms title falls."[18] — Jon Scott, BigBlueHistory.net
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Helms Athletic Foundation selected players, coaches and administrators from 1950 through 1960 to its pro football hall of fame.[38][39][40][41] Contrary to other halls of fame, some members were selected during their active playing/coaching careers.
Dan Reeves wasn't inducted to the hall, but he did received a "special award" for his "contribution to professional football in Los Angeles" during the 1950 inaugural class ceremony.[42]
Year | Inductee | Pro Team(s) | Contribution | Pro Football Hall of Fame? |
---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | Cliff Battles | Boston Braves / Boston Redskins / Washington Redskins (1932–1937) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Sammy Baugh | Washington Redskins (1937–1952) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Joe F. Carr | NFL Commissioner (1921–1939) | Contributor | Yes |
1950 | Dutch Clark | Portsmouth Spartans / Detroit Lions (1931–1932; 1934–1938) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Paddy Driscoll | Hammond All-Stars (1917) Hammond Pros (1919) Racine / Chicago Cardinals (1920–1925) Chicago Bears (1926–1929) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | Turk Edwards | Boston Braves / Redskins / Washington Redskins (1932–1940) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Ray Flaherty | Los Angeles Wildcats (1926) New York Yankees (1927–1928) New York Giants (1929, 1931–1935) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | Dan Fortmann | Chicago Bears (1936–1943) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Red Grange | Chicago Bears (1925, 1929–1934) New York Yankees (1926–1927) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | George Halas | Boston Braves / Redskins / Washington Redskins (1932–1940) | Player Coach |
Yes |
1950 | Mel Hein | New York Giants (1931–1945) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Bill Hewitt | Chicago Bears (1932−1936) Philadelphia Eagles (1937−1939) Steagles (1943) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | Clarke Hinkle | Green Bay Packers (1932–1941) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Cal Hubbard | New York Giants (1927–1928, 1936) Green Bay Packers (1929–1933, 1935) Pittsburgh Pirates (1936) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | Don Hutson | Green Bay Packers (1935–1945) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Curly Lambeau | Green Bay Packers (1920–1949) | Coach | Yes |
1950 | Tuffy Leemans | New York Giants (1936–1943) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Sid Luckman | Chicago Bears (1939–1950) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Bronko Nagurski | Chicago Bears (1930–1937, 1943) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Ernie Nevers | Duluth Eskimos (1926–1927) Chicago Cardinals (1929–1931) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | Steve Owen | New York Giants (1931–1949) | Coach | Yes |
1950 | Ken Strong | Staten Island Stapletons (1929–1932) New York Giants (1933–1935, 1939, 1944–1947) New York Yankees (1936–1937) Jersey City Giants (1938, 1940) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | Joe Stydahar | Chicago Bears (1936–1942; 1945–1946) | Player | Yes |
1950 | Jim Thorpe | Canton Bulldogs (1915–1917, 1919–1920,1926) Cleveland Indians (1921) Oorang Indians (1922–1923) Rock Island Independents (1924) New York Giants (1925) Rock Island Independents (1925) Tampa Cardinals (1926) Chicago Cardinals (1928) |
Player | Yes |
1950 | George Trafton | Decatur Staleys / Chicago Staleys / Chicago Bears (1920–1921, 1923–1932) | Player | Yes |
1951 | John McNally | Milwaukee Badgers (1925–1926) Duluth Eskimos (1926–1927) Pottsville Maroons (1928) Green Bay Packers (1929–1933, 1935–1936) Pittsburgh Pirates (1934, 1937–1938) Buffalo Tigers (1941) |
Player | Yes |
1951 | Arnie Herber | Green Bay Packers (1930–1940) New York Giants (1944–1945) |
Player | Yes |
1951 | Bulldog Turner | Chicago Bears (1940–1951) | Player | Yes |
1951 | Pete Henry | Canton Bulldogs (1920–1923, 1925–1926) New York Giants (1927) Pottsville Maroons (1927–1928) |
Player | Yes |
1952[43] | Greasy Neale[44] | Philadelphia Eagles (1941–1950) | Coach | No |
1952 | Al Nesser | Columbus Panhandles (1910–1919, 1921) Canton Professionals (1914) Akron Pros (1920–1925) Cleveland Bulldogs (1925) Akron Indians (1926) Cleveland Panthers (1926) New York Giants (1926–1928) Cleveland Indians (1931) |
Player | No |
1952 | Alex Wojciechowicz | Detroit Lions (1938–1946) Philadelphia Eagles (1946–1950) |
Player | Yes |
1952 | Frankie Albert | Los Angeles Bulldogs (1945) San Francisco 49ers (1946–1952) |
Player | No |
1952 | Bob Waterfield | Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams (1945–1952) | Player | Yes |
1952 | Sammy Baugh | Washington Redskins (1937–1952) | Player | Yes |
1957 | Tony Canadeo | Green Bay Packers (1941–1944; 1946–1952) | Player | Yes |
1957 | Lou Groza | Cleveland Browns (1946–1959, 1961–1967) | Player | Yes |
1957 | Elroy Hirsch | Chicago Rockets (1946–1948) Los Angeles Rams (1949–1957) |
Player | Yes |
1957 | Ed Sprinkle | Chicago Bears (1944–1955) | Player | Yes |
1957 | Doak Walker | Detroit Lions (1950–1955) | Player | Yes |
1959 | Charlie Conerly | New York Giants (1948–1961) | Player | No |
1959 | George Musso | Chicago Bears (1933–1944) | Player | Yes |
1959 | Ray Bray | Chicago Bears (1939–1942, 1946–1951) Green Bay Packers (1952) |
Player | No |
1959 | George Preston Marshall | Washington Redskins owner (1932-1959) | Contributor | Yes |
1960 | Jim Benton | Cleveland / Los Angeles Rams (1938–1940, 1942; 1944–1947) Chicago Bears (1943) |
Player | No |
1960 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh Steelers (1942, 1945–1946) Detroit Lions (1947–1949) Washington Redskins (1950–1951, 1953) |
Player | Yes |
1960 | Link Lyman | Canton / Cleveland Bulldogs (1922–1925) Frankford Yellow Jackets (1925) Chicago Bears (1926–1928, 1930–1931, 1933–1934) |
Player | Yes |
1960 | George McAfee | Chicago Bears (1940–1941, 1945–1950) | Player | Yes |
1960 | Emlen Tunnell | New York Giants (1948–1958) Green Bay Packers (1959–1961) |
Player | Yes |
1960 | Y. A. Tittle | Baltimore Colts (1948–1950) San Francisco 49ers (1951–1960) New York Giants (1961–1964) |
Player | Yes |
1960 | Chuck Bednarik | Philadelphia Eagles (1949–1962) | Player | Yes |
1960 | Norm Van Brocklin | Los Angeles Rams (1949–1957) Philadelphia Eagles (1958–1960) |
Player | Yes |
1960 | Buck Shaw | San Francisco 49ers (1946–1954) Philadelphia Eagles (1958–1960) |
Coach | No |
???? | Otto Graham | Cleveland Browns (1946–1955) | Player | Yes |
World Trophy
The World Trophy, originally known as the Helms Award,[45] was an annual sporting award established by the Helms Athletic Foundation in 1939 to honor the foremost amateur athlete of each continent of the world, including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.[46] Even though the organization was established in 1936, the awards date back to 1896, the year of the first Summer Olympics.
Winners:
- World Trophy for Australasia
- World Trophy for Africa
- World Trophy for Asia
- World Trophy for Europe
- World Trophy for North America
- World Trophy for South America
See also
References
- "Famed sportsman, Paul Helms, dies". The Birmingham News. Birmingham, Alabama. Associated Press. January 6, 1957. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- "Helms Athletic Foundation Collegiate Basketball Record Part II (preface)" (Press release). Los Angeles: Helms Athletic Foundation. February 1943. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- Thus, the name was a misnomer, as there actually was no foundation in place to sustain the operation.
- Jares, Joe (September 7, 1970). "A Baker's Dream Needs Dough". Sports Illustrated. pp. 18–21. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
Sparked by a sports fanatic and sponsored by a Los Angeles baker, the Helms Hall achieved world renown, but it soon may be only history too, for it can find no new backers and eviction day is coming.
- Thomas, Pete (December 24, 1987). "Bill Schroeder, 83, Dies; Began Helms Museum". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- McBride, C. E. (January 13, 1951). Written at Los Angeles. "Two Men's Love of Athletics Led to the Helms Foundation". The Kansas City Star. Kansas City. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
Bill Schroeder had an idea for promoting sports competitions and presenting awards and Paul Helms had wealth to make the program possible.
- Jenkins, Dan (September 11, 1967), "This Year The Fight Will Be in the Open", Sports Illustrated, Chicago, IL: Time Inc., vol. 27, no. 11, pp. 28–34, retrieved March 16, 2016,
The director of Helms since its beginning, Bill Schroeder, did the work, and he now heads the committee that selects No. 1 after the bowl games. "A committee of one—me," he says.
- McConnell, Jim (August 19, 2008). "Helms bread rose from Olympic ties". Long Beach Press Telegram. Long Beach, California. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
- "Twenty-One Greats to be Enshrined in PCL Hall of Fame". Pacific Coast League. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- Cumming, M. (1966). The Powerless Ones: Gliding in Peace and War. Frederick Muller Ltd., London
- Drooz, Alan (January 15, 1981). "New Home Being Sought for Southland's Sports Hall of Fame". Los Angeles Times. p. 12. Retrieved December 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- Hall, John (August 31, 1976). "So Help Me". Los Angeles Times. Part III, p. 2. Retrieved December 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Raymond Lewis, Verbum Dei Guard, Named Top CIF 'AAA' Basketball Player For '71 Season" (Press release). United Savings–Helms Athletic Foundation. March 24, 1971. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- "RALPH SAMPSON, JAMES WORTHY TOP 1982 COLLEGE BASKETBALL ALL-AMERICA TEAM SELECTIONS" (Press release). First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation. April 3, 1982. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- "Templeton Makes Public Apology, Rejoins Cardinals for Road Trip". Los Angeles Times. September 15, 1981. Part III, p. 4. Retrieved December 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Slants on Sports: Helms Foundation Basketball". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. June 8, 1962. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
The selections cover from 1900 to the present, but they have been made annually only since 1943. The 1920–1942 selections were made early in 1943, and the 1900–1920 data was not compiled until 1957, and then only after exhaustive study.
- "Wildcats of 1933". Lexington Herald–Leader. Lexington, Kentucky. February 25, 1943. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- Scott, Jon (Nov 9, 2010). "The truth behind the Helms Committee". Retrieved 14 December 2015.
- Anonymous, "How the NCAA Overtook Its Rival, the NIT," Sport History Weekly, March 24, 2019 Accessed May 4, 2021
- "National Champion Major Selections (1896 to Present)". 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2020. pp. 112–114. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- "Badgers Rated Nation's No. 1". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, Wisconsin. January 11, 1943. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- Written at Los Angeles. "Name Army Gridmen National Champions". Republican and Herald. Pottsville, Pennsylvania. United Press. January 11, 1945. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- "Helms Board Tabs Bagnell Year's Best". The Los Angeles Mirror. Los Angeles. December 11, 1950. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
the Helms board selected Oklahoma as mythical national champion
- Written at Los Angeles. "Group Names Huskies Best". Spokane Chronicle. Spokane. Associated Press. January 14, 1961. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
- "Helms Selects Alabama No. 1". The Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, Alabama. January 6, 1962. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- "USC Selected By Helms Group". Herald and News. Klamath Falls, Oregon. January 10, 1963. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- "Ho Hum; 'Horns Receive Another No. 1 Rating". The Austin American. Austin, Texas. January 7, 1964. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- "Hogs To Receive Helms Trophy". Northwest Arkansas Times. Fayetteville, Arkansas. February 3, 1965. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- "State Still Grid Champion". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. January 9, 1966. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- Written at Los Angeles. "Helms Foundation Votes Irish And State Co-Champs". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, Michigan. Associated Press. January 15, 1967. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- Written at Los Angeles. "Helms Picks Trojans As No. 1 Grid Team". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento, California. Associated Press. January 16, 1968. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- Written at Los Angeles. "'Horns Hang Helms Award On Crowded Trophy Tree". Austin American–Statesman. Austin, Texas. January 9, 1970. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- "Huskers Claim Helms Trophy". Lincoln Journal Star. Lincoln, Nebraska. January 7, 1971. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
The United Savings–Helms Athletic Foundation college football national championship trophy will be presented to Nebraska in the near future.
- "Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation 1975". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. January 9, 1976. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
The Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation, formerly known as the Helms Athletic Foundation, has named Oklahoma and Ohio State national co-champions for the 1975 season.
- "Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation 1978". Alabama Journal. Montgomery, Alabama. January 10, 1979. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- "Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation 1979". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. January 9, 1980. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- "Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation 1980". The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento. January 7, 1981. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
- Written at Los Angeles. "Helms Foundation Starts Football Hall Of Fame". Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. Associated Press. August 2, 1950. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
The Helms Hall board, consisting of seven Los Angeles area sports editors, selected 25 of the "greatest professional footballers of all time" as the first to be honored.
- Written at Los Angeles. "Hirsch Named to Hall of Fame". Honolulu Advertiser. Honolulu, Hawaii. United Press. November 9, 1957. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- Williams, Coy (August 21, 1959). "Elect George Marschall to Pro Hall of Fame". Los Angeles Mirror. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- Written at Los Angeles. "8 Gridders Make Pro Hall of Fame". Honolulu Star–Bulletin. Honolulu, Hawaii. United Press International. January 10, 1961. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- "Helms Honors 25 Pro Greats". Los Angeles Times. August 10, 1950. p. IV-3 – via Newspapers.com.
- Written at Los Angeles. "Wojciechowicz, Nesser And Neale Are Named To Pro Hall Of Fame". The Modesto Bee. Modesto, California. United Press. October 7, 1952. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
- Helms Hall — Hall of Fame Award honoring Earle Neale (Award Plaque). Los Angeles: Helms Athletic Foundation. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- "All-Round Australians". The Age. December 19, 1999. p. Sport-12. Retrieved May 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
Also captained South Australia in Australian Rules state matches six times, and his CV included rave reviews as a baseballer, golfer and player of tennis, billiards and lacrosse, winning the World Trophy (formerly the Helms Award).
- "Helms Athletic Foundation" (PDF). Bulletin du Comite International Olympique. No. 25. 1951. pp. 26–28.