Detroit (1920s NFL teams)
Encyclopedia
Detroit, Michigan
had four early teams in the National Football League
before the Detroit Lions
. The Heralds played in 1920, and had played as an independent as far back as 1905. The Tigers, a continuation of the Heralds, played in 1921, folding midseason and sending its players to the Buffalo All-Americans. The Panthers from 1925–1926 and the Wolverines in 1928.
, organized the Heralds as an amateur team after the University did not field a squad due to financial issues. It was at this time that the team adopted the school's colors, red and white, as their own. While the University's football team reesumed play in 1906, the Heralds continued to play as an amateur team. In 1911, the team droped its amateur status and became semi-pro
fessional and left the campus. Admission to the team's games was soon charged and the players were paid a small sum. In 1916, several out-of-town players were brought in to replace some of the older players, several of whom had been with the Heralds since 1905.
Despite not being based in Ohio, the Heralds played many of their games against teams in the Ohio League
. In 1917, the team recorded a 8-2 record, their only losses coming at the hands of the Ohio League champion Canton Bulldogs
and a military team from Battle Creek. Many of the Heralds' victories were against future NFL teams. The Heralds were a rarity in 1918; while most teams either stopped play or reduced their schedules to only local teams because of World War I
and the flu pandemic, the Heralds continued to play a full schedule and even travel to other cities, accruing a 6-2 record with both losses coming to the Ohio League champion Dayton Triangles
. In 1919, as the suspended teams resumed play and travel restrictions eased significantly, the Heralds went 2-4-2, including losses to Canton and the Massillon Tigers
, the two best teams in Ohio
and possibly the country.
In 1920, the American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League
in 1922) was established. While the Heralds didn't officially join the association, they are listed in league standings for the season. In 1920, the Heralds comprised a 1-3 record, while inclement weather eliminated their November schedule, financially devastating the team.
The Heralds were reorganized into the Detroit Tigers, after the city's major league baseball team
, for the 1921 season
. However after a win and a tie in their first two games, the Tigers lost the next five. Several players complained about not getting paid and left the team during the season. The team officially folded at the end of the season in mid-November. Its players were given to the Buffalo All-Americans, whose season was still ongoing, to complete their roster after the All-Americans terminated their player-sharing agreement with the Union Quakers of Philadelphia
.
, Jimmy Conzelman. Conzelman was a quarterback
who recently played with the Decatur Staleys, Rock Island Independents
and the Milwaukee Badgers
. Conzelman served as the team's owner, coach, and starting quarterback. He built the team around a strong defense started the season 8-1. However a 6-3 upset loss to Rock Island on Thanksgiving Day
knocked the Panthers out of first place and they ended the season in third.
The Panthers hoped to build on their 1925 season, however they opened the 1926 season
with an 0-3 record. After rallying to a 4-0-2 record in their next six games, they lost their last three. Conzelman gave up the franchise and joined the Providence Steam Roller
as player-coach
. He would later go on to win NFL Championships with Providence in 1928 and the Chicago Cardinals in 1947.
. However after the AFL folded in 1927, the league began moving its small-market franchises to the larger cities. In 1928, despite a 8-4-1 record the Cleveland Bulldogs
were sold to Elliot Fisher and its franchise was canceled. Bulldogs' quarterback, Benny Friedman
, a Michigan native, coach LeRoy Andrews
and several other players then formed a new team, the Detroit Wolverines, under Fisher's ownership. The Wolverines finished their 1928 season
in third place with a 7-2 record. The team lost only to Providence and the Frankford Yellow Jackets
, the NFL's first- and second-place teams.
However, Tim Mara
, the owner of the New York Giants
, then bought the Wolverines franchise and deactivated it. His interest in the franchise was only so he could add Friedman to his Giants roster. Even though the Bulldogs and Wolverines operated under different franchises, they're included together in several records books because they had the same coach and most of the same players.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
had four early teams in 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...
before the Detroit Lions
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...
. The Heralds played in 1920, and had played as an independent as far back as 1905. The Tigers, a continuation of the Heralds, played in 1921, folding midseason and sending its players to the Buffalo All-Americans. The Panthers from 1925–1926 and the Wolverines in 1928.
Detroit Heralds/Tigers
In 1905, several University of Detroit footballl players, led by Bill MarshallBill Marshall (American football)
William H. Marshall was the founder and long-time head coach of the Detroit Heralds of the early National Football League. Marshall, as a student at the University of Detroit, founded the Heralds in 1905, as an amateur team, after the university didn't field a team that year due to financial issues...
, organized the Heralds as an amateur team after the University did not field a squad due to financial issues. It was at this time that the team adopted the school's colors, red and white, as their own. While the University's football team reesumed play in 1906, the Heralds continued to play as an amateur team. In 1911, the team droped its amateur status and became semi-pro
Semi-pro
Semi-pro may refer to:* a semi-professional athlete* Semi-Pro, a 2008 sports comedy starring Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, and Andre Benjamin...
fessional and left the campus. Admission to the team's games was soon charged and the players were paid a small sum. In 1916, several out-of-town players were brought in to replace some of the older players, several of whom had been with the Heralds since 1905.
Despite not being based in Ohio, the Heralds played many of their games against teams in 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...
. In 1917, the team recorded a 8-2 record, their only losses coming at the hands of the Ohio League champion 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...
and a military team from Battle Creek. Many of the Heralds' victories were against future NFL teams. The Heralds were a rarity in 1918; while most teams either stopped play or reduced their schedules to only local teams because of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the flu pandemic, the Heralds continued to play a full schedule and even travel to other cities, accruing a 6-2 record with both losses coming to the Ohio League champion 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...
. In 1919, as the suspended teams resumed play and travel restrictions eased significantly, the Heralds went 2-4-2, including losses to Canton and the Massillon Tigers
Massillon Tigers
The Massillon Tigers were an early professional football team from Massillon, Ohio. Playing in the "Ohio League", the team was a rival to the pre-National Football League version of the Canton Bulldogs. The Tigers won Ohio League championships in 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906, then merged to become...
, the two best teams in 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...
and possibly the country.
In 1920, the American Professional Football Association (later renamed 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...
in 1922) was established. While the Heralds didn't officially join the association, they are listed in league standings for the season. In 1920, the Heralds comprised a 1-3 record, while inclement weather eliminated their November schedule, financially devastating the team.
The Heralds were reorganized into the Detroit Tigers, after the city's major league baseball team
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, for the 1921 season
1921 Detroit Tigers (NFL) season
The 1921 Detroit Tigers season was their second in the league. The team failed to improve on their previous output of 2-3-3 , winning only one game....
. However after a win and a tie in their first two games, the Tigers lost the next five. Several players complained about not getting paid and left the team during the season. The team officially folded at the end of the season in mid-November. Its players were given to the Buffalo All-Americans, whose season was still ongoing, to complete their roster after the All-Americans terminated their player-sharing agreement with the Union Quakers of Philadelphia
Union Quakers of Philadelphia
The Union Quakers of Philadelphia were a professional independent football team, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1921. The team evolved from a number of pro players who played with the Union Club of Phoenixville during their 1920 season. During their only season of operation, the club won...
.
Detroit Panthers
In 1925, Detroit fielded its second NFL franchise, the Detroit Panthers. The team was organized by future Hall of FamerPro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, Jimmy Conzelman. Conzelman was a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who recently played with the Decatur Staleys, 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...
and the Milwaukee Badgers
Milwaukee Badgers
The Milwaukee Badgers were a professional American football team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that played in the National Football League from 1922 to 1926. The team played its home games at Athletic Park, later known as Borchert Field, on Milwaukee's north side...
. Conzelman served as the team's owner, coach, and starting quarterback. He built the team around a strong defense started the season 8-1. However a 6-3 upset loss to Rock Island on Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
knocked the Panthers out of first place and they ended the season in third.
The Panthers hoped to build on their 1925 season, however they opened the 1926 season
1926 NFL season
The 1926 NFL season was the 7th regular season of the National Football League. The league grew to 22 teams, a figure that would not be equaled in professional football until 1961, adding the Brooklyn Lions, the Hartford Blues, the Los Angeles Buccaneers, and the Louisville Colonels, with Racine...
with an 0-3 record. After rallying to a 4-0-2 record in their next six games, they lost their last three. Conzelman gave up the franchise and joined the Providence Steam Roller
Providence Steam Roller
The Providence Steam Roller was a professional American football team based in Providence, Rhode Island in the National Football League from 1925 to 1931. Providence was the first New England team to win an NFL championship...
as player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
. He would later go on to win NFL Championships with Providence in 1928 and the Chicago Cardinals in 1947.
Detroit Wolverines
For the 1926 season, the NFL added as many small-market teams as possible to keep them out of the rival American Football LeagueAmerican Football League (1926)
The first American Football League , sometimes called AFL I, AFLG, or the Grange League, was a professional American football league that operated in 1926. It was the first major competitor to the National Football League. Founded by C. C...
. However after the AFL folded in 1927, the league began moving its small-market franchises to the larger cities. In 1928, despite a 8-4-1 record the Cleveland Bulldogs
Cleveland Bulldogs
The Cleveland Bulldogs was a team that played in Cleveland, Ohio in the National Football League. They were originally called the Indians in 1923, not to be confused with the Cleveland Indians NFL franchise in 1922...
were sold to Elliot Fisher and its franchise was canceled. Bulldogs' quarterback, Benny Friedman
Benny Friedman
Benjamin "Benny" Friedman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan , Cleveland Bulldogs , Detroit Wolverines , New York Giants , and Brooklyn Dodgers .He is generally considered the first great passer in professional football...
, a Michigan native, coach LeRoy Andrews
LeRoy Andrews
LeRoy B. Andrew, or commonly Roy Andrew, was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Pittsburg State University. In 1923, he played for the St. Louis All Stars. From 1924 to 1927, he was a player-coach for the Kansas City Blues/Cowboys and the Cleveland Bulldogs...
and several other players then formed a new team, the Detroit Wolverines, under Fisher's ownership. The Wolverines finished their 1928 season
1928 Detroit Wolverines (NFL) season
For the 1880s baseball team, see Detroit Wolverines.The 1928 Detroit Wolverines season was their sixth season in the league, and their lone season in Detroit after relocating from Cleveland in the offseason. The team improved on their previous output of 4-6-2, winning seven games. They finished...
in third place with a 7-2 record. The team lost only to Providence and the Frankford Yellow Jackets
Frankford Yellow Jackets
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were a professional American football team, part of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931, though its origin dates back to as early as 1899 with the Frankford Athletic Association. The Yellow Jackets won the NFL championship in 1926...
, the NFL's first- and second-place teams.
However, Tim Mara
Tim Mara
Timothy James "Tim" Mara was the founder and administrator for the New York Giants of the National Football League. The Giants', under Mara, would win NFL championships in 1934, 1938, and 1956 and divisional titles in 1933, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1946, 1958, 1959.-Early life:Mara was born into poverty...
, the owner of the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, then bought the Wolverines franchise and deactivated it. His interest in the franchise was only so he could add Friedman to his Giants roster. Even though the Bulldogs and Wolverines operated under different franchises, they're included together in several records books because they had the same coach and most of the same players.
Past Thanksgiving Day games
While the Lions are well known for playing on Thanksgiving Day, the other Detroit teams had a history of playing on Thanksgiving Day as well:- 1917 Heralds vs Canton BulldogsCanton BulldogsThe 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...
(lost 7-0) - 1920 Heralds at Dayton TrianglesDayton TrianglesThe 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...
(lost 28-0) - 1921 Tigers, merged with the Buffalo All-Americans, at Chicago Staleys (won 7-6)
- 1925 Panthers vs Rock Island IndependentsRock Island IndependentsThe 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...
(lost 6-3) - 1926 Panthers vs Los Angeles BuccaneersLos Angeles BuccaneersThe Los Angeles Buccaneers were a traveling team in the National Football League during their one season 1926, ostensibly representing the city of Los Angeles, California. Like the Los Angeles Wildcats of the first American Football League, the team never actually played a league game in Los...
(lost 9-6) - 1928 Wolverines vs Dayton Triangles (won 33-0)
Pro Football Hall of Famers
- Detroit Panthers
- Detroit Wolverines
- Benny FriedmanBenny FriedmanBenjamin "Benny" Friedman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan , Cleveland Bulldogs , Detroit Wolverines , New York Giants , and Brooklyn Dodgers .He is generally considered the first great passer in professional football...
- Benny Friedman
Season-by-season
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heralds | 1920 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9th | Bill Marshall Bill Marshall (American football) William H. Marshall was the founder and long-time head coach of the Detroit Heralds of the early National Football League. Marshall, as a student at the University of Detroit, founded the Heralds in 1905, as an amateur team, after the university didn't field a team that year due to financial issues... |
| Tigers | 1921 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 16th | Bill Marshall |
| Panthers | 1925 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3rd | Jimmy Conzelman |
| 1926 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12th | Jimmy Conzelman | |
| Wolverines | 1928 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | LeRoy Andrews LeRoy Andrews LeRoy B. Andrew, or commonly Roy Andrew, was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Pittsburg State University. In 1923, he played for the St. Louis All Stars. From 1924 to 1927, he was a player-coach for the Kansas City Blues/Cowboys and the Cleveland Bulldogs... |