The Philadelphia Eagles’ upset victory over the Kansas City Chiefs hit home for one local football family, stirring up memories of the family patriarch who was drafted by the Eagles in 1953 — Roland “Rollie†Arns.
The Eagles’ win was special to the Arns clan — well known to local gridiron afficionados — in part because of former 1940s-era Go-Hawk All-American offensive lineman Rollie, but also because one of his sons, David Arns, coached the W-SR varsity football team for 20 seasons, leading the Go-Hawks to state titles in 1990 and 1992.
David Arns brought a vintage 1953 pre-season program into the offices of the Waverly Newspapers the week after the Super Bowl win, a mint-condition booklet that featured Rollie Arns in several pages.
Rollie Arns starred for the Go-Hawks in the late 1940s, earning a scholarship to play center at Iowa State, where he lettered for three years, son David said. In 1953, Rollie was drafted by the Eagles with the 236th pick in the 20th round.
What made the Eagles Super Bowl win more special for the Arns family was the random discovering online of the 1953 mint-condition pre-season program documenting the Eagles’ three pre-season games that year.
Inside the pages is a roster with the players, including Rollie — who, David said — was one of three centers on the team.
“We just recently got a hold of that (program). The first time I saw it was about an hour before I brought it into (the Waverly Newspapers office),†David said. “One of my nieces Googled ‘Rollie Arns,’ and this (program) came up. She contacted my brother, and he said, ‘Buy it, and I’ll pay you the money.’â€
The vintage program is staple-bound and includes numerous articles about the 1953 Eagles team, their pre-season opponents — including the Detroit Lions, who later won the NFL championship that season — as well as a roster, which included Rollie Arns.
“(Rollie) got drafted in the 20th round, with the 236th pick. He was a starter at Iowa State...a three-year starter, and he was an All-American at Waverly High School,†David recalled. “He did get cut after the third exhibition game. But, it was fun for him. It is a pretty rare thing to get to that level, the NFL, from a small town like Waverly.â€
Roland Arns was born in Waverly in 1931, starring in several other sports aside from football at the old Waverly High School. He married his high school girlfriend — Betty Strotman — before both moved to Ames, where Rollie excelled at center for the Cyclones football team.
After his pre-season stint with the Eagles, Rollie and Betty relocated back to Waverly where Rollie worked construction and played for the semi-professional team the Waterloo Wildcats. He later joined the U.S. Army, serving for about two years at Fort Sill in Oklahoma before he was honorably discharged and the couple returned to Bremer County.
David said his father loved football, but also his family and farming.
“He did play some semi-pro football, with the Waterloo Wildcats. He then went into the Army and while serving, he played on an Army football team that traveled around to assorted bases,†David explained. “He then came back to Waverly and was a dairy farmer for the rest of his life.â€
Betty and Rollie had seven children, five girls and two boys, and the couple developed a respected reputation in the region for their farming and community efforts. According to his obituary, Rollie was the past president of B & B Oil Company, had served as president of Bremer County Extension Council, and was also a member of the county and state DHIA boards.
David himself played football at Waverly-Shell Rock High School and later Wartburg College before getting into coaching. He was the head coach at W-SR High School from 1985 through 2004.
As for his dad’s time with the Eagles 75 years before the team’s second Super Bowl championship win, David said competition was stiff.
“Dad always said that the (Eagles) had two veteran centers, which is why he was cut,†David explained. “A couple of guys dad always talked about were Tommy Brookshier and Ray Malavasi.â€
Brookshier was a rookie cornerback on the 1953 Eagles squad, playing eight seasons before retiring. Malavasi was — like Rollie — cut from the team after pre-season and became a coach.
“Tommie later became a (TV) announcer, and dad would always say, ‘I played with him on the Eagles,’†David added. “The other guy, Ray Malavasi, ended up becoming the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.â€
The discovery and purchase of the old-time program combined with the timing of the Eagles’ stunning upset win in the Super Bowl brought back many memories of his father, David said.
“It is a cool story with the Eagles winning the Super Bowl,†he said.
