Lynn (Lester) Chandnois

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Biography

Lynn (Lester) Chandnois is Notable.

Lynn was born Everett Lynn Lester on February 24, 1925 in Michigan's Upper Peninsula community of Fayette. His parents were Edward Lester and Leona Pizzala. When Lynn was two years old his mother married Wilfred Joseph Chandnois and he adopted the Chandnois sir name. At age 6 his mother and younger sister Armalene died from tuberculosis, and an aunt and uncle on his mother's side took him in and raised him in the lower peninsula Michigan city of Flint. Lynn excelled in the classroom and in athletics, earning All-State honors in basketball and football while at Flint Central High School.

Lynn graduated from Flint Central in 1944, he then joined the United States Naval Air Corps and served for two years during World War II. After his honorable discharge, he enrolled at Michigan State University and was a four-year standout for the Spartans football team. During his first year at MSU, Lynn E. Chandnois and Mary B. Wilson were joined in marriage in Lucas, Ohio on Feburary 8, 1947. Their marriage was blessed with daughters, Lynda Chandnois (Harris) and Suzy Chandnois (Arnold).

Lynn was the Spartans football team's MVP in 1948, then was a unanimous selection for All-American honors in 1949. He still holds the record for the longest rushing play in Michigan State history, that was a 90-yard dash against Arizona in 1949. He also holds the MSU record for career pass interceptions with 20, and interception return yardage with 384. Twice in his four-year career, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Chandnois played all 60 minutes of a game. Six times, he played at least 55 minutes. That versatility and stamina made him coveted by professional football teams. Lynn also played a year of basketball for the Spartans while at MSU.

After Lynn's 1949 senior football season at Michigan State he was contacted by Cleveland Browns owner and head coach Paul Brown. Lynn accepted Brown's contract offer and agreed to join the 4-time reigning AAFC Champions in Cleveland for the upcoming 1950 season. Then in December of 1949, the AAFC merged with the NFL and the Browns, 49ers and Colts were now NFL teams. Shortly afterwords, Lynn was notifed by NFL Commissioner Bert Bell that his agreement with Paul Brown was now null and void, and that the Pittsburgh Steelers would be choosing him in the January 1950 NFL draft. For the first 30 years of the NFL's existence, no team was worse than Pittsburgh.

Lynn was named the 1950 Michigan Amateur Athlete of the Year, then as Bert Bell had told him, drafted in the first round in the NFL draft, eighth over all, by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Later in life, Lynn wondered how his NFL career might have differed had he played for Paul Brown's great and innovative teams of the 1950's. During Lynn's seven years in the NFL, he not only took a physical beating on mediocre Steelers teams, owner Art Rooney went through three head coaches, including Walt Kiesling who still ran the antiquated single-wing offense. The Steelers were 14-22 during Kiesling's three years from 1954 through 1956, and none of Rooney's three head coaches had a winning record during Lynn's time in Pittsburgh.

He passed away in 2011.

Sources

• 1947 Ohio Marriages Record ; Lynn E Chandnois and Mary B Wilson, 08 Feb 1947; citing Marriage, Lucas, Ohio : Family Search

• 2011 Obituary ; MLive ; Lynn Everett Chandnois ; Age 88 : LINK

• FindAGrave.com ; Lynn E. Chandnois ; Great Lakes National Cemetery ; Holly, Oakland County, Michigan : LINK

• 'Who wore it best' at Michigan State: No. 14 ; Lynn Chandnois ; Lansing State Journal : LINK

• 1952 Pittsburgh Steelers Season Highlights ; Lynn Chandnois : YouTube