Berwanger had the write stuff

Sportswriters across the land are on the clock as we consider whom to draft as a new patron saint for our profession.

How about Jay Berwanger?

The inaugural Heisman Trophy winner and first player drafted by an NFL team in 1936, Berwanger never played a down in the NFL, turning down offers from the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears to join the enemy -- to become a sportswriter.

The Eagles selected the star halfback from the University of Chicago but couldn’t sign him and then traded his rights to the Bears, but Berwanger’s contract demand -- $25,000 for two years -- was considered too steep for George Halas.

So, in an unprecedented move, Berwanger said no to the NFL and soon began writing a sports column for the Chicago Daily News.

He also refereed college football games and coached football from 1936 to 1939 at his alma mater before enrolling in the Navy’s flight-training program and becoming an officer during World War II.

Trivia time

After winning the Heisman in 1935, what did Berwanger do with the trophy?

Another NFL history lesson

In the 70-year history of the NFL draft, only seven overall No. 1 picks went on to play in as many as seven Pro Bowls.

And only two -- John Elway (No. 1 in 1983) and Peyton Manning (1998) -- are skill position players.

Defensive end Bruce Smith (1985) leads the group with 11 Pro Bowl appearances, followed by Elway with 10. Center-linebacker Chuck Bednarik (1949) and defensive tackle Buck Buchanan (1963) are next with eight.

Tied with seven Pro Bowl appearances are offensive tackle Ron Yary (1968), offensive tackle Orlando Pace (1997) and Manning, who stands a good chance of overtaking this group in about, oh, five years.

Batmen return

When it comes to losing championship games and series, no city does it better than Buffalo.

Wednesday’s item about the Bills and Sabres combining for five title defeats brought several e-mails from Buffalo fans boasting that, no, we haven’t failed in the clutch five times -- it’s been six!

From Ted White: “The Sabres also played in the ’75 Stanley Cup Final, losing to Philly in six games. Not just any Cup Final, it included the notorious “Fog Game” played in the old Aud.

“Not only did the game include heavy fog, which made the puck impossible to see for even those on the ice, it included the famous on-ice bat-killing incident. Sabre Jim Lorentz spotted a bat flying around the rink and was able to swat it with his stick, dropping it to the ice, dead. Only in Buffalo.

“But, we have great wings, and the Sabres just might win the Cup this year.”

Octopi are usually dead before faceoff

Wikipedia on the Sabre-rattling bat-killing incident: Many superstitious Buffalo fans considered this to be an “Evil Omen,” pertaining to the result of the series.

It was the only time that any player killed an animal during an NHL game.

“The Sabres won that game thanks to Rene Robert’s goal in overtime.

“However, Philadelphia would wind up taking the Cup Final to six games, winning the series 4 games to 2.”

Trivia answer

He gave it to his Aunt Gussie, who for years used it as a doorstop.

Eventually, Berwanger gave the trophy to the University of Chicago.

And finally

Charles Barkley, no biblical scholar, on TNT’s playoff slogan, “40 Games in 40 Nights”:

“I love the playoffs, but nobody likes working 40 straight days. Wasn’t that how long Moses was on the ark?”

mike.penner@latimes.com