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The Akron Pros were a professional football team that played in Akron, Ohio from 1908 to 1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, but later became Akron Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional Football Association. Fritz Pollard, the first black head coach in the NFL, co-coached the Akron Pros in 1921. Paul Robeson played for the team in 1921 as well. He was among the earliest stars of professional football before football became segregated from 1934 to 1946. In 1926, the name was changed back to the Akron Indians, after the earlier semi-pro team. Due to financial problems, the team suspended operations in 1927 and surrendered its franchise the following year.
The Cincinnati Celts was the first professional football team to play in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team played in the unofficial "Ohio League" and the American Professional Football Association. The Celts were a traveling team, playing all of their APFA games in other cities' stadia. In its only season in the APFA, 1921, the team had a record of 1–3. For the entire span of the team's existence, the Celts were coached by Mel Doherty, who was also the team's center.
The Cleveland Tigers were the first Cleveland team franchise in what became the National Football League (NFL). The Tigers played in the "Ohio League" before joining the American Professional Football Association during the 1920 and 1921 seasons.
The Evansville Crimson Giants were a professional American football team based in Evansville, Indiana and were a part of the National Football League in 1921 and 1922. The Giants home games were played at Bosse Field. According to the Evansville Courier and Press in 1921, 'they surprised local fans in developing a winning team' and 'the Giants' one-sided victories over inferior non-league teams has had good fan reaction.' However, the team did not succeed, mostly due to scheduling mistakes and management problems. Evansville's local sporting enthusiasts also failed to respond favorably and attend the home games.
Louisville, Kentucky had two professional American football teams in the National Football League: the Louisville Breckenridges from 1921 to 1924 and the Louisville Colonels in 1926.
The Staten Island Stapletons also known as the Staten Island Stapes were a professional American football team founded in 1915 that played in the National Football League from 1929 to 1932. The team was based in the Stapleton section of Staten Island. They played under the shortened nickname the "Stapes" the final two seasons. Jack Shapiro, who was a blocking back for the Stapletons, was the shortest player in NFL history.
Bosse Field is a baseball stadium located in Evansville, Indiana. Opened in 1915, it was the first municipally owned sports stadium in the United States and is the third-oldest ballpark still in regular use for professional baseball, surpassed only by Fenway Park (1912) in Boston and Wrigley Field (1914) in Chicago.
The 1921 APFA season was the second season of the American Professional Football Association, which was renamed the National Football League in 1922.
The 1922 NFL season was the third regular season of what was now called the National Football League (NFL); the league changed its name from American Professional Football Association (APFA) on June 24, 1922.
Timothy James Mara was the American founding owner of the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). The Giants, under Mara, won NFL championships in 1927, 1934, 1938, and 1956 and divisional titles in 1933, 1935, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946, and 1958.
Leo V. Lyons was a co-founder of the National Football League. He was a player, manager, coach and owner of the Rochester Jeffersons from 1908 to 1925.
Severin Joseph Checkaye was a professional football player, coach and owner. He was also a co-founder of the National Football League (NFL). Checkaye's franchise, the Muncie Flyers was a charter member of the league.
Mark B. Ingle was an attorney as well as a professional football player in the early 1920s. Ingle played in the National Football League (NFL) in 1921 for the Evansville Crimson Giants. He was also a co-founder of the team, along with Frank Fausch, and served as the team's vice-president.
Ellis Menzies Lindsey was an attorney as well as a professional football player in the early 1920s. Lindsey was a quarterback for the Evansville Crimson Giants of the National Football League in 1921. He was also a co-manager of the semi-pro Evansville Ex-Collegians in 1920, before joining the Crimson Giants. After a dispute with Crimson Giants' owner Frank Fausch, Lindsey tried to re-establish the Ex-Collegians team. The new team was back by Evansville's baseball club and named the Evansville Pros. However that team last only two games before folding.
Clarence Adolph Spiegel was a professional football player in the early 1920s. He played in the early National Football League for the Evansville Crimson Giants. He also worked as a promotion manager for about 30 years. Prior to that, he was the owner of a family-owned and operated furniture store located in Evansville, Indiana. During World War I, he served as a private in the Army.
Otho Addison "Doc" Gorman was a professional football player during the early 1920s. He played in the National Football League, in 1921 and 1922, for the Evansville Crimson Giants. Gorman also played halfback at the college level for St. Louis University.
Walter Guy Morrison was a professional baseball player. He played briefly in the majors for the Boston Braves in 1927 and 1928. He also served as the baseball and football coach at Montclair State University in 1929. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1934.
Benjamin Bosse was an American politician, manufacturer, and businessman who served as the 19th mayor of Evansville, Indiana, from 1914 until his death in 1922.
Herbert Raymond Henderson was a professional football player in the early 1920s. He played for one season, in 1921, for the Evansville Crimson Giants of the National Football League. Prior to playing pro football, Henderson played at the college level at Ohio State. There he was a starting halfback on the Buckeyes 1920 Big Ten Championship team. He also participated in the 1921 Rose Bowl Game. He later served as a football coach at Central High School in Evansville, Indiana for 4 years with a record of 26-8-2. After his coaching career ended, Henderson became an Athletic Business Manager. He stayed in that position for 5 years. He then made his mark as a Football Official in Indiana and was a grader of the Big Ten Conference officials for several years. He was the 86th person inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame on November 30, 1979.
References
- Quirk, Rodney D. Fort, James P. (1992). Pay Dirt: The Business of Professional Team Sports. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-04255-1.
- Maltby, Marc S. (1992). "The Early Struggles Of Professional Football: Evansville, Indiana" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 14 (4): 1–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-07.