In his book Monster of the Midway (2003, Thomas Dunne Books), nationally-known author Jim Dent wrote: “Bronko [Nagurski] was selected first-string fullback on every All-America team. He was the starting tackle on several others.”
Seemingly obsessed with equating Nagurski and Paul Bunyan, Dent knowingly or unknowlingly ignores the fact that Bronko was a NCAA consensus All-American at tackle ONLY. Nagurski was selected first-string fullback by the New York Post, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press in its December 1, 1929 edition. The Post did not select him at the tackle position. Further, the New York Post All-America team was not recognized by the NCAA.
The University of Minnesota Sports Information department one-upped Dent by reporting that Nagurski was a first-team consensus pick at tackle and fullback. Plus, according to the media guide, he was selected by some authorities as an end.
Now, we come to the not-so-curious case of local literary charlatan Ross Bernstein. In his book Pigskin Pride (Nodin Press, 2000), Bernstein writes: “Sportswriters decided after his senior season in 1929 that he was the best Fullback and Tackle in the nation, making him the only player in college football history ever to be named a consensus All-American at two different positions in the same season.” Unlike Dent, Bernstein copied the media guide word-for word. (His apparent rationale: If it’s in the media guide, it must be so.)
Sadly, Bernstein’s Nagurski biography is currently being handed out to visitors to the Nagurski Museum in International Falls.
As for Dent, he also wrote in Monster of the Midway that Bronko “led the entire nation in rushing with 737 yards.” In reality, Nagurski (according to the NCAA in its Football’s Finest guide [1991, National Collegiate Athletic Association]) gained only 259 yards in his final season, playing only five games at fullback. In fact, over the course of his three years at the U of M, he gained only 557 yards.