Rochester Tigers
Encyclopedia
The Rochester Tigers were a professional American football
team that competed in the second American Football League
in 1936 and 1937. Owned by Mike Palm
(who doubled as coach) and Harry Newman
, the Tigers were originally awarded to Rochester as a charter member of the AFL, but were shifted to Brooklyn two weeks afterward despite the lack of availability of a home stadium in its new home town.
, with the Tigers playing their first game on October 11 (in Week Four of the league schedule); while Ebbets Field
was designated the Tigers' home stadium, the only AFL game scheduled to be played there was moved to Yankee Stadium
to accommodate a large anticipated crowd for the Tigers' November 1 game against the New York Yankees
.
As the two teams played to a 3-3 tie, another AFL team (the former Syracuse Braves
) played its only game as the Rochester Braves in Silver Stadium before going out of business. Two weeks later, the Tigers moved back to Rochester and renamed themselves the Rochester Tigers. Playing in Silver Stadium, the Tigers lost the last two games of the season, wrapping up a season of futility with no wins, six losses, and one tie (ironically, one-half game behind the defunct Syracuse/Rochester Braves). Yet the team managed to survive the turbulent season to continue into 1937 with plans on staying full-time in Rochester.
departed for the National Football League
while the Cincinnati Bengals
and the Los Angeles Bulldogs
joined the league. While the Rochester Braves were a distant memory, the Rochester Tigers kept their owners and coach from the 1936 season, but like fellow AFL members Pittsburgh Americans
, the Tigers were not in good financial shape.
As Los Angeles marched through its AFL schedule on its way to the first undefeated-untied season in major professional American football history, the other five AFL members were financially devastated. Pittsburgh, averaging only about 2000 fans in attendance, folded after only three games in 1937; Rochester, with only slightly better numbers despite a second-place 3-3-1 record, barely hung on until the end of the season. After the last game of the season, the AFL folded; only the Bulldogs and the Bengals, the two newest AFL members, continued into 1938.
* 0-2 as Rochester Tigers in 1936
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...
team that competed in the second American Football League
American Football League (1936)
Sometimes called AFL II, the second American Football League was a professional American football league that operated in 1936 and 1937. The AFL operated in direct competition with the more established National Football League throughout its existence...
in 1936 and 1937. Owned by Mike Palm
Mike Palm (American football)
Myron Herrick Palm was a professional football player in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was also a player-coach in 1933 for the NFL's Cincinnati Reds. He was also the owner and head coach of the Brooklyn-Rochester Tigers of the second American Football League from 1936-1937...
(who doubled as coach) and Harry Newman
Harry Newman
Harry Lawrence Newman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines , the New York Giants , and the Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers .-College career:...
, the Tigers were originally awarded to Rochester as a charter member of the AFL, but were shifted to Brooklyn two weeks afterward despite the lack of availability of a home stadium in its new home town.
1936 season
The Brooklyn Tigers delayed their start of the 1936 season as the team started as essentially a traveling teamTraveling 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...
, with the Tigers playing their first game on October 11 (in Week Four of the league schedule); while Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA, on a city block which is now considered to be part of the Crown Heights neighborhood. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. It was also a venue for professional football...
was designated the Tigers' home stadium, the only AFL game scheduled to be played there was moved to Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
to accommodate a large anticipated crowd for the Tigers' November 1 game against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees (1940 AFL)
The New York Yankees of the third American Football League was the third professional American football team competing under that name. It is unrelated to the Yankees of the first AFL , the Yankees of the second AFL, and the Yankees of the All America Football Conference...
.
As the two teams played to a 3-3 tie, another AFL team (the former Syracuse Braves
Syracuse Braves
The Syracuse Braves were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Coached by Don Irwin and Red Badgro, the Braves played in Municipal Stadium, which had a capacity of only about 10,000 people...
) played its only game as the Rochester Braves in Silver Stadium before going out of business. Two weeks later, the Tigers moved back to Rochester and renamed themselves the Rochester Tigers. Playing in Silver Stadium, the Tigers lost the last two games of the season, wrapping up a season of futility with no wins, six losses, and one tie (ironically, one-half game behind the defunct Syracuse/Rochester Braves). Yet the team managed to survive the turbulent season to continue into 1937 with plans on staying full-time in Rochester.
1937 season
The 1937 AFL season presented several changes, most notably a reconfiguration as the Cleveland RamsCleveland Rams
The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio.The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio. The NFL considers the franchise as a second incarnation of the previous Cleveland Rams team that was a charter member of the second American Football League...
departed for 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...
while the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals (AFL)
Cincinnati Bengals was the name of a short-lived professional football team that played in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is unrelated to the current Cincinnati Bengals. Originated by Hal Pennington , the team was formed as a member of the second American Football League in the 1937 season...
and the Los Angeles Bulldogs
Los Angeles Bulldogs
The Los Angeles Bulldogs were a professional American football team that competed from 1936 to 1948...
joined the league. While the Rochester Braves were a distant memory, the Rochester Tigers kept their owners and coach from the 1936 season, but like fellow AFL members Pittsburgh Americans
Pittsburgh Americans
The Pittsburgh Americans were a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1936 until 1937. The team was a member of the major-league American Football League. When plans for the league were announced on November 15, 1935, fifteen cities bid for charter franchises...
, the Tigers were not in good financial shape.
As Los Angeles marched through its AFL schedule on its way to the first undefeated-untied season in major professional American football history, the other five AFL members were financially devastated. Pittsburgh, averaging only about 2000 fans in attendance, folded after only three games in 1937; Rochester, with only slightly better numbers despite a second-place 3-3-1 record, barely hung on until the end of the season. After the last game of the season, the AFL folded; only the Bulldogs and the Bengals, the two newest AFL members, continued into 1938.
| Team | Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Tigers* | 1936 1936 American Football League season The 1936 American Football League season is the first season of the second American Football League, the formation of which was announced by Harry March, former personnel director of the NFL's New York Giants, on December 15, 1935... |
0 | 6 | 1 | 7th (AFL) | Mike Palm Mike Palm (American football) Myron Herrick Palm was a professional football player in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was also a player-coach in 1933 for the NFL's Cincinnati Reds. He was also the owner and head coach of the Brooklyn-Rochester Tigers of the second American Football League from 1936-1937... |
| Rochester Tigers | 1937 1937 American Football League season The 1937 American Football League season is the second season of the second edition of the AFL. After the folding of the Syracuse/Rochester Braves in the 1936 season and the departure of the Cleveland Rams for the National Football League, the league added the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles... |
3 | 3 | 1 | 2nd (AFL) | Mike Palm. |
* 0-2 as Rochester Tigers in 1936