Meet the power couple that created the Philadelphia Eagles
Bert Bell gets all the credit for founding the Eagles, but it was really a team effort.
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In this July 26, 1939, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles owner and head coach Bert Bell talks to his squad as his son, Bert Bell Jr. sits on a players lap, in Philadelphia. Bell, who later became the league's commissioner, created the NFL draft as a way to assist teams who couldn't attract top talent in the free-for-all system that had been in place. (AP Photo/File)
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Frances Upton when she was with the Ziegfeld Follies. (The Upton Family)
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If you’re even a little deep into Eagles trivia, you’ve probably heard of Bert Bell, the man who created the Philadelphia Eagles, invented the college draft, and arguably saved the NFL. But you may not have heard about the woman behind Bert: Frances Upton. Reporter Jeff Barnd tells the story of Philadelphia’s OG sports power couple and why we have them to thank for the team we know today.
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