Oorang Indians
Encyclopedia
The Oorang Indians were a traveling team
in the National Football League
from LaRue, Ohio (near Marion
). The team was named after the Oorang dog kennels. It was a novelty team put together by the kennels' owner, Walter Lingo
, for marketing
purposes. All of the players were Native American
, with Jim Thorpe
as its leading player. They played the 1922
and 1923
NFL seasons. Of the 20 games they played over two seasons, only one was played at "home" in nearby Marion.
With a population well under a thousand people, LaRue is the smallest town ever to have been the home of an NFL franchise, or probably any professional team in any league in the United States.
and who was considered the greatest athlete of his time. Thorpe first came to Lingo's defense after neighboring farmers accused the Lingo's Oorang Kennels of raising a nation of sheep killers. Thorpe came to Lingo's aid by testifying that he once knew an Oorang Airedale that had saved the life of a 6-year-old girl, named Mabel, from being trampled by a bull. After that, Lingo and Thorpe became hunting buddies.
, who was a teammate of Thorpe's at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania
, to his plantation in LaRue to hunt for opossum. Lingo would purchase a franchise in the National Football League. At the time, the franchise was priced at $100. However just one of Lingo's Airedales sold for $150. Lingo saw the idea of a franchise as a way of touring the country’s leading cities for the express purpose of advertising his Airedale
dogs. Therefore he placed two conditions on the team. The first was that Thorpe had to field an all-Indian team. Secondly, Lingo wanted the team to help run his kennels in addition to playing football. Thorpe and Calac agreed to both terms.
In June 1922, Walter Lingo travelled to Canton, Ohio
and purchased an NFL franchise for $100.00. He named his team the Oorang Indians after his kennels and favorite breed of dog. The name stood out to sports and dog fans alike. Lingo also served as the team's business manager.
and recruited players for the team. In keeping with Lingo's wishes that franchise be an all-Indian team, the Oorang Indians consisted of members that were Cherokee
, Mohawk
, Chippewa, Blackfeet
, Winnebago
, Mission
, Caddo
, Sac and Fox, Seneca
and Penobscot. The team roster included such names as Long Time Sleep, Joe Little Twig
, Big Bear
, War Eagle
, and Thorpe.
Since Lingo’s plan was to advertise his dogs and kennel, the Indians were a traveling team
, having only played one home game. That one "home" game was also played in nearby Marion
, instead of LaRue since the town did not have a football field. This caused the team to travel week after week to many of major cities in the country. However, despite the hectic schedule, Lingo insisted that the Indians received the very best of care. The same dieticians and the same trainer who fed his Airedales and cared for their well-being, also tended to the Indian team members.
on the roster, Thorpe and Joe Guyon
, but they did not play much. Thorpe sat out quite a few games and never played more than a half, while Guyon did not join the team until midway through the first season. The Indians defeated the Indianapolis Belmonts, in a snowstorm, 33-0 in their inaugural game, taking home 2,000 in profits and a Cherokee tackle named Chief Johnson, who Thorpe recruited at halftime.
However football was not a priority for Lingo, promoting his kennel was. The pre-game and halftime activities were considered more important than the results of the game, and this entertainment was provided by the players and the Airedale dogs. Because of this lack of interest by Lingo, the Indians turned out not to be a very good team. In fact, they won only three games in two years.
balls through the uprights from midfield. Nikolas Lassa
, also called "Long-Time-Sleep," even wrestled a bear on occasion.
Traveling team
In professional team sports, a traveling team is a member of a professional league that never or rarely competes in its home arena or stadium. This differs from a barnstorming team in that the latter does not compete within a league or association framework...
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...
from LaRue, Ohio (near Marion
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....
). The team was named after the Oorang dog kennels. It was a novelty team put together by the kennels' owner, Walter Lingo
Walter Lingo
Walter Lingo was a Airedale breeder from La Rue, Ohio. During the 1920s, he owned the Oorang Dog Kennels. As a way of promoting his kennels, Lingo financed a National Football League franchise, called the Oorang Indians in 1922.-Dog breeder:...
, for marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
purposes. All of the players were Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, with 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...
as its leading player. They played the 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...
and 1923
1923 NFL season
The 1923 NFL season was the 4th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time, all of the clubs that were considered to be part of the NFL fielded teams. The new teams that entered the league included the Duluth Kelleys, the St. Louis All Stars , and a new Cleveland Indians team...
NFL seasons. Of the 20 games they played over two seasons, only one was played at "home" in nearby Marion.
With a population well under a thousand people, LaRue is the smallest town ever to have been the home of an NFL franchise, or probably any professional team in any league in the United States.
Lingo and Thorpe
The Indians franchise began when Lingo first met and became friends with Jim Thorpe, a future NFL 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...
and who was considered the greatest athlete of his time. Thorpe first came to Lingo's defense after neighboring farmers accused the Lingo's Oorang Kennels of raising a nation of sheep killers. Thorpe came to Lingo's aid by testifying that he once knew an Oorang Airedale that had saved the life of a 6-year-old girl, named Mabel, from being trampled by a bull. After that, Lingo and Thorpe became hunting buddies.
Purchasing the team
In the winter of 1921, Lingo brought Thorpe and Pete CalacPete Calac
Pedro "Pete" Calac was a professional football player who played in the Ohio League and during the early years of the National Football League...
, who was a teammate of Thorpe's at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, to his plantation in LaRue to hunt for opossum. Lingo would purchase a franchise in the National Football League. At the time, the franchise was priced at $100. However just one of Lingo's Airedales sold for $150. Lingo saw the idea of a franchise as a way of touring the country’s leading cities for the express purpose of advertising his Airedale
Airedale Terrier
The Airedale Terrier is a breed of the terrier type that originated in Airedale, a geographic area in Yorkshire, England. It is traditionally called the "King of Terriers" because it is the largest of the terrier breeds...
dogs. Therefore he placed two conditions on the team. The first was that Thorpe had to field an all-Indian team. Secondly, Lingo wanted the team to help run his kennels in addition to playing football. Thorpe and Calac agreed to both terms.
In June 1922, Walter Lingo travelled to 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...
and purchased an NFL franchise for $100.00. He named his team the Oorang Indians after his kennels and favorite breed of dog. The name stood out to sports and dog fans alike. Lingo also served as the team's business manager.
Fielding the team
Jim Thorpe served as a player-coachPlayer-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....
and recruited players for the team. In keeping with Lingo's wishes that franchise be an all-Indian team, the Oorang Indians consisted of members that were Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
, Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
, Chippewa, Blackfeet
Blackfeet
The Piegan Blackfeet are a tribe of Native Americans of the Algonquian language family based in Montana, having lived in this area since around 6,500 BC. Many members of the tribe live as part of the Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, with population centered in Browning...
, Winnebago
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
, Mission
Mission Indians
Mission Indians is a term for many Native California tribes, primarily living in coastal plains, adjacent inland valleys and mountains, and on the Channel Islands in central and southern California, United States. The tribes had established comparatively peaceful cultures varying from 250 to 8,000...
, Caddo
Caddo
The Caddo Nation is a confederacy of several Southeastern Native American tribes, who traditionally inhabited much of what is now East Texas, northern Louisiana and portions of southern Arkansas and Oklahoma. Today the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma is a cohesive tribe with its capital at Binger, Oklahoma...
, Sac and Fox, Seneca
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
and Penobscot. The team roster included such names as Long Time Sleep, Joe Little Twig
Joe Little Twig
Joseph Little Twig was a professional football player, who played during the early years of the National Football League.-Football:...
, Big Bear
Big Bear (American football)
Big Bear was the name of a Native American professional football player during the early years of the National Football League. During his two year career, Big Bear played in 6 games with the Oorang Indians. He played in 1 games for the 1922 season and in 5 games for the 1923 season. He ended his...
, War Eagle
War Eagle (American football)
War Eagle was the name of a Native American professional football player. He played five games in the National Football League during the 1922 season with the Oorang Indians.-References:***...
, and Thorpe.
Since Lingo’s plan was to advertise his dogs and kennel, the Indians were a traveling team
Traveling team
In professional team sports, a traveling team is a member of a professional league that never or rarely competes in its home arena or stadium. This differs from a barnstorming team in that the latter does not compete within a league or association framework...
, having only played one home game. That one "home" game was also played in nearby Marion
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....
, instead of LaRue since the town did not have a football field. This caused the team to travel week after week to many of major cities in the country. However, despite the hectic schedule, Lingo insisted that the Indians received the very best of care. The same dieticians and the same trainer who fed his Airedales and cared for their well-being, also tended to the Indian team members.
1922 and 1923 seasons
There were two future Hall of FamersPro 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...
on the roster, Thorpe and Joe Guyon
Joe Guyon
Joseph Napoleon Guyon was a professional American football player in the National Football League...
, but they did not play much. Thorpe sat out quite a few games and never played more than a half, while Guyon did not join the team until midway through the first season. The Indians defeated the Indianapolis Belmonts, in a snowstorm, 33-0 in their inaugural game, taking home 2,000 in profits and a Cherokee tackle named Chief Johnson, who Thorpe recruited at halftime.
However football was not a priority for Lingo, promoting his kennel was. The pre-game and halftime activities were considered more important than the results of the game, and this entertainment was provided by the players and the Airedale dogs. Because of this lack of interest by Lingo, the Indians turned out not to be a very good team. In fact, they won only three games in two years.
Decline
At first the Oorang Indians were an excellent gate attraction. However most fans knew that the team wasn't very good, and they'd already seen the halftime show, so they stayed away. Lingo didn't renew the franchise in 1924. The novelty wore off and Lingo pulled his financial backing. So, at the end of the 1923 season, the Oorang Indians shut down for good. The team disbanded in 1924.First ever halftime shows
Rather than retiring to the locker room at halftime, the Oorang Indians showed Lingo’s Airedales to the crowd. It was debatable, though, whether the Indians were there to play football or give Airedale exhibitions at halftime. In addition to the exhibitions with the dogs; the Indians, including Thorpe, participated in helping the Oorang Airedales perform tricks for the crowd. However, it was their halftime entertainment that made them such a huge attraction in the early 1920s. There were shooting exhibitions with the dogs retrieving the targets. There were Indian dances and tomahawk and knife-throwing demonstrations. Thorpe would often repeatedly drop kickDrop kick
A drop kick is a type of kick in various codes of football. It involves a player dropping the ball and then kicking it when it bounces off the ground. It contrasts to a punt, wherein the player kicks the ball without letting it hit the ground first....
balls through the uprights from midfield. Nikolas Lassa
Nick Lassa
Nicholas Anthony Lassa, more popularly referred to as Long Time Sleep, was a professional American football player from the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. He was Native American and a member of the Blackfoot tribe, however some sources have him listed as a Cherokee or a Flathead...
, also called "Long-Time-Sleep," even wrestled a bear on occasion.
Season-by-season
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 12th | 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... |
| 1923 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 18th | 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... |
External links
- Ohio Historical Marker Text
- History at Hickock Sports
- At the Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of FameThe 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...
- Pigskin: The Early years of Pro Football, Peterson, Robert, Oxford University Press US, 1997, ISBN 0-19-511913-4, 9780195119138
- What's an Oorang?
- The Oorang Indians
- Jimmie Tramel, "NFL's Indians were rich in Oklahomans", Tulsa WorldTulsa WorldTulsa World is the daily newspaper for the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the primary newspaper for the northeastern and eastern portions of Oklahoma, and is the second-most widely circulated newspaper in the state, after The Oklahoman. It was founded in 1905 and remains an independent newspaper,...
, September 13, 2009.