Cagle, Christian K.
Football
b. May 1, 1905, DeRidder, LA
d. Dec. 26, 1942
His teammates usually called Cagle "Chris" or "Red," but sportswriters liked to call him "Onward Christian" because of his ability to advance the ball. In 1925, Cagle played at Southwestern Louisiana, where he scored 108 points to finish fifth in the nation.
He was appointed to the U. S. Military Academy in 1926 and was an All-American halfback three straight years, 1927 through 1929. A fast, deceptive runner, Cagle scored touchdowns on a 53-yard run and a pass reception in Army's 18-0 win over Notre Dame in 1927. In a 21-21 tie with Navy, Cagle had a 44-yard touchdown run and caught a pass for another touchdown.
Against Yale in 1928, Cagle had touchdown runs of 51 and 76 yards in an 18-6 win, and he scored on a 37-yard run in a 13-3 victory over Nebraska. Cagle captained the team in 1929, when he had five touchdown runs of 35 yards or more, including one of 70 yards.
Cagle had married secretly in August of 1928, a violation of West Point rules. When his marriage was revealed after the 1929 season, he was forced to resign before graduating. He played in the NFL with the New York Giants from 1930 through 1932. In 1933, he and "Shipwreck" Kelly became co-owners of the league's Brooklyn Dodgers franchise and Cagle played for the team in 1933 and 1934.
On December 23, 1942, Cagle was found unconscious in a Manhattan subway station. He died three days later of a fractured skull.