National Football League 1920-1925 (Irish Players)

Gridiron Football Uncategorized

APFA 1920

PWLTPct
*Akron Pros118031.000
Decatur Staleys131012.929
Buffalo All-Americans11911.900
Chicago Cardinals10622.750
Rock Island Independents10622.750
Dayton Triangles9522.714
Rochester Jeffersons11632.667
Canton Bulldogs13742.636
Detroit Heralds8233.400
Cleveland Tigers8242.333
Chicago Tigers8251.286
Hammond Pros7250.286
Columbus Panhandles8262.250
Muncie Flyers1010.000

Reference: [1]
Bertie Maher, DE, who was born in Co. Mayo, played Defensive End for the Detroit Heralds in 1920. [2][3]

Bob Nash, DE/OT, who was born in Collinstown, Ireland, Played Defensive End & Offensive Tackle for the Akron Pros in 1920 [2][7]

NFL 1921

PWLTPct
*Chicago Staleys11911.900
Buffalo All-Americans12912.900
Akron Pros12831.727
Canton Bulldogs10523.714
Rock Island Independents7421.667
Evansville Crimson Giants5320.600
Green Bay Packers6321.600
Dayton Triangles9441.500
Chicago Cardinals8332.500
Rochester Jeffersons5230.400
Cleveland Indians8350.375
Washington Senators3120.333
Cincinnati Celts4130.250
Hammond Pros5131.250
Minneapolis Marines4130.250
Detroit Tigers7151.167
Columbus Panhandles9180.111
Tonawanda Kardex1010.000
Muncie Flyers2020.000
Louisville Brecks2020.000
New York Giants2020.000

Reference: [1]

Tom McGlaughlin, FB, who was born in Ireland, played Fullback for the Tonawanda Kardex in 1921.[2][4]

Bob Nash, DE/OT, who was born in Collinstown, Ireland, Played Defensive End & Offensive Tackle for the Buffalo All-Americans in 1921 [2][7]

Con O’Brien, OT, who was born in Ireland, Played Offensive Tackle for the New York Giants in 1921 [2][8]

NFL 1922

PWLTPct
*Canton Bulldogs1210021.000
Chicago Bears12930.750
Chicago Cardinals11830.727
Toledo Maroons9522.714
Rock Island Independents7421.667
Racine Legion11641.600
Dayton Triangles8431.571
Green Bay Packers10433.571
Buffalo All-Americans10541.556
Akron Pros10352.375
Milwaukee Badgers9243.333
Oorang Indians9360.333
Minneapolis Marines4130.250
Louisville Brecks4130.250
Evansville Crimson Giants3030.000
Rochester Jeffersons5041.000
Hammond Pros6051.000
Columbus Panhandles8080.000

Reference: [1]

Bob Nash, DE/OT, who was born in Collinstown, Ireland, Played Defensive End & Offensive Tackle for the Buffalo All-Americans in 1922 [2][7]

Brian McGrath, OG, who was born in Ireland, played Offensive Guard for the Louisville Brecks in 1922. [2][5]

NFL 1923

PWLTPct
*Canton Bulldogs1211011.000
Chicago Bears12921.818
Green Bay Packers10721.778
Milwaukee Badgers10723.778
Cleveland Indians7313.750
Chicago Cardinals12840.667
Duluth Kelleys7430.571
Buffalo All-Americans12543.556
Columbus Tigers10541.556
Racine Legion10442.500
Toledo Maroons8332.500
Rock Island Independents8233.400
Minneapolis Marines9252.286
St. Louis All-Stars7142.200
Hammond Pros7151.167
Dayton Triangles8161.143
Akron Indians7160.143
Oorang Indians111100.091
Louisville Brecks3030.000
Rochester Jeffersons4040.000

Reference: [1]

Bob Nash, DE/OT, who was born in Collinstown, Ireland, Played Defensive End & Offensive Tackle for the Buffalo All-Americans in 1923 [2][7]

Francis Fitzgerald, BB-DB, who was born in Co. Kerry, played Defensive Back for the Toledo Maroons in 1923 [2][6]

NFL 1924

PWLTPct
*Cleveland Bulldogs9711.875
Chicago Bears11614.857
Frankford Yellow Jackets141121.846
Duluth Kelleys6510.833
Rock Island Independents9522.714
Green Bay Packers11740.636
Racine Legion10433.571
Chicago Cardinals10541.556
Buffalo Bisons11650.545
Columbus Tigers8440.500
Hammond Pros5221.500
Milwaukee Badgers13580.385
Akron Indians8260.250
Dayton Triangles8260.250
Kansas City Blues9270.222
Kenosha Maroons5041.000
Minneapolis Marines6060.000
Rochester Jeffersons7070.000

Reference: [1]

Bob Nash, DE/OT, who was born in Collinstown, Ireland, Played Defensive End & Offensive Tackle for the Rochester Jeffersons in 1924 [2][7]

NFL 1925

PWLTPct
*Chicago Cardinals141121.846
Pottsville Maroons121020.833
Detroit Panthers12822.800
New York Giants12840.667
Akron Indians8422.667
Frankford Yellow Jackets201370.650
Chicago Bears17953.643
Rock Island Independents11533.625
Green Bay Packers13850.615
Providence Steam Roller12651.545
Canton Bulldogs14581.385
Cleveland Bulldogs14581.385
Kansas City Cowboys8251.286
Hammond Pros5140.200
Buffalo Bisons9162.143
Duluth Kelleys3030.000
Rochester Jeffersons7061.000
Milwaukee Badgers6060.000
Dayton Triangles8071.000
Columbus Tigers9090.000

Reference: [1]

Bob Nash, DE/OT, who was born in Collinstown, Co. Meath, Played Defensive End & Offensive Tackle for the New York Giants in 1925 [2][7]

NFL 1926

PWLTPct
*Frankford Yellow Jackets171412.933
Chicago Bears161213.923
Pottsville Maroons141022.833
Kansas City Cowboys11830.714
Green Bay Packers13733.700
Los Angeles Buccaneers10631.667
New York Giants13841.667
Duluth Eskimoes14653.545
Buffalo Rangers10442.500
Chicago Cardinals12561.455
Providence Steam Roller13571.417
Detroit Panthers12462.400
Hartford Blues10370.300
Brooklyn Lions11380.273
Milwaukee Badgers9270.192
Akron Indians8143.200
Dayton Triangles6141.200
Racine Tornadoes5140.200
Columbus Tigers7160.143
Canton Bulldogs13193.100
Hammond Pros4040.000
Louisville Colonels4040.000

Reference: [1]

Report

After spirallaing wages threatened to destroy the game with players continually jumping from team to team in the Ohio, Pennsylvania & New York Pro Football Circuits, looking for the best pay packet, four teams from Ohio – the Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians & Dayton Triangles, met in Canton, Ohio, to form a Pro Football League, and invited tthe top teams from Ohio, New York & Pennsylvania to join them in order to play under a common set of rules, and better organise finances. These states were the hotbed of Pro Football in USA, and the League they formed, the American Professional Football Association, changed its’ name in 1921 to the National Football League, laying the foundations for the hugely popular, and lucrative NFL of today.

In its early days, the NFL was still a Minor League, second to College Football in terms of status in the eyes of the Media & fans, and far less popular than Baseball. In 1926 it decided to consolidate the best players on the rosters of a fewer teams, reducing the league from 22 teams to 12.

Bert Maher, born in Co. Mayo, played in the first season for the Detroit Heralds. Bob Nash, played six seasons (1920-1925) for the Akron Pros, Buffalo All-Americans, Rochester Jeffersons & New York Giants. Other Irish Born players during this era were Brian McGrath (Louisville Brecks, 1922) and Francis Fitzgerald (Toledo Maroons, 1923).

There are conflicting reports of the birthplace of Tom McLaughlin (Tonawanda Kardex, 1921) and Con O’Brien (New York Giants, 1921).

References

Websites

[1] National Football League (2014) “Past Standings | 1920-1926” 2014 Official NFL Record & Factbook” pg. 398-399. National football League, Time Home Entertainment. 2014.

[2] The Growth of a Game (2015) The Complete List of European NFL Players [Internet] Available from: https://www.growthofagame.com/2015/03/the-complete-list-of-european-nfl-players/ [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[3] Pro Football Archives (2019) Detroit Heralds 1920 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1920apfadet.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[4] Pro Football Archives (2019) Tonawanda Kardex 1921 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1921apfaton.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[5] Pro Football Archives (2019) Louisville Brecks 1922 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1922nfllou.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[6] Pro Football Archives (2019) Toledo Maroons 1923 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1923nfltol.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[7] Pro Football Archives (2019) Bob Nash [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/playern/nash00200.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[8] Pro Football Archives (2019) New York Giants 1921 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1921apfany.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[9] Pro Football Archives (2019) Bert Maher [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerm/mahe00200.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

[10] Pro Football Archives (2019) Brian McGrath [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerm/mcgr00400.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Decy Maher.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish, North American & World Sports Archive

Last Updated:11 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

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