Staten Island Stapletons
Encyclopedia
The Staten Island Stapletons also known as the Staten Island Stapes were a professional American football team founded in 1915 that played in the National Football League
from 1929
to 1930
. The team was based in the Stapleton
section of Staten Island
. Under the shortened nickname
the "Stapes" they played an additional two seasons from 1931
to 1932
. Jack Shapiro
, who was a blocking back for the Stapletons, was the shortest player in NFL history. The team was based in Staten Island, New York.
, who also served as the team's halfback
. Blain later became rich by building up a chain of restaurants. The Stapletons played similar semi-pro
neighborhood teams from the New York City
area. During those early years the Stapes played more for fun than money. Crowds were small and player salaries averaged $10 per game. The team won several local semi-pro titles before World War I
.
The team was inactive in 1918, due to Blaine's service commitment to the military and involvement in the war. However the team was renewed in 1919. By that time, Blaine was the team's sole owner. He retired as a player in 1924 but continued as owner and manager of the Stapletons, who were commonly known as the Stapes. By that time the team set up Thompson Stadium
, a cozy minor-league park in the neighborhood that gave them their name, as their permanent home field. Today the stadium site is occupied by Stapleton Housing located between Broad, Hill and Warren Streets and Tompkins Avenue. Prior to moving into Thompson Stadium, the Stapletons played in two temporary local parks: Stapleton Field and East Shore Oval.
In 1924 the Stapes claimed the New York Metropolitan championship by beating the best independent pro teams in the area. However in 1925, Tim Mara
formed the New York Giants
who moved into the Polo Grounds. The Giants presence in New York overshadowed the Stapes, particularly with the sell-out visit by Red Grange
and the Chicago Bears
on December 6, 1925. The Giants and Stapes began their New York rivalry on Thanksgiving Day 1925. The Giants defeated the Stapes in an exhibition game 7-0.
, 33-0. The Bears belonged to Red Grange's American Football League
, which served as competitor to the NFL during the 1926 season. Unhappy with the defeat, Blaine promptly hired most of the Newark players, including star rookie Doug Wycoff
, who were still owed money because the Newark owner was having financial problems. As a result, the Bears went out of business while the Stapletons benefited from Newark's folding. In 1928, Blaine further upgraded the team by signing some players from New York University
.
and by signing six graduates from the nationally-ranked New York University
team. The Stapes had their best season on record, going 10-1-1, including a 3-1 record against NFL teams. They even pulled out a 7-0 victory over the Giants on Thanksgiving Day.
, the owner of the Giants, because Staten Island was in Mara's exclusive territory. But Mara actually had an extra franchise. It had originally belonged to the Brooklyn Lions and had been given to Mara when the Lions folded in 1927, because they owed him money. Mara had then allowed the New York Yankees
, owned by Grange's manager C. C. Pyle
, to use the franchise when that team moved from the defunct AFL into the NFL. The Yankees went out of business after the 1928 season
, so the franchise again went back to Mara and he passed those franchise's rights on to Staten Island.
Blaine promptly hired Ken Strong
, who became a Stapletons Hall of Famer
. Strong, who received All-American honors while at New York University, was a speedy, powerful runner who was also one of the best kickers of the era.
The Stapletons would never have a winning season in the NFL. During their first NFL season in 1929, the team went 3-4-3, defeating the Dayton Triangles
, Brooklyn Dodgers
and the Minneapolis Red Jackets. They also managed to tie the Frankford Yellow Jackets
once and Orange Tornadoes twice. The team improved to a 5-5-2 record in 1930. That season the Stapes managed to defeat the rival New York Giants 7-6, after a four yard touchdown run from Doug Wycoff
and an extra point
kick from Strong.
In July 1931, the team's official name on the league records was changed from the Stapleton Football Club, Inc., to Staten Island Stapes. At this time, Doug Wycoff left the team to rejoin the Giants. In need of a coach, Blaine hired Hinkey Haines
, who had played briefly for the Stapes in 1929. The Stapes opened at home by beating the Dodgers 9-7 before 7,000 fans. However a week later at Ebbets Field
, the Dodgers forced 3 interceptions to defeat the Stapes 18-6. The team would post a 4-6-1 record in 1931, defeating the Giants (once), Dodgers (twice) and the Cleveland Indians.
. The team continued to lose money in 1933. While the team posted losses against the Giants, Dodgers, Portsmouth Spartans
, and Green Bay Packers
, they did manage to defeat the newly established Philadelphia Eagles
. Doug Wycoff
and Bob Campiglio
stayed with the Stapes in 1933, but their star player Ken Strong signed with the Giants and helped them win the NFL Championship that season.
Blaine went through the formality of getting NFL permission to suspend league operations for the 1934 season. The team played one more season of semi-pro football in 1934 before quietly folding a year later. On June 1935, Blaine's franchise was finally declared forfeit.The franchise's failure can be blamed to a combination of the Great Depression
and having too small of a stadium that could never accommodate enough fans to make the team profitable. Therefore, Stapes fans couldn't afford enough tickets to make a team possible.
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 1929
1929 in sports
-American football:NFL championship* Green Bay Packers wins National Football League titleCollege championship* College football national championship – Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Pittsburgh Panthers and USC Trojans Events...
to 1930
1930 in sports
-American football:NFL championship* Green Bay Packers win the National Football League title with a record of 10–3–1College championship* College football national championship – Alabama Crimson Tide and Notre Dame Fighting Irish...
. The team was based in the Stapleton
Stapleton, Staten Island
Stapleton is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. It is located along the waterfront of Upper New York Bay, bounded on the north by Tompkinsville at Grant Street, on the south by Clifton at Vanderbilt Avenue, and on the west by St. Paul's Avenue and...
section of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. Under the shortened nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
the "Stapes" they played an additional two seasons from 1931
1931 in sports
-Alpine skiing:FIS Alpine World Ski ChampionshipsInaugural FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are held at Mürren, Switzerland. The events are a downhill and a slalom race in both the men's and women's categories...
to 1932
1932 in sports
-Alpine skiing:FIS Alpine World Ski Championships2nd FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are held at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The events are a downhill, a slalom and a combined race in both the men's and women's categories...
. Jack Shapiro
Jack Shapiro
Jack Emanuel "Soapy" Shapiro was a professional football player who played in one game with the Staten Island Stapletons of the National Football League in 1929. Shapiro is most famous for being the shortest player in NFL history at 5'0½"...
, who was a blocking back for the Stapletons, was the shortest player in NFL history. The team was based in Staten Island, New York.
Early years
The Staten Island Stapletons were originally founded in 1915 as a neighborhood team. The team was organized by Dan BlaineDan Blaine
Daniel Blaine was an professional football player for the Staten Island Stapletons from 1915 until 1924. In 1915 he, along with three other players, formed the team to play other semi-pro teams from New York and New Jersey. He suspended his football career in 1918 to serve in the United States...
, who also served as the team's halfback
Halfback (American football)
A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...
. Blain later became rich by building up a chain of restaurants. The Stapletons played similar 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...
neighborhood teams from the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area. During those early years the Stapes played more for fun than money. Crowds were small and player salaries averaged $10 per game. The team won several local semi-pro titles before 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...
.
The team was inactive in 1918, due to Blaine's service commitment to the military and involvement in the war. However the team was renewed in 1919. By that time, Blaine was the team's sole owner. He retired as a player in 1924 but continued as owner and manager of the Stapletons, who were commonly known as the Stapes. By that time the team set up Thompson Stadium
Thompson Stadium (Staten Island)
Thompson Stadium was a football stadium used by the Staten Island Stapletons of the National Football League from 1924 until 1933. It was located on the site of present Berta A. Dreyfus Intermediate School 49 and the Stapleton Houses. They faced many other teams that still exist today.The stadium...
, a cozy minor-league park in the neighborhood that gave them their name, as their permanent home field. Today the stadium site is occupied by Stapleton Housing located between Broad, Hill and Warren Streets and Tompkins Avenue. Prior to moving into Thompson Stadium, the Stapletons played in two temporary local parks: Stapleton Field and East Shore Oval.
In 1924 the Stapes claimed the New York Metropolitan championship by beating the best independent pro teams in the area. However in 1925, 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...
formed 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...
who moved into the Polo Grounds. The Giants presence in New York overshadowed the Stapes, particularly with the sell-out visit by Red Grange
Red Grange
Harold Edward "Red" Grange, nicknamed "The Galloping Ghost", was a college and professional American football halfback for the University of Illinois, the Chicago Bears, and for the short-lived New York Yankees. His signing with the Bears helped legitimize the National Football League...
and the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on December 6, 1925. The Giants and Stapes began their New York rivalry on Thanksgiving Day 1925. The Giants defeated the Stapes in an exhibition game 7-0.
Newark Bears takeover
Over the following couple of seasons, the Stapes would play exhibitions against pro teams from the NFL and various other leagues. On November 14, 1926, the Stapes were routed by the Newark BearsNewark Bears (AFL)
The Newark Bears were a professional American football team that competed in the first American Football League in 1926. Owned by the New Jersey Athletic Association , the Bears played their home games in Davids' Stadium...
, 33-0. The Bears belonged to Red Grange's American Football League
American 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...
, which served as competitor to the NFL during the 1926 season. Unhappy with the defeat, Blaine promptly hired most of the Newark players, including star rookie Doug Wycoff
Doug Wycoff
Stephen Douglas Wycoff was an American football running back for the New York Giants, Staten Island Stapletons, and Boston Redskins in the National Football League, the Newark Bears in the first American Football League, and the Boston Shamrocks in the second American Football League...
, who were still owed money because the Newark owner was having financial problems. As a result, the Bears went out of business while the Stapletons benefited from Newark's folding. In 1928, Blaine further upgraded the team by signing some players from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.
Pre-NFL
In 1927, the Stapes fielded their ex-Newark Bears squad, although Wycoff signed to the Giants. The Giants would go on to win the 1927 NFL championship and defeated the Stapes twice in non-league games, 19-0 and 18-0. The Stapes though did manage to beat the NFL's Duluth Eskimos, featuring Ernie Nevers 7-6 on November 27, 1927. By 1928, Blaine wanted the Stapes to become an NFL franchise. He bolstered his squad by resigning Doug Wycoff back 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 by signing six graduates from the nationally-ranked New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
team. The Stapes had their best season on record, going 10-1-1, including a 3-1 record against NFL teams. They even pulled out a 7-0 victory over the Giants on Thanksgiving Day.
NFL
After they rolled up a 10-1-1 record in 1928, Blaine applied for an NFL franchise in 1929. He needed permission from Tim MaraTim 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 Giants, because Staten Island was in Mara's exclusive territory. But Mara actually had an extra franchise. It had originally belonged to the Brooklyn Lions and had been given to Mara when the Lions folded in 1927, because they owed him money. Mara had then allowed the New York Yankees
New York Yankees (NFL)
The New York Yankees were a short-lived professional American football team from 1926 to 1928. The team was a member of the first American Football League in 1926, and later the National Football League from 1927-1928. They played their home games at Yankee Stadium...
, owned by Grange's manager C. C. Pyle
C. C. Pyle
Charles C. "C. C." Pyle , often called Cash and Carry Pyle, was a Champaign, Illinois theater owner and sports agent who represented American football star Red Grange and French tennis player Suzanne Lenglen...
, to use the franchise when that team moved from the defunct AFL into the NFL. The Yankees went out of business after the 1928 season
1928 NFL season
The 1928 NFL season was the 9th regular season of the National Football League. The league dropped to 10 teams after both the Cleveland Bulldogs and the Duluth Eskimos folded before the season. The Buffalo Bisons also had a year out from the league. The Detroit Wolverines were an expansion club...
, so the franchise again went back to Mara and he passed those franchise's rights on to Staten Island.
Blaine promptly hired Ken Strong
Ken Strong
Elmer Kenneth Strong, Jr. was a college and professional American football player. After a college career as multi-year All-American at New York University, he went on to play professional football. As a halfback with a 14-year career he played from 1929–1937, 1939, 1944-1947...
, who became a Stapletons Hall of Famer
Pro 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...
. Strong, who received All-American honors while at New York University, was a speedy, powerful runner who was also one of the best kickers of the era.
The Stapletons would never have a winning season in the NFL. During their first NFL season in 1929, the team went 3-4-3, defeating the 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...
, Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
and the Minneapolis Red Jackets. They also managed to tie 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...
once and Orange Tornadoes twice. The team improved to a 5-5-2 record in 1930. That season the Stapes managed to defeat the rival New York Giants 7-6, after a four yard touchdown run from Doug Wycoff
Doug Wycoff
Stephen Douglas Wycoff was an American football running back for the New York Giants, Staten Island Stapletons, and Boston Redskins in the National Football League, the Newark Bears in the first American Football League, and the Boston Shamrocks in the second American Football League...
and an extra point
Extra Point
Extra Point is a twice-daily, two-minute segment on ESPN Radio that covers generic sports-related topical news and opinion. The AM edition airs Monday through Saturday at various times between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET, and the PM edition airs Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. ET...
kick from Strong.
In July 1931, the team's official name on the league records was changed from the Stapleton Football Club, Inc., to Staten Island Stapes. At this time, Doug Wycoff left the team to rejoin the Giants. In need of a coach, Blaine hired Hinkey Haines
Hinkey Haines
Henry Luther "Hinkey" Haines was a professional athlete who played American football in the National Football League and baseball in the Major League Baseball association...
, who had played briefly for the Stapes in 1929. The Stapes opened at home by beating the Dodgers 9-7 before 7,000 fans. However a week later at 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...
, the Dodgers forced 3 interceptions to defeat the Stapes 18-6. The team would post a 4-6-1 record in 1931, defeating the Giants (once), Dodgers (twice) and the Cleveland Indians.
Decline
In 1932, the Stapes finished dead last, defeating only the Giants and the Chicago Cardinals. Blaine was allowed by the NFL to suspend league play for the upcoming 1933 season1933 NFL season
The 1933 NFL season was the 14th regular season of the National Football League. Because of the success of the 1932 NFL Playoff Game, the league divided its teams into two divisions for the first time, with the winners of each division playing in a championship game to determine the NFL champion...
. The team continued to lose money in 1933. While the team posted losses against the Giants, Dodgers, Portsmouth Spartans
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...
, and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, they did manage to defeat the newly established Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Doug Wycoff
Doug Wycoff
Stephen Douglas Wycoff was an American football running back for the New York Giants, Staten Island Stapletons, and Boston Redskins in the National Football League, the Newark Bears in the first American Football League, and the Boston Shamrocks in the second American Football League...
and Bob Campiglio
Bob Campiglio
Robert Fulton Campiglio was an American football running back in the National Football League for the Staten Island Stapletons and Boston Redskins. He played college football at West Liberty State College....
stayed with the Stapes in 1933, but their star player Ken Strong signed with the Giants and helped them win the NFL Championship that season.
Blaine went through the formality of getting NFL permission to suspend league operations for the 1934 season. The team played one more season of semi-pro football in 1934 before quietly folding a year later. On June 1935, Blaine's franchise was finally declared forfeit.The franchise's failure can be blamed to a combination of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and having too small of a stadium that could never accommodate enough fans to make the team profitable. Therefore, Stapes fans couldn't afford enough tickets to make a team possible.
Season-by-season
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6th | Doug Wycoff Doug Wycoff Stephen Douglas Wycoff was an American football running back for the New York Giants, Staten Island Stapletons, and Boston Redskins in the National Football League, the Newark Bears in the first American Football League, and the Boston Shamrocks in the second American Football League... |
| 1930 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 6th | Doug Wycoff |
| 1931 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 7th | Hinkey Haines Hinkey Haines Henry Luther "Hinkey" Haines was a professional athlete who played American football in the National Football League and baseball in the Major League Baseball association... , Marty Brill Marty Brill Martin Brill was a professional football coach with the Staten Island Stapletons of the National Football League during the 1931 season. He also coached college football at Columbia University as an assistant. However he later become a head coach at La Salle University and at Loyola Marymount... |
| 1932 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 8th | Hal Hanson Hal Hanson Harold William Hanson was a professional football player and head coach in the National Football League. In 1921 Hanson was a player for the Rock Island Independents. In 1923 he played for the Minneapolis Marines. By 1932 he served as the head coach of the Staten Island Stapletons... |