Menz Lindsey
Encyclopedia
Ellis Menzies Lindsey was an attorney as well as a professional football
player in the early 1920s. Lindsey was a quarterback
for the Evansville Crimson Giants
of the National Football League
in 1921
. He was also a co-manager of the semi-pro
Evansville Ex-Collegians in 1920, before joining the Crimson Giants. After a dispute with Crimson Giants' owner Frank Fausch
, Lindsey tried to re-establish the Ex-Collegians team. The new team was back by Evansville's
baseball club and named the Evansville Pros. However that team last only two games before folding.
. The deal never materialized. During the 1920 season, a group of local investoers tried to purchase thye Ex-Collegians, however Lindsey refused to give up the team, due to differences between the players and the incorporators.
When Frank Fausch established his Crimson Giants in 1921, many of the Ex-Collegians stayed loyal to Lindsey. However once Fausch gained the only lease to Bosse Field
, the city's only football field, Lindsey and the Ex-Collegians joined the team. During the 1921 season, scheduling issues led to games being cancelled, which resulted in players not being paid. Lindsey established a "Committee of Five", which forced Fausch from his manager position. However since Fausch had obtained the NFL franchise rights, and was therefore the franchise's owner, he retook his team in 1922. Meanwhile Lindsey established a new semi-pro team, the Evansville Pros. He played quarterback for the team before it folded after just two games.
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 in the early 1920s. Lindsey 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...
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
1921 NFL season
The 1921 APFA season was the 2nd regular season of the National Football League, which was then called the American Professional Football Association....
. He was also a co-manager of the 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...
Evansville Ex-Collegians in 1920, before joining the Crimson Giants. After a dispute with Crimson Giants' owner Frank Fausch
Frank Fausch
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...
, Lindsey tried to re-establish the Ex-Collegians team. The new team was back by Evansville's
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
baseball club and named the Evansville Pros. However that team last only two games before folding.
Career
Lindsey as the manager and quarterback of the Ex-Collegians, was in charge of promoting the team. In 1920, he tried to schedule a Christmas Day game between the Ex-Collegians and the Canton BulldogsCanton 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...
. The deal never materialized. During the 1920 season, a group of local investoers tried to purchase thye Ex-Collegians, however Lindsey refused to give up the team, due to differences between the players and the incorporators.
When Frank Fausch established his Crimson Giants in 1921, many of the Ex-Collegians stayed loyal to Lindsey. However once Fausch gained the only lease to 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...
, the city's only football field, Lindsey and the Ex-Collegians joined the team. During the 1921 season, scheduling issues led to games being cancelled, which resulted in players not being paid. Lindsey established a "Committee of Five", which forced Fausch from his manager position. However since Fausch had obtained the NFL franchise rights, and was therefore the franchise's owner, he retook his team in 1922. Meanwhile Lindsey established a new semi-pro team, the Evansville Pros. He played quarterback for the team before it folded after just two games.