The Chicago Cardinals purchased guard Lou Marotti from the…
The Chicago Cardinals purchased guard Lou Marotti from the New York Giants on September 14, 1943, in a straight cash transaction, according to contemporaneous reporting. Marotti played 15 games for the Cardinals/Card-Pitt organization from 1943 through 1945. Because the cash amount is not identified, the football value surrendered by New York cannot be measured precisely, leaving no evidence-backed winner.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Lou Marotti
New York Giants Received
- other cash (amount not established)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On September 14, 1943, the Chicago Cardinals purchased guard Lou Marotti from the New York Giants. A contemporaneous United Press report in The Bend Bulletin described the move as a straight cash transaction. That account establishes the package without additional player consideration: Chicago received Marotti, while New York received cash in an amount not identified by the available report.
Arizona Cardinals Return
The Cardinals received Marotti and used him across three wartime seasons. Pro Football Reference credits him with six games for Chicago in 1943, eight for the combined Card-Pitt team in 1944, and one more for the Cardinals in 1945. His 15-game tenure gave Chicago a real roster return, although it did not develop into a long-term career beyond 1945.
New York Giants Return
New York received cash. The contemporaneous report clearly identifies the transaction type but does not state the amount, so the Giants' return cannot be translated into comparable football value. No player or draft asset should be added to that side of the exchange. The supported Giants return is simply the cash consideration paid for Marotti's contract.
Value in Hindsight
Marotti supplied 15 games of professional service after the purchase, while the value of New York's cash return remains unknown. That leaves the transaction itself well documented but the hindsight comparison incomplete. A Cardinals advantage cannot be established without knowing what the Giants received financially or how that consideration should be valued against Marotti's limited tenure.
Final Verdict
Even Trade with C grades on both sides best fits the surviving evidence. Chicago obtained a usable guard for parts of three seasons, and New York received an undisclosed cash amount. The neutral verdict reflects the inability to compare those returns precisely, not uncertainty about whether the straight cash transaction occurred.