1920 APFA season

1920 National Football League season
Regular season
Duration September 26 – December 19, 1920
Champions Akron Pros

The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural season of the American Professional Football Association—renamed the National Football League in 1922. The league was formed on August 20, 1920, by independent professional American football teams from Ohio, all of whom had previously played in the Ohio League or New York Pro Football League (NYPFL). At the meeting, they first called their new league the American Professional Football Conference. A second organizational meeting was held in Canton on September 17, adding more teams to the league, and at the meeting, the name of the league became the American Professional Football Association. Four other teams also joined the Association during the year. Meanwhile, Jim Thorpe of the Canton Bulldogs was named the APFA's first president but continued to play for the team.

Scheduling was left up to each team. There were wide variations, both in the overall number of games played, and in the number played against other Association members. Thus, no official standings were maintained. In addition, football teams in the APFA also faced independent football teams not associated with the league. For instance, the Rochester Jeffersons played a schedule consisting mostly of local teams from their local sandlot circuit and the NYPFL, not the APFA.

The Akron Pros ended the season as the only undefeated team in the Association. Despite this, two one-loss teams—the Decatur Staleys and Buffalo All-Americans—who both tied Akron that year made cases for a co-championship. At the league meetings in Akron on April 30, 1921, the Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup for the 1920 season, the only year the trophy was used.

If modern NFL tie-breaking rules were in force in 1920, the Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1) would be co-champions with the Akron Pros (8–0–3), as both had a win percentage of .864 and their only game was tied, while the Staleys (10–1–2) would have finished third with .846.

Further, if games against non-APFA teams were excluded, Akron (6–0–3) would still have won the championship with .833, with the All-Americans (4–1–1) and the Staleys (5–1–2) finishing equal second with .750 as they did not play each other.

Of the 14 teams that played in the APFA/NFL's inaugural season, the Chicago Cardinals, now known as the Arizona Cardinals, and the Decatur Staleys, now known as the Chicago Bears, are the only teams that remain in the league.[1]

Formation

Ralph Hay, one of the founding representatives

Prior to the APFA, there were several other loose, professional organizations; most of the APFA teams were from either the Ohio League or the New York Pro Football League. On August 20, 1920, a meeting attended by representatives of four Ohio League teams—Ralph Hay and Jim Thorpe for the Canton Bulldogs, Jimmy O'Donnell and Stan Cofall for the Cleveland Tigers, Carl Storck for the Dayton Triangles, and Frank Nied and Art Ranney for the Akron Pros[2]—was held. At the meeting, the representatives tentatively agreed to call their new league the American Professional Football Conference, introduce a salary cap for the teams, and not to sign college players nor players under contract with another team.[3][4] According to the Canton Evening Repository, the purpose of the league was to "raise the standard of professional football in every way possible, to eliminate bidding for players between rival clubs and to secure cooperation in the formation of schedules, at least for the bigger teams."[5] The representatives then contacted other major professional teams and invited them to a meeting for September 17.[6]

At that meeting, held at Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom in Canton, Ohio, representatives of the Rock Island Independents, the Muncie Flyers, the Decatur Staleys, the Racine Cardinals, the Massillon Tigers, the Chicago Tigers, and the Hammond Pros agreed to join the league. Representatives of the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons could not attend the meeting, but sent letters to Hay asking to be included in the league.[7] Team representatives changed the league's name slightly to the American Professional Football Association and elected officers, installing Thorpe as president, Cofall as vice-president, Ranney as secretary-treasurer.[2][7][8][9] Under the new league structure, teams created their schedules dynamically as the season progressed, so there were no minimum or maximum number of games needed to be played.[10][11] Also, representatives of each team voted to determine the winner of the APFA trophy.[12]

Schedule

The regular-season schedule was not fixed but was created dynamically by each team as the season progressed.[10][11] The following table was formed by NFL History, which used contemporary newspapers.[13] The first game involving an APFA team occurred on September 26, when the Rock Island Independents beat the St. Paul Ideals 48–0.

The first official game between APFA (NFL) members occurred on October 3, when the Dayton Triangles beat the Columbus Panhandles 14-0. The Triangle's Lou Partlow scored the league's first touchdown and George "Hobby" Kinderline kicked the first extra point. An historic marker placed by the Ohio Historical Society at Triangle Park in Dayton marks the location of that first ever game.[14]

The final game of the season was a 14–14 tie between the Chicago Cardinals and the non-league Chicago Stayms on December 19, 1920.[13] The Decatur Staleys and the Canton Bulldogs played the most games in the season (13), while the Muncie Flyers played the fewest (1).[15] The Buffalo All-Americans scored the most points all season (258), and the Akron Pros allowed the fewest points (7).[16]

1920 APFA teams' roster photos
Akron Pros
Canton Bulldogs
Chicago Cardinals
Dayton Triangles
Decatur Staleys
Key
Symbol Meaning
dagger Non-APFA team
(numbers in parentheses) Team's win-loss-tie record
Week 1
September 26, 1920
VisitorScoreHomeScoreLocation
St. Paul Idealsdagger0Rock Island Independents (1–0–0)48Douglas Park
Week 2
October 3, 1920
Wheeling Stogiesdagger0Akron Pros (1–0–0)43Akron League Park
West Buffalodagger6Buffalo All-Americans (1–0–0)32Canisius Field
Pitcairn Quakersdagger0Canton Bulldogs (1–0–0)48Lakeside Park
Columbus Panhandles (0-1–0)0Dayton Triangles (1–0–0)14Triangle Park
Moline Universal Tractorsdagger0Decatur Staleys (1–0–0)20Staley Field
Muncie Flyers (0–1–0)0Rock Island Independents (2–0–0)45Douglas Park
All-Buffalodagger0Rochester Jeffersons (1–0–0)10Rochester Baseball Park
Week 3
October 10, 1920
Columbus Panhandles (0–2–0)0Akron Pros (2–0–0)37Akron League Park
All-Buffalodagger0Buffalo All-Americans (2–0–0)51Canisius Field
Toledo Maroonsdagger0Canton Bulldogs (2–0–0)42Lakeside Park
Racine Cardinals (0–0–1)0Chicago Tigers (0–0–1)0Cubs Park
Cleveland Tigers (0–0–1)0Dayton Triangles (1–0–1)0Triangle Park
Kewanee Walworthsdagger7Decatur Staleys (2–0–0)25Staley Field
Cleveland Panthersdagger14Detroit Heralds (1–0–0)40Mack Park
Hammond Pros (0–1–0)0Rock Island Independents (3–0–0)26Douglas Park
Fort Porterdagger0Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–0)66Rochester Baseball Park
Week 4
October 17, 1920
Cincinnati Celtsdagger0Akron Pros (3–0–0)13Akron League Park
McKeesport Olympicsdagger7Buffalo All-Americans (3–0–0)28Canisius Field
Cleveland Tigers (0–1–1)0Canton Bulldogs (3–0–0)7Lakeside Park
Moline Universal Tractorsdagger3Racine Cardinals (1–0–1)33St. Rita's Field
Detroit Heralds (1–1–0)0Chicago Tigers (1–0–1)12Cubs Park
Columbus Panhandles (0–3–0)0Fort Wayne Friarsdagger14Fort Wayne League Park
Hammond Pros (0–2–0)0Dayton Triangles (2–0–1)44Triangle Park
Decatur Staleys (3–0–0)7Rock Island Independents (3–1–0)0Douglas Park
Utica Knights of Columbusdagger0Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–1)0Rochester Baseball Park
Week 5
October 24, 1920
Cleveland Tigers (0–2–1)0Akron Pros (4–0–0)7Akron League Park
Toledo Maroonsdagger0Buffalo All-Americans (4–0–0)38Canisius Field
Canton Bulldogs (3–0–1)20Dayton Triangles (2–0–2)20Triangle Park
Racine Cardinals (1–1–1)0Rock Island Independents (4–1–0)7Douglas Park
Decatur Staleys (4–0–0)10Chicago Tigers (1–1–1)0Cubs Park
Columbus Panhandles (0–4–0)0Detroit Heralds (2–1–0)6Mack Park
Syracuse Starsdagger7Rochester Jeffersons (3–0–1)21Rochester Baseball Park
Week 6
October 31, 1920
Akron Pros (5–0–0)10Canton Bulldogs (3–1–1)0Lakeside Park
Rochester Jeffersons (3–1–1)6Buffalo All-Americans (5–0–0)17Canisius Field
Detroit Heralds (2–2–0)0Racine Cardinals (2–1–1)21Cubs Park
Chicago Tigers (1–2–1)7Rock Island Independents (5–1–0)20Douglas Park
Columbus Panhandles (0–5–0)0Cleveland Tigers (1–2–1)7Dunn Field
Cincinnati Celts (0–2–0)7Dayton Triangles (3–0–2)23Triangle Park
Decatur Staleys (5–0–0)29Rockford A.C.dagger0Kishwaukee Park
Hammond Pros (1–2–0)14Logan Squaredagger9Logan Square Park
Week 7
November 7, 1920
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacksdagger0Buffalo All-Americans (6–0–0)35Canisius Field
Canton Bulldogs (4–1–1)18Cleveland Tigers (1–3–1)0Dunn Field
Racine Cardinals (3–1–1)6Chicago Tigers (1–3–1)3Cubs Park
Columbus Panhandles (1–5–0)10Zanesville Mark Graysdagger0Zanesville, Ohio
Decatur Staleys (5–0–1)0Rock Island Independents (5–1–1)0Douglas Park
Hammond Pros (2–2–0)14Pullman Thornsdagger13Chicago, Illinois
Utica Knights of Columbusdagger7Rochester Jeffersons (4–1–1)27Rochester Baseball Park
Week 8
November 11, 1920
Decatur Staleys (6–0–1)20Champaign Legiondagger0Champaign, Illinois
Rock Island Independents (5–1–2)7Thorn Tornadoesdagger7Monmouth, Illinois
November 14, 1920
Akron Pros (5–0–1)7Cleveland Tigers (1–3–2)7Dunn Field
Columbus Panhandles (1–6–0)7Buffalo All-Americans (7–0–0)43Canisius Field
Chicago Tigers (1–4–1)0Canton Bulldogs (5–1–1)21Lakeside Park
Cincinnati Celtsdagger0Racine Cardinals (4–1–1)21Chicago, Illinois
Dayton Triangles (4–0–2)21Rock Island Independents (5–2–2)0Douglas Park
Decatur Staleys (7–0–1)3Minneapolis Marinesdagger0Nicollet Park
Detroit Heralds (2–2–1)0Fort Wayne Friarsdagger0Fort Wayne League Park
Hammond Pros (2–3–0)6Gary Elksdagger7Gleason Field
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacksdagger6Rochester Jeffersons (4–2–1)0Rochester Baseball Park
Week 9
November 21, 1920
Dayton Triangles (4–1–2)0Akron Pros (6–0–1)13Akron League Park
Canton Bulldogs (6–1–1)3Buffalo All-Americans (7–1–0)0Canisius Field
Lansing Oldsmobiledagger0Racine Cardinals (5–1–1)14Chicago, Illinois
Toledo Maroonsdagger0Cleveland Tigers (2–3–2)14Dunn Field
Columbus Panhandles (1–6–1)0Zanesville Mark Graysdagger0Zanesville, Ohio
Hammond Pros (2–4–0)7Decatur Staleys (8–0–1)28Staley Field
Rochester Scalpersdagger0Rochester Jeffersons (5–2–1)16Rochester Baseball Park
Week 10
November 25, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (6–2–1)0Akron Pros (7–0–1)7Akron League Park
Decatur Staleys (9–0–1)6Chicago Tigers (1–5–1)0Chicago Cub Park
Columbus Panhandles (1–6–2)0Elyria Athleticsdagger0Lorain, Ohio
Detroit Heralds (2–3–1)0Dayton Triangles (5–1–2)28Triangle Park
Hammond Pros (2–5–0)0Chicago Boostersdagger27DePaul Field
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacksdagger (2–1–0)14Rochester Jeffersons (5–3–1)3Rochester Baseball Park
November 28, 1920
Akron Pros (8–0–1)14Dayton Triangles (5–2–2)0Triangle Park
Cleveland Tigers (2–4–2)0Buffalo All-Americans (8–1–0)7Buffalo Baseball Park
Decatur Staleys (9–1–1)6Racine Cardinals (6–1–1)7Normal Park
Thorn Tornadoesdagger0Chicago Tigers (2–5–1)27Cubs Park
Lansing Oldsmobiledagger0Detroit Heralds (2–3–2)0Mack Park
Rochester Scalpersdagger6Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–1)7Rochester Baseball Park
Pittsburgh All-Collegiansdagger7Rock Island Independents (6–2–2)48Douglas Park
Week 11
December 4, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (6–3–1)3Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–0)7New York Polo Grounds
December 5, 1920
Akron Pros (8–0–2)0Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1)0Buffalo Baseball Park
Canton Bulldogs (6–3–2)0Washington Glee Clubdagger0New Haven, Connecticut
Racine Cardinals (6–2–1)0Decatur Staleys (10–1–1)10Cubs Park
Columbus Wagner Piratesdagger0Columbus Panhandles (2–6–2)24Neil Park
Detroit Maroonsdagger7Detroit Heralds (2–3–3)7Mack Park
Rochester Scalpersdagger0Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–2)0Exposition Park
Week 12
December 11, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (6–4–2)7Union Club of Phoenixvilledagger13Phillies Park
December 12, 1920
Akron Pros (8–0–3)0Decatur Staleys (10–1–2)0Cubs Park
Week 13
December 18, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (7–4–2)39Richmond Athleticsdagger0Boulevard Field
December 19, 1920
Racine Cardinals (6–2–2)14Chicago Staymsdagger14Pyott Field

Final standings

1920 APFA standings[17]
W L T PCT DIV DPCT PF PA STK
Akron Prosdagger 8 0 3 1.000 6–0–3 1.000 151 7 T2
Decatur Staleys 10 1 2 .909 5–1–2 .833 164 21 T1
Buffalo All-Americans 9 1 1 .900 4–1–1 .800 258 32 T1
Chicago Cardinals 6 2 2 .750 3–2–2 .600 101 29 T1
Rock Island Independents 6 2 2 .750 4–2–1 .667 201 49 W1
Dayton Triangles 5 2 2 .714 4–2–2 .667 150 54 L1
Rochester Jeffersons 6 3 2 .667 0–1 .000 156 57 T1
Canton Bulldogs 7 4 2 .636 4–3–1 .571 208 57 W1
Detroit Heralds 2 3 3 .400 1–3 .250 53 82 T2
Cleveland Tigers 2 4 2 .333 1–4–2 .200 28 46 L1
Chicago Tigers 2 5 1 .286 1–5–1 .167 49 63 W1
Hammond Pros 2 5 0 .286 0–3 .000 41 154 L3
Columbus Panhandles 2 6 2 .250 0–4 .000 41 121 W1
Muncie Flyers 0 1 0 .000 0–1 .000 0 45 L1

 dagger  Awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup and named APFA Champions.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason and legacy

Several Pros players celebrating their championship. The woman in the picture did not play on the team.

As there was no playoff system in the APFA until 1932,[18] a meeting was held to determine the 1920 Champions.[19] Each team that showed up had a vote to determine the champions. Since the Akron Pros never lost a game, the Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup on April 30, 1921.[20] The trophy was a "silver loving cup", donated by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company.[21] This decision, however, would arise with controversy. The Staleys and the All-Americans each stated that they should win the award because they had more wins and were not beaten by the Akron Pros.[19] Each player from the Pros was also awarded with a golden fob; this was in the shape of a football and inscribed with "1920", "WORLD CHAMPIONS", and each player's first initial and last name.[22] The Pros did not officially celebrate their championship season until the following year. In October 1921, most of the team was invited to the Elks Club of Akron, which was labeled as "a grand homecoming celebration for the world's champions".[12] Fritz Pollard was congratulated during an Akron Merchants Association of Colored Business Men's meeting.[12]

The Pros were the first team in the history of the APFA to complete a non-modern "perfect season". Only four other teams have since accomplished this feat: the 1922 Canton Bulldogs at 10–0–2,[23] the 1923 Canton Bulldogs at 11–0–1,[24] the 1929 Green Bay Packers at 12–0–1,[25] and the 1972 Miami Dolphins at 17–0–0.[26] In 1972, the NFL changed the rules, so ties count as a half-win and a half-loss.[27]

Even though the Pros were given the trophy in 1920, the league lost track of the event, and for a long time published in its own record books that the 1920 championship was undecided.[28] It was not until the 1970s that the NFL discovered this early vote on awarding the Akron Pros the championship.[28]

Awards

All-Pro

Bruce Copeland, sportswriter for the Rock Island Argus, compiled the All-Pro list for 1920. He used the games played in Rock Island, other newspapers, and his own memory to determine the first-, second-, and third-team All-Pro list. Pro-Football-Reference.com uses this list as the official All-Pro list of 1920.[29] Twenty of the players were from Illinois and thirteen were from Ohio. The Rock Island Independents had the most players on the list (9), and Racine Cardinals had the least (1).[30]

Hall of Fame

As of 2012, 10 players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played in the 1920 APFA season. One non-player, Joseph Carr, the owner of the Columbus Panhandles in the 1920 season and league president from 1921–1939, was also elected to the Hall.

Name
Team(s)
Year
 Ref.
Carr, Joseph
Columbus Panhandles
 1963 [31]
Chamberlin, Guy
Decatur Staleys
1964
 [32]
Conzelman, Jimmy
Decatur Staleys
1964
 [33]
Driscoll, Paddy
Racine Cardinals
Decatur Staleys
1965
 [34]
Guyon, Joe
Canton Bulldogs
1966
 [35]
Halas, George
Decatur Staleys
1963
 [36]
Healey, Ed
Rock Island Independents
1964
 [37]
Henry, Pete
Canton Bulldogs
1963
 [38]
Pollard, Fritz
Akron Pros
2005
 [39]
Thorpe, Jim
Canton Bulldogs
1963
 [40]
Trafton, George
Decatur Staleys
1964
 [41]

Coaches

Notes

  1. ↑ "Franchise History". AZCardinals.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Crippen, Ken (July 27, 2009). "The Rochester Jeffersons Take to the National Stage (Part 1)". Two Bills Drive. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  3. ↑ PFRA Research (1980), pp. 3–4
  4. ↑ Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini (2010), pp. 352–353
  5. ↑ "'Pro' Football Moguels Form National Body". Canton Evening Repository. August 21, 1920.
  6. ↑ PFRA Research (1980), p. 1
  7. 1 2 PFRA Research (1980), p. 4
  8. ↑ "Thorpe Made President" (PDF). The New York Times. September 19, 1920.
  9. ↑ "Organize Pro Gridders; Choose Thorpe, Prexy". The Milwaukee Journal. September 19, 1920. p. 24.
  10. 1 2 Peterson (1997), p. 74
  11. 1 2 Davis (2005), p. 59
  12. 1 2 3 Price, Mark (April 25, 2011). "Searching for Lost Trophy". Akron Beacon-Journal. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  13. 1 2 NFL History (2003), pp. 1–7
  14. ↑ "Triangle Park: Site of First Game In The NFL".
  15. ↑ "Past Standings" (PDF). National Football League. p. 27. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  16. ↑ "1920 APFA Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ "NFL – 1920 Regular Season". National Football League. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  18. ↑ "History: The First Playoff Game". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  19. 1 2 Carroll (1982), p. 3
  20. ↑ Price, Mark (April 25, 2011). "Searching for the Lost Trophy". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved December 21, 2011.
  21. ↑ PFRA Research (1980), p. 6
  22. ↑ "Medallion from NFL's first champions". Pro Football Hall of Fame. September 29, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  23. ↑ "1922 Canton Bulldogs Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  24. ↑ "1923 Canton Bulldogs Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  25. ↑ "1929 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  26. ↑ "1972 Miami Dolphins Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  27. ↑ Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini (2010), p. 360
  28. 1 2 PFRA Research (n.d.), p. 1
  29. ↑ "1920 APFA All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  30. ↑ Hogrogian (1984), p. 1–2
  31. ↑ "Joe Carr". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
  32. ↑ "Guy Chamberlin". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  33. ↑ "Jimmy Conzelman". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  34. ↑ "John (Paddy) Driscoll". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  35. ↑ "Joe Guyon". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  36. ↑ "George Halas". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  37. ↑ "Ed Healey". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  38. ↑ "Wilbur (Pete) Henry". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  39. ↑ "Fritz Pollard". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  40. ↑ "Jim Thorpe". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  41. ↑ "George Trafton". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 17, 2012.

References

  • Carroll, Bob (1982). "1920 Akron Pros" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 4 (12). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012.
  • Davis, Jeff (2005). Papa Bear, The Life and Legacy of George Halas. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-146054-3.
  • Hogrogian, John (1984). "1920 All-Pros" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 6 (1). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 11, 2012.
  • Peterson, Robert (1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507607-9.
  • PFRA Research. "Once More, With Feeling: 1921" (PDF). Professional Football Researchers Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 26, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  • PFRA Research (1980). "Happy Birthday NFL?" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 2 (8). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012.
  • Siwoff, Seymour; Zimmber, Jon; Marini, Matt (2010). The Official NFL Record and Fact Book 2010. National Football League. ISBN 978-1-60320-833-8.
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