The Priestleys have been described as "one of the most noted athletic families in this section of the country in a generation." This unique tribute described four brothers, whose potential professional hockey and football careers with the Chicago Black Hawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Philadelphia Eagles were cut short by their service with the United States military during World War II. The sports they excelled in ranged from ice hockey, football, baseball, track, and golf. Despite the travails of the Great Depression and World War II, this family overcame unbearable personal tragedies and traumas to lead successful lives that inspired their era and to this day.