Shelby Blues
The Shelby Blues were an American football team based in Shelby, Ohio. The team played in the Ohio League from 1900 to 1919. In 1920, when the Ohio League became the APFA (now known as the National Football League), the Blues did not join but continued to play against APFA teams, only to later suspend operations. The Blues returned to play as an independent between 1926 and 1928.
| Founded | 1900 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1928 |
| Based in | Shelby, Ohio, United States |
| League | Ohio League (1902–1919) Independent (1926–1928) |
| Team history | Shelby Blues (1905–1928) |
| Team colors | Blue, White |
| Head coaches | Peggy Parratt (1910–1911) |
| Ohio League Championship wins | (2) 1910, 1911 |
The team was named for their blue uniforms, that were worn in their first year. In 1905, the Blues replaced the Shelby Athletic Club as the top football team in town. A year later the team was the runner-up for the Ohio League title, behind only the Akron Indians. The Blues won Ohio League championships in 1910 and 1911, with Peggy Parratt, an early pioneer and master of the forward pass, at quarterback. In 1904, the Blues are credited with signing the first black players in American professional football, halfback Charles Follis.
References
- Carroll, Bob (1991). "Shelby Who? Ohio Pro Football in 1910" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 13 (4): 1–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-06.
- Johnson, Pearce (1987). "When Did They Start?" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 9 (6): 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
| Achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Akron Indians 1908-1909 |
Ohio League Champions Shelby Tigers & Shelby Blues 1910 |
Succeeded by Shelby Blues 1911 |
| Preceded by Shelby Blues & Shelby Tigers 1910 |
Ohio League Champions Shelby Blues 1911 |
Succeeded by Elyria Athletics 1912 |