Jack Mintun

John Theodore Mintun (July 12, 1894 – February 25, 1976) was professional American football player who played as a center for seven seasons for the Decatur/Chicago Staleys (1920–1921), the Racine Legion (1922–1924), the Kansas City Cowboys (1925), and the Racine Tornadoes (1926).^[1][2]

Mintun grew up in Piatt County, Illinois before moving to Decatur as a teenager, where he played for the independent Decatur Indians team; during a November 1915 game, he received the nickname "Jack" from a local newspaper. He later joined A. E. Staley's baseball team before being drafted into the United States Army in 1918; he served with the 34th Infantry Division in France until his discharge. In 1919, he was a member of Staley's new football team, where he played center and kicker.^[3] He scored three touchdowns for the Staleys that year on an interception return, muffed punt return, and a fumble return.^[4][5][6] The following year, he became an employee at A. E. Staley as a millwright, and was named their night supervisor in 1932.^[3]