On October 14,  Niobrara residents braved the aftermath of the previous night’s snow storm to attend the Stagecoach Museum’s open house. If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit lately, it would be well worth your time to do so.

Special one day exhibits included an antique fire arms room, a Native American room and a display of longtime Niobrara resident and former football tackle, Russ Thompson.

In an article printed in the Lincoln Star Journal on September 7, 2018, Thompson was featured among a list of small town Nebraska boys that made it to the NFL. 

Russ Thompson was born May 10, 1912 in Edgar, Neb. pop. 498 and died Feb. 12, 2001  at the age of  88. He attended high school at  Wood Lake, Neb., pop. 63; Whitney, Neb.,  pop. 77; and Chadron, Neb. He attended college at Chadron State in 1931 and the University of Nebraska from  1932-1934.

He played  53 games in the NFL.

Some fun facts gleaned from the article are as follows:

* Started 23 games at tackle over four years with the Chicago Bears (1936-39) and five with the Philadelphia Eagles.

* Played in his first football game in Wood Lake without ever playing the game before. Later played at Chadron High School.

* Recruited by Link Lyman to play at Nebraska under Dana X Bible.

* Lettered three years at Nebraska

* Was offered a contract for $90 per game by George Hallas in 1935.

* Was a teammate of Bronko Nagurski

* Following the 1940 draft, the Bears traded Thompson and fellow tackle, Milt Trost, to the Eagles in exchange for Philadelphia’s first-round pick, George McAfee.