Chicago sold end John Lyons to the Cincinnati Reds around the…
Chicago sold end John Lyons to the Cincinnati Reds around the July 1934 league meeting, with contemporary reporting describing Cincinnati as having bought his contract from the Cardinals. The purchase price was not disclosed. Lyons did not provide a documented 1934 NFL return for Cincinnati and instead appeared in eight games for the Louisville Bourbons of the American Football League, leaving Chicago with the clearer realized benefit.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- other cash purchase price (amount undisclosed)
Cincinnati Reds Received
- player John Lyons
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Historical Green Bay coverage of the 1934 league meeting lists John Lyons as moving from the Chicago Cardinals to the Cincinnati Reds. A contemporary newspaper item goes further, describing Cincinnati as having bought Lyons’ contract. That clarifies the outgoing consideration: Chicago received cash, although the amount has not survived in the available account.
Chicago Cardinals Return
Chicago sold end John Lyons to the Cincinnati Reds around the July 1934 league meeting, with contemporary reporting describing Cincinnati as having bought his contract from the Cardinals. The purchase price was not disclosed. Lyons did not provide a documented 1934 NFL return for Cincinnati and instead appeared in eight games for the Louisville Bourbons of the American Football League, leaving Chicago with the clearer realized benefit.
Cincinnati Reds Return
Cincinnati purchased John Lyons’ contract from the Chicago Cardinals for an undisclosed amount in July 1934. The Reds were acquiring a young end who had appeared briefly in the NFL, but the move did not translate into a meaningful Cincinnati season. Lyons instead played eight games in the 1934 American Football League. With no comparable NFL contribution for the Reds, the cash-selling Cardinals come out ahead.
Value in Hindsight
The Cardinals’ return was cash with an undisclosed price, so the exact economic benefit cannot be measured. Still, selling a player who did not subsequently generate Cincinnati NFL value was a favorable outcome compared with the Reds’ side. The missing dollar figure prevents a high-confidence or high-grade judgment, but it no longer makes sense to award Cincinnati the win.
Final Verdict
The Cardinals win modestly. B- reflects a successful sale of a contract that did not become useful NFL production for Cincinnati. The Reds receive D+ because they paid for Lyons but did not obtain a meaningful on-field NFL return from the purchase.