The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural regular season

Regular season (NFL)

The National Football League regular season begins the weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 16 games during a 17-week period. Traditionally, the majority of each week's games are played on Sunday afternoon, with weekly games on Sunday night and Monday night, and occasional games on Thursday...

 of the National Football League

National Football League

The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

 which was called the American Professional Football Association in 1920 and 1921. The league was formed at the Jordan and Hupmobile auto showroom in Canton, Ohio

Canton, Ohio

Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...

 on August 20 by four independent professional American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 teams from Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

: Akron Pros

Akron Pros

The Akron Pros were a professional football team located played in Akron, Ohio from 1908–1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, however name was changed to the Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional...

, Canton Bulldogs

Canton Bulldogs

The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...

, Cleveland Tigers, and Dayton Triangles

Dayton Triangles

The Dayton Triangles were an original franchise of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The Triangles were based in Dayton, Ohio, and took their nickname from their home field, Triangle Park, which was located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers in north...

. The four parties had played against each other unofficially as the "Ohio League

Ohio League

The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1903 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship . As the name implied, its teams were based in Ohio...

" since 1903, complete with "championships," but it wasn't until 1920 that the league was formalized. 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: the Hammond Pros

Hammond Pros

The Hammond Pros from Hammond, Indiana played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1926 as a traveling team.-History:The Pros were established by Paul Parduhn and Dr. Alva Young who was a boxing promoter, owner of a racing stable and a doctor and trainer for a semi-pro football team...

 and the Muncie Flyers

Muncie Flyers

The Muncie Flyers from Muncie, Indiana played in the National Football League from 1920-1921.-Origins:...

 from Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

; the Rochester Jeffersons

Rochester Jeffersons

The Rochester Jeffersons from Rochester, New York played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1925.Formed as an amateur outfit by a rag-tag group of Rochester-area teenagers after the turn of the century , the team became known as the Jeffersons in reference to the locale of their playing...

 from the New York Pro Football League

New York Pro Football League

The New York Pro Football League was a professional American football league active in the 1910s and based in upstate New York, primarily Western New York. Between 1920 and 1921, the league's best teams were absorbed into the National Football League, though none survive in that league today...

; and the Rock Island Independents

Rock Island Independents

The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team based in Rock Island, Illinois. One of the first professional football teams, they were founded in 1907 as an independent club. They later played in what is now the National Football League from 1920 to 1925. They joined the...

, the Decatur Staleys

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

, and the Racine Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 from Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

. At the meeting, the league was given a new name: American Professional Football Association (It would not be changed to National Football League until 1922

1922 NFL season

The 1922 NFL season was the 3rd regular season of what was now called National Football League . The NFL fielded 18 teams during the season, including new league teams such as the Milwaukee Badgers, the Oorang Indians, the Racine Legion, and the Toledo Maroons...

).

Four other teams also joined the Association during the year: Buffalo All-Americans

Buffalo (NFL)

Buffalo, New York had a turbulent, early-era National Football League team that operated under three different names and several different owners between the 1910s and 1920s...

 (also from the NYPFL), Chicago Tigers

Chicago Tigers

The Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association played only in the first year of the league and, because of this, have the distinction of being the first official NFL team to fold. They had a record of 2 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie...

, Columbus Panhandles

Columbus (NFL)

The Columbus Panhandles were a professional football team from Columbus, Ohio who played in the "Ohio League" and later the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League...

, and Detroit Heralds

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

. Meanwhile, Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe

Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...

 of the Canton Bulldogs was named the APFA's first president, but continued to play for the team.

However, the 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 up being 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, also 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

Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup

Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup was a silver trophy donated to the American Professional Football Association by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, Tire Division....

 for the 1920 season, the only year the trophy was used, at the motion of Columbus Panhandles manager Joe Carr

Joseph Carr

Joseph "Joe" F. Carr was the president of the National Football League from 1921 until his death in 1939. Carr was born in Columbus, Ohio. As a mechanic for the Pennsylvania Railroad in Columbus, he directed the Columbus Panhandles football team in 1907 until 1922...

, who would be elected as league president at the meeting.

According to modern NFL tie-breaking rules, the 1920 Buffalo All-Americans

1920 Buffalo All-Americans season

The 1920 Buffalo All-Americans season was their inaugural season in the league. The team finished 9-1-1, enough for third place in the league. It was one of only four teams to finish the 1920 season....

 would be co-champions. They would be tied with the Akron Pros

1920 Akron Pros season

The Akron Pros were an American football team that played in the American Professional Football Association . The team originally formed as the Akron Indians in 1908 in the Ohio League. In their twelfth year in 1920, they became a charter member of the AFPA, which subsequently changed its name to...

 in win percentage, 9½ wins to 1½ losses (.864), both teams beating out the Decatur Staleys, who would have a season that counted 11 wins to 2 losses (.846).

Schedule

Week 1
September 26, 1920
Visitor	Score	Home	Score	Location
St. Paul Ideals (0–1–0)	0	Rock Island Independents Rock Island Independents The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team based in Rock Island, Illinois. One of the first professional football teams, they were founded in 1907 as an independent club. They later played in what is now the National Football League from 1920 to 1925. They joined the...  (1–0–0)	48	Douglas Park
Week 2
October 3, 1920
Wheeling Stogies (0–1–0)	0	Akron Pros Akron Pros The Akron Pros were a professional football team located played in Akron, Ohio from 1908–1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, however name was changed to the Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional...  (1–0–0)	43	Akron League Park
West Buffalo (0–1–0)	6	Buffalo All-Americans Buffalo (NFL) Buffalo, New York had a turbulent, early-era National Football League team that operated under three different names and several different owners between the 1910s and 1920s...  (1–0–0)	32	Canisius Field
Pitcairn Quakers (0–1–0)	0	Canton Bulldogs Canton Bulldogs The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...  (1–0–0)	48	Lakeside Park
Columbus Panhandles Columbus (NFL) The Columbus Panhandles were a professional football team from Columbus, Ohio who played in the "Ohio League" and later the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League...  (0–1–0)	0	Dayton Triangles Dayton Triangles The Dayton Triangles were an original franchise of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The Triangles were based in Dayton, Ohio, and took their nickname from their home field, Triangle Park, which was located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers in north...  (1–0–0)	14	Triangle Park
Moline Universal Tractors (0–1–0)	0	Decatur Staleys Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...  (1–0–0)	20	Staley Field
Muncie Flyers Muncie Flyers The Muncie Flyers from Muncie, Indiana played in the National Football League from 1920-1921.-Origins:...  (0–1–0)	0	Rock Island Independents (2–0–0)	45	Douglas Park
All-Buffalo (0–1–0)	0	Rochester Jeffersons Rochester Jeffersons The Rochester Jeffersons from Rochester, New York played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1925.Formed as an amateur outfit by a rag-tag group of Rochester-area teenagers after the turn of the century , the team became known as the Jeffersons in reference to the locale of their playing...  (1–0–0)	10	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 3
October 10, 1920
Columbus Panhandles (0–2–0)	0	Akron Pros (2–0–0)	37	Akron League Park
All-Buffalo (0–2–0)	0	Buffalo All-Americans (2–0–0)	51	Canisius Field
Toledo Maroons (0–1–0)	0	Canton Bulldogs (2–0–0)	42	Lakeside Park
Chicago Cardinals (0–0–1)	0	Chicago Tigers Chicago Tigers The Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association played only in the first year of the league and, because of this, have the distinction of being the first official NFL team to fold. They had a record of 2 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie...  (0–0–1)	0	Cubs Park
Cleveland Tigers (0–0–1)	0	Dayton Triangles (1–0–1)	0	Triangle Park
Kewanee Walworths (0–1–0)	7	Decatur Staleys (2–0–0)	25	Staley Field
Cleveland Panthers (0–1–0)	14	Detroit Heralds (1–0–0)	40	Mack Park
Hammond Pros Hammond Pros The Hammond Pros from Hammond, Indiana played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1926 as a traveling team.-History:The Pros were established by Paul Parduhn and Dr. Alva Young who was a boxing promoter, owner of a racing stable and a doctor and trainer for a semi-pro football team...  (0–1–0)	0	Rock Island Independents (3–0–0)	26	Douglas Park
Fort Porter (0–1–0)	0	Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–0)	66	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 4
October 17, 1920
Cincinnati Celts (0–1–0)	0	Akron Pros (3–0–0)	13	Akron League Park
McKeesport Olympics (0–1–0)	7	Buffalo All-Americans (3–0–0)	28	Canisius Field
Cleveland Tigers (0–1–1)	0	Canton Bulldogs (3–0–0)	7	Lakeside Park
Moline Universal Tractors (0–2–0)	3	Chicago Cardinals (1–0–1)	33	St. Rita's Field
Detroit Heralds (1–1–0)	0	Chicago Tigers (1–0–1)	12	Cubs Park
Columbus Panhandles (0–3–0)	0	Fort Wayne Friars (1–0–0)	14	Fort Wayne League Park
Hammond Pros (0–2–0)	0	Dayton Triangles (2–0–1)	44	Triangle Park
Decatur Staleys (3–0–0)	7	Rock Island Independents (3–1–0)	0	Douglas Park
Utica Knights of Columbus (0–0–1)	0	Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–1)	0	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 5
October 24, 1920
Cleveland Tigers (0–2–1)	0	Akron Pros (4–0–0)	7	Akron League Park
Toledo Maroons (0–2–0)	0	Buffalo All-Americans (4–0–0)	38	Canisius Field
Canton Bulldogs (3–0–1)	20	Dayton Triangles (2–0–2)	20	Triangle Park
Chicago Cardinals (1–1–1)	0	Rock Island Independents (4–1–0)	7	Douglas Park
Decatur Staleys (4–0–0)	10	Chicago Tigers (1–1–1)	0	Cubs Park
Columbus Panhandles (0–4–0)	0	Detroit Heralds (2–1–0)	6	Mack Park
Syracuse Stars (0–1–0)	7	Rochester Jeffersons (3–0–1)	21	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 6
October 31, 1920
Akron Pros (5–0–0)	10	Canton Bulldogs (3–1–1)	0	Lakeside Park
Rochester Jeffersons (3–1–1)	6	Buffalo All-Americans (5–0–0)	17	Canisius Field
Detroit Heralds (2–2–0)	0	Chicago Cardinals (2–1–1)	21	Cubs Park
Chicago Tigers (1–2–1)	7	Rock Island Independents (5–1–0)	20	Douglas Park
Columbus Panhandles (0–5–0)	0	Cleveland Tigers (1–2–1)	7	Dunn Field
Cincinnati Celts (0–2–0)	7	Dayton Triangles (3–0–2)	23	Triangle Park
Decatur Staleys (5–0–0)	29	Rockford A.C. (0–1–0)	0	Kishwaukee Park
Hammond Pros (1–2–0)	14	Logan Square (0–1–0)	9	Logan Square Park
Week 7
November 7, 1920
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks Tonawanda Kardex The Tonawanda Kardex was an American football team active between 1916 and 1921. It played its games in City of Tonawanda, New York, a suburb of Buffalo with close ties to North Tonawanda, New York where American Kardex was founded...  (0–1–0)	0	Buffalo All-Americans (6–0–0)	35	Canisius Field
Canton Bulldogs (4–1–1)	18	Cleveland Tigers (1–3–1)	0	Dunn Field
Chicago Cardinals (3–1–1)	6	Chicago Tigers (1–3–1)	3	Cubs Park
Columbus Panhandles (1–5–0)	10	Zanesville Mark Grays (0–1–0)	0	Zanesville, Ohio
Decatur Staleys (5–0–1)	0	Rock Island Independents (5–1–1)	0	Douglas Park
Hammond Pros (2–2–0)	14	Pullman Thorns (0–1–0)	13	Chicago, Illinois
Utica Knights of Columbus (0–1–1)	7	Rochester Jeffersons (4–1–1)	27	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 8
November 11, 1920
Decatur Staleys (6–0–1)	20	Champaign Legion (0–1–0)	0	Champaign, Illinois
Rock Island Independents (5–1–2)	7	Thorn Tornadoes (0–0–1)	7	Monmouth, Illinois
November 14, 1920
Akron Pros (5–0–1)	7	Cleveland Tigers (1–3–2)	7	Dunn Field
Columbus Panhandles (1–6–0)	7	Buffalo All-Americans (7–0–0)	43	Canisius Field
Chicago Tigers (1–4–1)	0	Canton Bulldogs (5–1–1)	21	Lakeside Park
Cincinnati Celts (0–3–0)	0	Chicago Cardinals (4–1–1)	21	Chicago, Illinois
Dayton Triangles (4–0–2)	21	Rock Island Independents (5–2–2)	0	Douglas Park
Decatur Staleys (7–0–1)	3	Minneapolis Marines (0–1–0)	0	Nicollet Park
Detroit Heralds (2–2–1)	0	Fort Wayne Friars (1–0–1)	0	Fort Wayne League Park
Hammond Pros (2–3–0)	6	Gary Elks (1–0–0)	7	Gleason Field
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks (1–1–0)	6	Rochester Jeffersons (4–2–1)	0	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 9
November 21, 1920
Dayton Triangles (4–1–2)	0	Akron Pros (6–0–1)	13	Akron League Park
Canton Bulldogs (6–1–1)	3	Buffalo All-Americans (7–1–0)	0	Canisius Field
Lansing Oldsmobile (0–1–0)	0	Chicago Cardinals (5–1–1)	14	Chicago, Illinois
Toledo Maroons (0–3–0)	0	Cleveland Tigers (2–3–2)	14	Dunn Field
Columbus Panhandles (1–6–1)	0	Zanesville Mark Grays (0–1–1)	0	Zanesville, Ohio
Hammond Pros (2–4–0)	7	Decatur Staleys (8–0–1)	28	Staley Field
Rochester Scalpers (0–1–0)	0	Rochester Jeffersons (5–2–1)	16	Rochester Baseball Park
Week 10
November 25, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (6–2–1)	0	Akron Pros (7–0–1)	7	Akron League Park
Decatur Staleys (9–0–1)	6	Chicago Tigers (1–5–1)	0	Chicago Cub Park
Columbus Panhandles (1–6–2)	0	Elyria Athletics (0–0–1)	0	Lorain, Ohio
Detroit Heralds (2–3–1)	0	Dayton Triangles (5–1–2)	28	Triangle Park
Hammond Pros (2–5–0)	0	Chicago Boosters (1–0–0)	27	DePaul Field
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks (2–1–0)	14	Rochester Jeffersons (5–3–1)	3	Rochester Baseball Park
November 28, 1920
Akron Pros (8–0–1)	14	Dayton Triangles (5–2–2)	0	Triangle Park
Cleveland Tigers (2–4–2)	0	Buffalo All-Americans (8–1–0)	7	Buffalo Baseball Park
Decatur Staleys (9–1–1)	6	Chicago Cardinals (6–1–1)	7	Normal Park
Thorn Tornadoes (0–1–1)	0	Chicago Tigers (2–5–1)	27	Cubs Park
Lansing Oldsmobile (0–1–1)	0	Detroit Heralds (2–3–2)	0	Mack Park
Rochester Scalpers (0–2–0)	6	Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–1)	7	Rochester Baseball Park
Washington and Jefferson Collegians (0–1–0)	7	Rock Island Independents (6–2–2)	48	Douglas Park
Week 11
December 4, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (6–3–1)	3	Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–0)	7	New York Polo Grounds
December 5, 1920
Akron Pros (8–0–2)	0	Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1)	0	Buffalo Baseball Park
Canton Bulldogs (6–3–2)	0	Washington Glee Club	0	New Haven, Connecticut
Chicago Cardinals (6–2–1)	0	Decatur Staleys (10–1–1)	10	Cubs Park
Columbus Wagner Pirates (0–1)	0	Columbus Panhandles (2–6–2)	24	Neil Park
Detroit Maroons (0–0–1)	7	Detroit Heralds (2–3–3)	7	Mack Park
Rochester Scalpers (0–2–1)	0	Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–2)	0	Exposition Park
Week 12
December 11, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (6–4–2)	7	Union Club of Phoenixville Union Club of Phoenixville The Union Club of Phoenixville was a professional football team based in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The team was the result of a 1919 merger between the Phoenixville Union Club and the upstart Phoenix Athletic Club. From 1907 until 1919, the Union Club was considered one of the best football teams...  (1–0–0)	13	Phillies Park
December 12, 1920
Akron Pros (8–0–3)	0	Decatur Staleys (10–1–2)	0	Cubs Park
Week 13
December 18, 1920
Canton Bulldogs (7–4–2)	39	Richmond Athletics (0–1–0)	0	Boulevard Field

Unofficial final standings

Records of independent football teams are not included, but games by members against such teams are. Tie games were not counted mathematically in the standings until 1972.

Scoring

Name	Team	PTS
Dutch Sternaman Edward Sternaman Edward Sternaman , better known as Dutch, was an American player, coach, and owner in professional football for the NFL's Chicago Bears....	Decatur	86
Ockie Anderson Ockie Anderson Oscar Carl "Ockie" Anderson was an All-American football player and coach. In 1916, he was selected as a first-team All-American quarterback while playing for Colgate University...	Buffalo	71
Tommy Hughitt Tommy Hughitt Ernest Fredrick Hughitt , was a National Football League utility player and coach. He was also an All-American quarterback for the University of Michigan in 1913....	Buffalo	53
Fritz Pollard Fritz Pollard Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard was the first African American head coach in the National Football League . Pollard along with Bobby Marshall were the first two African American players in the NFL in 1920...	Akron	42
Bodie Weldon Bodie Weldon John Ambrose Weldon was a professional football player during the 1920s. He played in the American Professional Football Association for the Buffalo All-Americans...	Buffalo	41

Rushing touchdowns

Name	Team	TDs
Dutch Sternaman	Decatur	11
Ockie Anderson	Buffalo	8
Tommy Hughitt	Buffalo	8
Bob Argus	Rochester	6
Fritz Pollard	Akron	5
Joe Guyon	Canton	5

Receiving touchdowns

Name	Team	TDs
Norb Sacksteder	Dayton	3
Dave Reese	Dayton	2
Bunny Corcoran	Canton	2
George Halas	Decatur	2

Return touchdowns

Name	Team	TDs
Arnie Wyman Pudge Wyman Arnold Douglas "Pudge" Wyman was an American football player. He was an All-American fullback for the University of Minnesota from 1915-1916 and halfback for the Rock Island Independents in the first season of the National Football League in 1920...	Rock Island	3
Ockie Anderson	Buffalo	3
Al Nesser	Akron	3
Frank Bacon	Dayton	2
Swede Youngstrom	Buffalo	2
Lenny Sachs	Chicago C	2
Leo Chappell	Chicago C	2