Frank Fausch
Encyclopedia
Franklin Leo Fausch was a professional football
player-coach
for the Evansville Crimson Giants
of the National Football League
in 1921 and 1922. He was also the owner, co-founder, president and general manager of the Crimson Giants during their brief time in the NFL. Prior to establishing the Crimson Giants, Fausch played for a local semi-pro
team called the Evansville Ex-Collegians.
Fausch was also the owner of a local storage battery company and had much experience in football. He had played and won honors at Michigan
's Kalamazoo College
, and became involved with professional football in that state before coming to Evansville. In late August 1921 Fausch traveled to Chicago to secure an American Professional Football Association franchise for Evansville. He then lured many key players away from the Ex-Collegians, when he obtained the rights to the only football stadium in Evansville, Bosse Field
. However scheduling issues and game cancellations led to many of the Crimson Giants not being paid. As a result Fausch was forced from his position as manager of the Crimson Giants.
However since he had obtained the franchise rights for Evansville, Fausch announced himself as the sole owner of the team. In 1922, he submitted a $1,000 bond to the league, now renamed the NFL. However baseball
manmager, Johnny Nee
had established a new semi-pro team in Evansville and obtaine the rights to Bosse Field. That team however folded after just two games. Negotions between Fausch and Nee, over the sale of the Bosse Field rights, broke down and the Crimson Giants played in just three road games in 1922, before ended their season. Fausch talked briefly about restarting a new club for the 1923 season, but ultimately made no such effort.
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...
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....
for the Evansville Crimson Giants
Evansville Crimson Giants
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...
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...
in 1921 and 1922. He was also the owner, co-founder, president and general manager of the Crimson Giants during their brief time in the NFL. Prior to establishing the Crimson Giants, Fausch played for a local semi-pro
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
team called the Evansville Ex-Collegians.
Fausch was also the owner of a local storage battery company and had much experience in football. He had played and won honors at Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College
Kalamazoo College, also known as K College or simply K, is a private liberal arts college in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1833, the college is among the 100 oldest in the country. Today, it produces more Peace Corps volunteers per capita than any other U.S...
, and became involved with professional football in that state before coming to Evansville. In late August 1921 Fausch traveled to Chicago to secure an American Professional Football Association franchise for Evansville. He then lured many key players away from the Ex-Collegians, when he obtained the rights to the only football stadium in Evansville, Bosse Field
Bosse Field
Bosse Field, is a baseball stadium located in Evansville, Indiana. Built in 1915, it is the third oldest ballpark used for professional baseball on a regular basis in the country, surpassed only by Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago.It is the current home of the Frontier League...
. However scheduling issues and game cancellations led to many of the Crimson Giants not being paid. As a result Fausch was forced from his position as manager of the Crimson Giants.
However since he had obtained the franchise rights for Evansville, Fausch announced himself as the sole owner of the team. In 1922, he submitted a $1,000 bond to the league, now renamed the NFL. However baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
manmager, Johnny Nee
Johnny Nee
John Coleman "Johnny" Nee was a major league baseball scout and a minor league player-manager....
had established a new semi-pro team in Evansville and obtaine the rights to Bosse Field. That team however folded after just two games. Negotions between Fausch and Nee, over the sale of the Bosse Field rights, broke down and the Crimson Giants played in just three road games in 1922, before ended their season. Fausch talked briefly about restarting a new club for the 1923 season, but ultimately made no such effort.