Mally Nydahl
{{Short description|American athlete and surgeon (1906–1979)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|image=Mally Nydahl in the Minneapolis Star.jpg
|caption=Nydahl in a 1927 Minneapolis Star photograph
|image_size=
|position=Back
|number=
|birth_date={{birth date|1906|11|24}}
|birth_place=Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
|death_date={{Death date and age|1979|05|27|1906|11|24|mf=y}}
|death_place=Hennepin County, Minnesota, US
|height_ft=5
|height_in=11
|weight_lbs=163
|high_school=South (MN)
|college=Minnesota
|teams=
- Minneapolis Red Jackets (1929–1930)
- Frankford Yellow Jackets (1930–1931)
|highlights=
}}
Malvyn John "Mally" Nydahl, sometimes spelled Nydall (November 24, 1906 – May 27, 1979), was an American football, baseball, and basketball player and orthopedic surgeon. He played college football for Minnesota and in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minneapolis Red Jackets (1929–1930) and Frankford Yellow Jackets (1930–1931).
Early years and college
Nydahl was born in 1906 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.{{cite news|title=Mally Nydahl|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=December 11, 2021|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playern/nyda00200.html}} He attended South High School in Minneapolis.{{cite news|title=Nydahl One Of Minnesota's Greatest Athletes|newspaper=The Brainerd Daily Dispatch|date=June 19, 1928|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90407790/nydahl/|via=Newspapers.com}}
He attended the University of Minnesota and played for the Golden Gophers football team from 1925 to 1928. In 1926, he scored a game-winning touchdown against Wisconsin on a 67-yard run. He called the play "the greatest thrill of my athletic career". Grantland Rice rated Nydahl as "one of the greatest backs ever to come out of the Middle West".{{cite news|title=Birthdays of Champions: Malvin Nydahl|newspaper=The Pasadena Post|date=November 24, 1932|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90408806/nydahl/|via=Newspapers.com}}
He was also captain of Minnesota's basketball (as a running guard) and baseball (as a center fielder) teams, received eight varsity letters, and participated in 107 intercollegiate games (20 football, 48 basketball, and 39 baseball).{{cite news|title=Mally Nydahl Enjoyed Baseball Best During Brilliant Career as Gopher|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=May 25, 1928|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90406884/mally-nydahl-enjoyed-baseball-best/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Mally Nydahl Signs Indianapolis Contract|newspaper=Minneapolis Tribune|date=June 8, 1928|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90407570/mally-nydahl-signs-indianapolis-contract/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Nydahl Is Elected Gopher Floor Captain: Running Guard Is Honored by Basket Mates|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=March 15, 1927|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90406622/nydahl-is-elected-gopher-floor-captain/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Professional sports
Nydahl played minor league baseball for several years after graduating from Minnesota, including stints with the Davenport Blue Sox (1929, 1931), Denver Bears (1932), Omaha Packers (1933), Oklahoma City Indians (1933), and Elmira Red Wings (1933). He had his best season with Denver in 1932, batting .366 with 231 hits, 48 extra-base hits and a .481 slugging percentage.{{cite web|title=Malvin Nydahl|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=December 11, 2021|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=nydahl001mal}}
He also played for the independent Christian Lindsay basketball team in 1928.{{cite news|title=Christian Lindsays, Phantoms to Clash at Armory Tonight|newspaper=The Minneapolis Star|date=December 29, 1928|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90408134/christian-lindsays/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Nydahl also played professional football for the Minneapolis Red Jackets during the 1929 and 1930 seasons. He played at the halfback and quarterback positions. He also played for the Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1930. He appeared in 27 NFL games, 19 as a starter, scored four touchdowns, and kicked three extra points.{{cite web|title=Mally Nydall|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=July 16, 2020|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/N/NydaMa20.htm}}
Later years
Nydahl used his earnings as a professional football player to put himself through medical school. He received his M.D. in 1934.{{cite news|title=Editor Suffers 15-Yard Penalty For Dropping Ball on Star 'Jock Docs'|journal=Medical Bulletin University of Minnesota|date=Spring 1974|page=16|url=https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/167739/Bulletin19740001Spring.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y}} He later became a professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Minnesota.{{cite news|title=Nydahl|newspaper=Minneapolis Tribune|date=May 29, 1979|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90610112/nydahl/|via=Newspapers.com}} He was also chief of orthopedic surgery at Hennepin County General Hospital.{{cite news|title=Fractures Cause Hospital Dispute|newspaper=Minneapolis Tribune|date=August 18, 1965|page=41|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90406179/hospital-dispute/|via=Newspapers.com}} He died in 1979 at age 72.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nydall, Mally}}
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football players
Category:Frankford Yellow Jackets players
Category:Minneapolis Red Jackets players
Category:Players of American football from Minneapolis
Category:American football defensive backs