Kadesky, Max : Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum

Kadesky, Max

After playing college ball at Iowa (where he helped lead the Hawkeyes to 17 consecutive wins and the national championship in 1921), Kadesky said he played professionally in 1923 because "my dental office was not ready for occupancy. I had no intention of playing pro ball. My concern was the building of a dental practice." He was later elected president of the Iowa State Dental Society.



Birth and Death Dates:
b. February 8, 1901 - d. August 14, 1970

Career Highlights:
Kadesky played three seasons for Iowa, helping them win 17 straight games during the 1920, 1921 and 1922 seasons. In his first game for Iowa in 1920, Kadesky caught the winning touchdown against Indiana and the Hawkeyes won the match, 14-7. That year, after losing to Chicago in the fourth game of the season, Iowa won its remaining three games of the year to finish the season 5-2; they would not lose again in Kadesky's career.

In 1921, Iowa finished the season a perfect 7-0-0 and Max was named All-Western Conference. That year, Iowa was the national champion and it was the first time in school history that they had gone through a season undefeated and untied. In 1922, Max was named Walter Camp All-America second team and the Hawkeyes were once again conference champs with a record of 7-0-0! Max considered the final game of his career against Northwestern (which Iowa won, 37-3) his best.

Kadesky said, "I caught numerous passes. One in particular was recorded nationally as 'The Play of the Year.' Another pass and long play set up a touchdown. I blocked a punt to set up still another score...The tremendous standing ovation I received and Coach Jones' sincere handshake and pat on the back as I left the Iowa Field is a fond never-to-be-forgotten memory of my football career."

After graduating in 1923, Kadesky joined the Rock Island Independents and played in eight games for the NFL club. That year, the team suffered its only losing season in its short history (2-3-3), but defeated their rivals, the Chicago Bears, 3-0. In 1997, Kadesky was elected to the Dubuque (Iowa) Senior High School Hall of Fame. Another member of that illustrious roster is Jay Berwanger, the first winner of the Heisman Trophy.

Origin:
Winsted, Connecticut

Career Dates:
Kadesky played end for the University of Iowa from 1920-1922. He then played as an end in the NFL with the Rock Island Independents in 1923.

Physical description:
5'11", 175 pounds



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References:
The Encyclopedia of Football, by Roger Treat (New York: A.S. Barnes and Co., 1976 -- 14th Edition)
Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League, edited by Bob Carroll, Michael Gershman, David Neft, and John Thorn (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999)
encyclopedia of JEWS in sports, by Bernard Postal, Jesse Silver, and Roy Silver (New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1965)