John J. "One-Arm" Foley

Butte Business College / Broadway Athletics

Fullback / Tackle / Kicker

1897 - 1903

He played football for seven years, he had one arm.  The sport of football in its infancy, was known for tough guys, fearless gladiators even, but when a 160-pound fullback takes the field missing his right arm, eyebrows raise and gaze is fixed to see just what this man can do.  Foley wowed the fans and became one of the most well-known and respected players of his era in Montana, turning his gridiron popularity into a judicial and political career.

John J. Foley was born in Michigan in 1879, the son of Irish immigrants, who left Michigan for the Montana mines in 1880 when he was barely a year old.  At the age of four, the curious child gathered with a crowd looking at a new ore cart on display and at some point he ended up underneath the cart when it moved.  When he was finally picked up, his right arm was gone.  For most living in 1883 Montana, work was not guaranteed to those with two arms who depended on their hands for a livelihood, how would he find his way in life with only one?  Foley was one of those fighters unwilling to view himself as handicapped, and found his path.

After his elementary education in the Butte public schools, he later attended Butte Business College where he took commercial courses and joined the football team.  From 1897-1901, he and his "semi pros" were 11-5-3 as one of the best aggregations in the state.  "One-Arm Jack" attracted much attention from spectators and sports writers who were in awe of the man who played like any other able-bodied man including fielding punts with only a few fumbles along the way.  His popularity and fame in the region grew.  He took jobs in the mercantile division with Hennessy Company, but felt he could earn more money by going underground, so he became a watchman in the mines for three years. 

The "old Butte Juniors" football team, the lighter-weight footballers in town sporting the all-new "nose and teeth protection", known as the Shibe's Face Muff, had rebranded themselves the Broadway Athletics and they quickly snatched up Foley to join them playing on the offensive and defensive lines as a regular starter from 1902-1903, as well as defensive fullback (linebacker today).  They lost only one game, a 15-0 shutout to the Bozeman Ag College men (Montana State University) during that stretch.

In 1908 he was nominated for the office of clerk of the district court in Silver Bow County, and due in large part to his popularity on the gridiron, easily won and held the office with distinction from 1909-1916, even pitching for the Courthouse baseball team.  An active member of the Knights of Columbus, Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Robert Emmet Literary Association, he married in 1909 and raised two sons, John T. and Francis J.  Francis died at the age of five in 1917.

By 1912, Foley was active on the political scene pushing legislation for the 8-hour work day, later moving to Yuba City, California to develop a fruit farm where he passed away in 1953.

Artist depiction of John Foley playing football for the Broadway Athletics circa 1902