Champions

Year	Champion
2012	Auténticos Tigres UANL (Nuevo León)
2013	Pumas CU UNAM (Mexico City)
2014	Pumas CU UNAM (Mexico City)
2015	Auténticos Tigres UANL (Nuevo León)
2016	Auténticos Tigres UANL (Nuevo León)
2017	Pumas CU UNAM (Mexico City)
2018	Auténticos Tigres UANL (Nuevo León)
2019	Burros Blancos IPN (Instituto Politécnico Nacional)

Report

Since the last restructuring of Mexican College Football in 2012, the ONEFA Big 8 Conference (The highest in the country) has been dominated by Auténticos Tigres from UA Nuevo León in Monterrey (four times winners) and Pumas CU UNAM from Mexico City (3 times winners) with only Burros Blancos (White Donkeys) from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) in Mexico City upsetting the big two in 2019.

The ONEFA College Football Championship is one of the highlights of the Mexican American Football season, and was considered the National Championship from 1933 until recently. There was a single Championship from 1930 to 1981 when it was split into two Championships: Metropolitan (for the National Championship) and National (for Promotion/Ascent).

The Metropolitan Championship was renamed Big 10 in 1990 and Big 12 in 2004. In 2009 the Colleges agreed to merge the two Conferences into one, with two groups, each with its own Champion. In turn the “Centre” Conference would have two groups A & B each with its own Champion. The Conferences were realigned into “Centre”, “North” and “South”, each with its own Champion.

In 2012 a further restructuring took place, with ONEFA restoring the “Big 8”, mainly with teams from the Centre and the “National” with teams mainly from the North and South. In 2009 the ITESM Tech Colleges left to form their own College Football Organisation: CONADEIP.

References:

Images

[1] ONEFA (2020) ONEFA Logo [Internet] Available from: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/PpcJl5QlfPoMSO4T5EdZd4ou8LwusCaoqw0_cjYcC2_CTplUWHkQJTa9S-DKMPI-FrkqeXFWoppz6Rha95yr [Accessed 11 May 2020]

Websites

[2] ONEFA (2020) Historia [Internet] Available from: http://onefaoficial.org/historia [Accessed 20 September 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Francesco

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 20 September 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

APFA (NFL) 1920

	P	NFL	AAA	Regular	All Games
APFA
*Akron Pros	11	5-0-1	2-0-0	7-0-1	8-0-3
*Decatur Staleys	13	2-1-1	4-0-0	6-1-1	10-1-2
*Buffalo All-Americans	11	3-1-0	5-0-0	8-1-0	9-1-1
*Chicago Cardinals	10	3-1-1	3-0-0	6-1-1	6-2-2
Rock Island Independents	10	3-2-0	2-0-1	5-2-1	6-2-2
Dayton Triangles	10	2-3-2	1-0-0	3-3-2	5-3-2
Rochester Jeffersons	11	0-1-0	5-1-1	5-2-1	6-3-2
*Canton Bulldogs	13	6-1-1	1-0-0	7-1-1	7-4-2
Detroit Heralds	8	1-2-1	1-0-1	2-2-2	2-3-3
Cleveland Tigers	9	1-5-2	0-0-0	1-5-2	2-5-2
Chicago Tigers	8	2-4-1	0-0-0	2-4-1	2-5-1
Hammond Pros	7	2-5-0	0-0-0	2-5-0	2-5-0
Columbus Panhandles	10	0-4-0	0-2-0	0-6-0	2-6-2
Muncie Flyers	6	2-1-0	1-0-0	2-1-0	5-1-0

Note: *Qualify for Playoffs

Independent (AAA) Teams

	P	AAA	NFL	Regular	All Games
Mid-Western Circuit
Minneapolis Marines +		0-0-0	0-1-0	5-1-2	5-1-2
Fort Wayne Friars		1-2-1	1-0-1	4-2-2	4-2-2
Chicago Pullman Thorns		0-0-0	0-1-0	0-1-0	0-1-0
Lansing Oldsmobiles		0-0-1	0-1-1	0-1-2	0-1-2
Youngstown Patricians		1-1-0	1-0-0	2-1-0	3-1-0
Cincinnati Celts +		0-1-0	0-3-0	0-4-0	0-4-0
Cleveland Panthers		0-2-0	0-2-0	0-2-0	0-4-0
Toledo Maroons +		1-0-0	0-3-0	1-3-0	1-3-0
Moline Athletics/Tractors		0-0-0	0-2-0	0-2-0	0-2-0
Rockford AC		0-0-0	0-1-0	0-1-0	0-1-0
Kewanee Walworths		0-0-0	0-1-0	0-1-0	0-1-0
Wheeling Stogies		0-0-0	0-1-0	0-1-0	0-1-0
Eastern Circuit
All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks		3-1-0	1-1-0	6-1-0	7-1-0
Rochester Scalpers		0-0-0	0-2-0	0-2-0	0-2-1
Utica Knights of Columbus		0-0-0	0-1-1	0-1-1	0-1-1
Syracuse Stars		0-0-0	0-1-0	0-1-0	0-1-0
Pitcairn Quakers		0-2-0	0-1-0	0-3-0	0-3-0
McKeesport Olympics		0-0-0	0-1-0	0-1-0	0-1-0
All-Buffalo		0-0-0	0-2-0	0-2-0	0-2-0
West Buffalo		0-1-0	0-1-0	0-2-0	0-2-0

Minor League Teams

	P	NFL	AAA	Regular	All Games
Mid-Western Minor Teams
Thorn Tornadoes					0-0-1
Detroit Maroons					0-1-1
Chicago Stayms					0-0-1
St. Edwards Saints					0-1-0
St. Paul’s Ideals					0-1-0
Akron Independents					1-0-0
Sharon					0-1-0
Indiana Minor Circuit
Muncie Tigers		0-1-0		9-0-0	9-2-0
Gas City Tigers		0-2-0		9-0-0	9-2-0
Muncie Offers More AC					0-1-0
Ohio Valley Minor Teams
Evansville Ex-Collegians					4-1-0
Jasper Independents					0-1-0
Goldsberg AA Louisville					0-1-0
Paducah All-Stars					1-0-0
Eastern Minor Teams
Fort Porter				0-1-0	0-1-0
Phoenixville Union AA					0-1-0
New Haven Washington Glees					0-1-0
College Teams
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Freshmen					1-0-0
Pittsburgh All-Collegians					0-1-0

City Championships

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	City Championships
21.11.1920	Youngstown Patricians	10	St. Edward’s Saints	0
28.11.1920	Muncie Flyers	24	Muncie Offers More AC	0
05.12.1920	Detroit Heralds	7	Detroit Maroons	7
05.12.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	0	Rochester Scalpers	0
19.12.1920	Chicago Stayms	14	Chicago Cardinals	14

Playoffs

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Round 1
04.12.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	7	Canton Bulldogs	3
	Semi-Finals
05.12.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	0	Akron Pros	0
05.12.1920	Decatur Staleys	10	Chicago Cardinals	0
	Championship
12.12.1920	Decatur Staleys	0	Akron Pros	0

Note: On a vote on 21 April 1921 the APFA members gave the 1920 Championship to Akron Pros on the basis they were undefeated during the season.

Results

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Week 1		Pre-Season
26.09.1920	Rock Island Independents	48	St. Paul’s Ideals	0
	Week 2
03.10.1920	Dayton Triangles	14	Columbus Panhandles	0
03.10.1920	Rock Island Independents	45	Muncie Flyers	0
03.10.1920	Canton Bulldogs	48	Pitcairn Quakers	0
03.10.1920	Decatur Staleys	20	Moline Tractors	0
03.10.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	10	All-Buffalo	0
03.10.1920	Akron Pros	43	Wheeling Stogies	0
03.10.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	32	West Buffalo	0
03.10.1920	Youngstown Patricians	21	Sharon	0
03.10.1920	All-Tonawanda	38	Cleveland Panthers	0
03.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	0	Cincinnati Celts	6
	Week 3
10.10.1920	Chicago Tigers	0	Chicago Cardinals	0
10.10.1920	Rock Island Independents	26	Hammond Pros	0
10.10.1020	Akron Pros	37	Columbus Panhandles	0
10.10.1920	Dayton Triangles	0	Cleveland Tigers	0
10.10.1920	Detroit Heralds	40	Cleveland Panthers	14
10.10.1920	Canton Bulldogs	42	Toledo Maroons	0
10.10.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	66	Fort Porter ^	0
10.10.1920	Decatur Staleys	27	Kewanee Walworths	7
10.10.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	51	All-Buffalo	0
10.10.1920	All-Tonawanda	65	All-Syracuse	0
10.10.1920	Youngstown Patricians	15	Akron Independents	14
10.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	1	Dayton Counting Scales	0#
	Week 4
17.10.1920	Moline Athletics	3	Chicago Cardinals	33
17.10.1920	Rock Island Independents	0	Decatur Staleys	7
17.10.1920	Canton Bulldogs	7	Cleveland Tigers	0
17.10.1920	Dayton Triangles	44	Hammond Pros	0
17.10.1920	Chicago Tigers	12	Detroit Heralds	0
17.10.1920	Akron Pros	13	Cincinnati Celts	0
17.10.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	28	McKeesport Olympics	7
17.10.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	0	Utica Knights of Columbus	0
17.10.1920	All-Tonawanda	10	Detroit Maroons	0
17.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	14	Columbus Panhandles	0
	Week 5
24.10.1920	Rock Island Independents	7	Chicago Cardinals	0
24.10.1920	Chicago Tigers	0	Decatur Staleys	10
24.10.1920	Akron Pros	7	Cleveland Tigers	0
24.10.1920	Dayton Triangles	20	Canton Bulldogs	20
24.10.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	38	Toledo Maroons	0
24.10.1920	Detroit Heralds	6	Columbus Panhandles	0
24.10.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	21	Syracuse Stars	7
24.10.1920	All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks	42	West Buffalo	0
24.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	1	Cleveland Panthers	0#
	Week 6
31.10.1920	Chicago Cardinals	21	Detroit Heralds	0
31.10.1920	Canton Bulldogs	0	Akron Pros	10
31.10.1920	Rock Island Independents	20	Chicago Tigers	7
31.10.1920	Rockford AC	0	Decatur Staleys	29
31.10.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	17	Rochester Jeffersons	6
31.10.1920	Cleveland Tigers	7	Columbus Panhandles	0
31.10.1920	Cleveland Tigers	0#	Muncie Flyers	1
31.10.1920	Detroit Armadas	0	Toledo Maroons	10
31.10.1920	All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks	12	Pitcairn Quakers	3
31.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	0	Lansing Oldsmobiles	0
31.10.1920	Evansville Ex-Collegians	52	Jasper Independents	0
	Week 7
07.11.1920	Chicago Tigers	3	Chicago Cardinals	6
07.11.1920	Rock Island Independents	0	Decatur Staleys	0
07.11.1920	Akron Pros	R	Detroit Heralds	R
07.11.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	35	All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks	0
07.11.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	27	Utica Knights of Columbus	7
07.11.1920	Dayton Triangles	R	Muncie Flyers	R
07.11.1920	Evansville Ex-Collegians	1	??	0#
	Mid-Week		Exhibition
11.11.1920	Champaign	0	Decatur Staleys	20
13.11.1920	Thorn Tornadoes	7	Rock Island Independents	7
	Week 8
14.11.1920	Cleveland Tigers	7	Akron Pros	7
14.11.1920	Cincinnati Celts	0	Chicago Cardinals	20
14.11.1920	Minneapolis Marines	0	Decatur Staleys	3
14.11.1920	Rock Island Independents	0	Dayton Triangles	21
14.11.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	43	Columbus Panhandles	7
14.11.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	0	Detroit Heralds	0
14.11.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	0	All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks	6
14.11.1920	Youngstown Patricians	CT	Pitcairn Quakers	CT
14.11.1920	Evansville ex-Collegians	23	Goldberg AA Louisville	0
	Week 9
21.11.1920	Akron Pros	13	Dayton Triangles	0
21.11.1920	Decatur Staleys	28	Hammond Pros	7
21.11.1920	Canton Bulldogs	3	Buffalo All-Americans	0
21.11.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	16	Rochester Sclapers	0
21.11.1920	Lansing Oldsmobile	0	Chicago Cardinals	14
21.11.1920	Detroit Heralds	C	Detroit Armada	C
21.11.1920	Rock Island Independents	48	Pittsburgh All-Collegians	7
21.11.1920	Cleveland Tigers	14	Toledo Maroons	0
11.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	7	Pitcairn Quakers	0
21.11.1920	Youngstown Patricians	10	St. Edward’s Saints	0
21.11.1920	Evansville Ex-Collegians	W	??	L
	Mid-Week		Exhibition
25.11.1920	Akron Pros	7	Canton Bulldogs	0
25.11.1920	Chicago Tigers	0	Decatur Staleys	6
25.11.1920	Dayton Triangles	28	Detroit Heralds	0
25.11.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	3	All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks	14
25.11.1920	Gas City Tigers	7	Muncie Flyers	19
	Week 10
28.11.1920	Chicago Cardinals	7	Decatur Staleys	6
28.11.1920	Dayton Triangles	0	Akron Pros	14
28.11.1920	Detroit Heralds	0	Lansing Oldsmobiles	0
28.11.1920	Rock Island Independents	14	Chicago Pullman Thorns	7
28.11.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	7	Cleveland Panthers	0
28.11.1920	Youngstown Patricians	2	Columbus Panhandles	0
28.11.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	7	Rochester Scaplers	6
28.11.1920	Muncie Offers More AC	0	Muncie Flyers	24
11.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	6	Notre Dame Fighting Irish Freshmen	18
28.11.1920	Evansville Ex-Collegians	0	Paducah All-Stars	6
	Week 11		Post-Season
04.12.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	7	Canton Bulldogs	3
05.12.1920	Buffalo All-Americans	0	Akron Pros	0
05.12.1920	Decatur Staleys	10	Chicago Cardinals	0
05.12.1920	New Haven Washington Glees	0	Canton Bulldogs	0
	Week 11		City Championships
05.12.2020	Detroit Heralds	7	Detroit Maroons	7
05.12.1920	Rochester Jeffersons	0	Rochester Scalpers	0
05.12.1920	Gas City Tigers	7	Muncie Flyers	13
	Week 12		Post-Season
11.12.1920	Phoenixville Union AA	13	Canton Bulldogs	7
12.12.1920	Decatur Staleys	0	Akron Pros	0
	Week 13		City Championships
19.12.1920	Chicago Stayms	14	Chicago Cardinals	14
	Unknown Week
1920	Dayton Triangles	W	Cincinnati Celts	L
1920	Cleveland Tigers	0	??	7

Notes

Note: R = Cancelled due to Rain. # Cancelled by the team with the (#) after its score. Considered a forfeit win for the other team by Eirball – Awarded 1-0 (#) CT = Cancelled due to train crash involving visiting Pitcairn team on way to match, no Pitcairn player was hurt. ^ Minor league Opposition thus not counted towards NFL Standings by Eirball.

Note 2: Cincinnati Celts and Minneapolis Marines joined the APFA in 1921 and the Toledo Maroons joined the NFL in 1922.

Note 3: Teams labelled Independent played matches against Official APFA teams. Teams labelled Minor League played matches against “Independents”.

Note 4: While an Official member of the APFA, Muncie Flyers failed the schedule another game after losing heavily to Rock Island Independents on the opening day of the season. Players signed on with other Indiana teams (in particular Muncie Tigers and Wabash AA) as well as APFA team Dayton Triangles. At the end of the season they scheduled three games against Gas City Tigers and Muncie Tigers who both finished the Indiana State Football season with 9-0 records, and the Flyers won all three matches claiming the Indiana State Football Championship in the process. whether their record is to be considered a 3-1 APFA half-season, or an Indiana State Championship season is open to debate. Other APFA teams (Rochester Jeffersons, Hammond Pros, Decatur Staleys, Buffalo All-Americans, Columbus Panhandles, Detroit Heralds and Chicago Cardinals) all also played more non-APFA teams than APFA teams, and other teams in the two seasons the NFL was known as the APFA played a half-schedule: Cincinnati Celts (1-3 in 1920 and 0-4 in 1921), Toledo Maroons (1-3 in 1920) and Tonawanda Kardex (0-2-1 in 1921 with one game cancelled).

Irish Players

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]

Allen “Pat” McGinnis, who has an Irish name, was player-manager for the Evansville Ex-Collegians in 1920

Youngstown Patricians appear to be named after St. Patrick. On the 22 November 1920, the day the Patricians defeated St. Edwards Saints for the City Championship, the Youngstown Daily Vindicator’s Front Page Headline was ” Battles in Ireland Follow Bloody Day” (Monday, November 22, 1920). They started off as the Church team in St. Patrick’s Parish, before becoming the city’s team. The team was made up of Irish, Poles and Italians, tough men who worked in the steel mills. [Reference: 45]

Cincinnati Celts are another team with an Irish name,albeit one referencing all Celts. George Roudebush was Quarterback for the Cincinnati Celts and his revolutionary use of the foward pass changed football. He remembered the Celts as a team run “by a bunch of wild Irishmen” and was 93 years old in 1988 when interviewed, with his wits still sharp, remembering dates, names nicknames, figures, events and conversations from the era, making him the oldest living NFL player at the time. [Reference: 42]

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 the 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 for the 1922 season 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 J effersons & New York Giants. There was an Player-Manager for the Evansville Ex-Collegians in 1920 with an Irish name: Allen “Pat” McGinnis.

Akron Pros won the APFA Championship in 1920 after a series of games at the end of the season between four teams still with Championship aspirations – Akron, Canton Bulldogs, Decatur Staleys and Buffalo all-Americans left them the only undefeated team.

What is interesting about the early seasons of the APFA / NFL is that the teams continued to play against other Pro teams and leagues not officially connected to the NFL, with inter-locking schedules making it possible to create a “Major League Football” season record, with results from both the NFL and AFL / Independent schedules.

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] Arizona Cardinals (2020) Schedule [1920] [Internet] Available from: https://www.azcardinals.com/schedule/1920/ [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[5]  Marc S. Maltby, The Coffin Corner Vol. 14 No. 4, Pro Football Researchers Association (1992) Evansville 1920-1922: The Early Stuggles of Professional Football – [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/14-04-466.pdf   [Accessed 18 September 2020]

[6] Arizona Cardinals | Wayback Machine (2009) All-Time Results [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20090914231608/http://www.azcardinals.com/history/all-time-results.html [Accessed 19 september 2020]

[7] Bob Carroll, The Coffin Corner Vol. 4 No. 12, Pro Football Researchers Association (1982) Akron Pros 1920 – [Internet] Available from: https://www.webcitation.org/65r52lUNU?url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/04-12-119.pdf  Accessed 18 September 2020]

[8] Chicago Bears (2020) Schedule [1920] [Internet] available from: https://www.chicagobears.com/schedule/1920/ [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[10] Google News: Youngsown Vindicator, October 4, 1920. Canton Trims Pitcairn Team [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dGxKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QYYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2868%2C2793544 [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[11] Google News: Youngsown Vindicator, October 11, 1920. pg. 10 Canton Stops Toledo Eleven [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201011&printsec=frontpage&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[12] Google News: Youngsown Vindicator, October 11, 1920. pg. 10 Panhandles lose to Akron [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201011&printsec=frontpage&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[13] Google News: Toledo News-Bee, October 18, 1920. Canton beats Cleveland [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-u9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BEUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4221%2C2532398 [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[14] Google News: Youngstown Vindicator, October 25, 1920. pg. 11 Thorpe saves Canton Eleven with 2 Goals [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201025&printsec=frontpage&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[15] Google News: Youngstown Vindicator, November 1, 1920. pg. 15 Akron Takes Canton in Great Game [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MC1KAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_YUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3302%2C1526680 [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[16] Google News: Youngstown Vindicator, November 22, 1920. pg. 15 Canton Downs Buffalo Team [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201122&printsec=frontpage&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[17] Google News: The Sunday Chronicle, December 5, 1920. pg. 15 Tigers tame Thorpe’s Bulldogs [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aO9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fkINAAAAIBAJ&pg=1212,1102615&dq=canton+bulldogs&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[18] NFL | WAyback Machine (2010) Thanksgiving serves up classic games [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20100410093827/http://www.nfl.com/thanksgiving/story?id=09000d5d8045a5e3&template=without-video&confirm=true [accessed 19 september 2020]

[19] New York Times December 5, 1920 All-Americans win Pro Gridiron Game [Internet] Available from: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1920/12/05/102991292.pdf [acessed 19 september 2020] [See PDF]

[20] Pro Football Archives (2020) New Haven Washington Glees [Internet] available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1920newhwa.html [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[21] Pro Football Archives (2020) Phoenixville Union AA [Internet] available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1920uni.html [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[22] Rochester Jeffersons (2020) 1920 Season {Internet] Available from: http://kencrippen.com/Jeffersons/1920_Rochester_Jeffersons.pdf [Accessed 19 September 2020][See PDF]

[23] Dayton Triangles (2020) Dayton APFA / NFL Summary [Internet] Available from: https://daytontriangles.com/dayton-apfa-nfl-franchise-summary/ [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[24] Dayton Triangles (2020) Dayton APFA / NFL Summary [Internet] Available from: https://daytontriangles.com/dayton-apfa-nfl-franchise-summary/ [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[25] Dayton Triangles (2020) Dayton APFA / NFL Clubs Official Games [Internet] Available from: https://daytontriangles.com/dayton-apfa-nfl-clubs-official-games-1920-1929/ [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[26] Bills Backers | Wayback Machine (2001) History of Pro football in Western New York 1920-1939 [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20010425091533/http://www.billsbackers.com/1920s.htm [accessed 19 September 2020]

[27] Sports Encyclopedia (2020) Muncie Flyers [Internet] Available from: https://sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/muncie/flyers.html [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[28] Roy Sye, The Coffin Corner Vol. 24 No. 3, Pro Football Researchers Association (2002) Muncie Flyers 1920 – [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/24-03-937.pdf  Accessed 18 September 2020]

[29] Google News: Toledo News-Bee, November 1, 1920 pg. 11. Brickley Boy Wins for Cleveland [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=k_8v9Q84L5sC&dat=19201101&printsec=frontpage&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[30] Google News: Youngstown Vindicator, November 29, 1920. pg. 15 Pat’s defeat Panhandles in last game [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201129&printsec=frontpage&hl=en  [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[31] Case Western Reserve University (2020) Cleveland Tigers [Internet] Available from: https://case.edu/ech/articles/c/cleveland-tigers [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[32] Google News: Youngstown Vindicator, November 15, 1920. pg. 15 Patricians defeat St. Edwards at Idora 10-0 [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201122&printsec=frontpage&hl=en [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[33] Detroit Free Press. October 11, 1920. p. 13. “Heralds Trim Panthers 40-14: Vogel, Cleveland Star Right Halfback, in Hospital From Injuries”. 

[34] Detroit Free Press. October 18, 1920. p. 11. “FLUKY KICKS GIVE CHICAGO THE GAME: Detroit Heralds Lose Hard Fought Game, 12 to 0”. 

[35] Detroit Free Press. October 25, 1920. p. 12. “Heralds Get Lonely Tally: Fitzgerald Intercepts Forward Pass, Runs 85 Yards to Beat Pan Handles; Local Team Plays Good Game as Do the Visitors; Big Crowd Out”. 

[36] Detroit Free Press. November 1, 1920. p. 15. “HERALDS BEATEN BY LARGE SCORE: Three Blocked Punts Turn Detroit Team Back”. 

[37] Detroit Free Press. November 15, 1920. p. 14. “Heralds Draw at Ft. Wayne”. 

[38] Detroit Free Press. November 29, 1920. p. 11. “No Scoring in Title Battle: Neither Lansing Nor Champion Heralds Are Able to Tally on Muddy Gridiron; Visitors Outgain Locals but Long Forward Pass Almost Beats Them”. 

[39]  Detroit Free Press. December 6, 1920. p. 11. “EACH ELEVEN SCORES ONCE: Heralds and Maroons Go to 7-7 Tie on Muddy Grid Sunday Afternoon”. 

[40] Rock Island Independents (2020) 1920 R.I. Independents [Read All About It][1920] [Internet] Available from: http://www.rockislandindependents.com/index_frame.htm [Accessed 18 September 2020]

[41] Decatur Staleys (2020) Staleys [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20050517205446/http://home.comcast.net/~esterneman/sternaman/football.htm [accessed 19 September 2020]

 [42] Bob Carroll, The Coffin Corner Vol. 10 No. 4, Pro Football Researchers Association (1988) George Roudebush – [Internet] Available from: https://web.archive.org/web/20101127053406/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/10-04-344.pdf  Accessed 19 September 2020]

[43] Jim Quirk, The Coffin Corner Vol. 20 No. 1, Pro Football Researchers Association (1998) The Minneapolis Marines – Minnesota’s Forgotten NFL Team – [Internet] Available from:  https://web.archive.org/web/20101218204303/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/20-01-732.pdf Accessed 19 September 2020][Also Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20071210085947/http://footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=marines [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[44] Website (2009) Toledo Maroons [Internet] Available from: https://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/krd4052/FootballResearch/ohio/ohtolmar.htm&date=2009-10-26+01:32:02 [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[45] Cleveland (2015) 100 Years ago, were Youngstown Patricians pro football’s world champs? (photos) [Internet] available from: https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2015/11/100_years_ago_youngstown_patri.html [Accessed 20 September 2020]

[46] Google News: Youngsown Vindicator, October 11, 1920 pg. 10. Akron downs “Pats” in close contest [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eGxKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QYYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1462%2C4224078 [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[47] Google News: Youngstown Vindicator, October 4, 1920. pg. 14 Sharon beaten by Patricians [Internet] Available from: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dGxKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QYYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3879%2C2787954  [Accessed 20 September 2020]

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: 20 September 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

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

Standings

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
APFA Pro Team
*Muncie Flyers	3	3	0	0	56	14	1.000
Northern Indiana
*South Bend Arrows (C)	9	9	0	0			1.000
Goshen Delts
Michigan City Nepos
Rum Village
Mishiwaka Pastimes
Fort Wayne Pyramids
Southern Indiana
*Gas City Flyers	9	9	2	0	457	41	.818
Muncie Offers More AC
Muncie Tigers
Wabash AA
Jonesboro AC
Portland-Redkey Legion

Playoffs

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	City Championships
05.12.1920	Muncie Offers More AC	0	Muncie Flyers	24
	Challenge Game
28.11.1920	Gas City Tigers	7	Muncie Flyers	19
12.12.1920	Muncie Flyers	13	Gas City Tigers	7
	Muncie Flyers won series 2-0
	Championship
1920	South Bend Arrows	6	Gas City	0

Results

Date	Home Team		Away Team
1920	Chicago ?	L	South Bend Arrows	W
1920	??	L	South Bend Arrows	W
1920	South Bend Arrows	W	Goshen Delts	L
1920	South Bend Arrows	41	Michigan City Nepos	0
1920	South Bend Arrows	20	Wabash AA	0
1920	South Bend Arrows	18	Rum Village	0
1920	South Bend Arrows	12	Michiwaka Pastimes	0
1920	South Bend Arrows	13	Fort Wayne Pyramids	0

Report North Indiana

The South Bend Arrows, who were sponsored by the alcoholic drink, Arrow, were hurt badly by the prohibition on alcohol, which came into effect in 1920. In order to survive without sponsorship they decided to focus mainly on home matches as well as only playing away matches within a 50 km radies of South Bend.

The two away matches they played in 1920 they won, though who against has gone unrecorded, one was possiblyy against a Chicago team, and the other against another Indiana team.

The rest of the season they played at home, winning all six matches against Goshen Delts, Michigan City Nepos, Wabash AA, Rum Village, Mishiwaka Pastimes and then a final match 13-0 against Fort Wayne Pyramids, giving them the right to call themselves Northern Indiana Champions.

Meanwhile, in Southern Indiana, a team from Gas City had also gone undefeated so a post-season Championship Game, which the the press called the Indiana State Football Championship was organised, with South Bend winning 6-0.

The South Bend Arrows, from the same city as the Irish Catholic University, Notre Dame. with its famed Fighting Irish Football Team, featured on their squad a player with an Irish name, Cavanaugh, who played Right End.

Note: Total Record including Playoffs. *Qualify for Championship Series

Report South Indiana

Who won the Indiana State Football Championship in 1920 is a matter of debate. For starters there was no Official League, and secondly the State’s best team in 1919, the Muncie Flyers, signed up to play in the American Professional Football Association (APFA) – the first National Football League for Pro teams, adopting the name NFL in 1992.

The Flyers, however, were to lose their first game in the APFA on opening weekend 45-0 to the Rock Island Independents of Illinois, and had trouble scheduling matches after that. No team was willing to play them for the next three weeks, and players signed on with the Dayton Triangles in the APFA, Fort Wayne Friars (AAA – National Division 2) or Indiana State Football Circuit teams such as the Wabash AA and Muncie Tigers.

By the end of the season after scheduling three more games and having their opponents cancel to play more lucrative teams (and one cancelled due to rain), the Muncie Flyers were then challenged to a game for the Indiana State Championship by Gas City Tigers, who had won all nine games they had played.

The Flyers won 19-7 and then in a game the Gas City Journal described as “a team of college stars” (Flyers) versus “a team of highly skilled players” (Muncie Offers More AC), the Flyers won 24-0 against the MOM FC to win the City Championship for the second year running. In a rematch for the State Championship, this tome on home ground in Muncie, the Flyers defeated Gas City 13-7 to take the series 2-0.

After playing at AAA (National Division 2) in 1919 against the likes of the Cincinnati Celts and Dayton Oakwoods and finishing the season with a respectable 4-1-1 record, the Flyers found the jump to the APFA (NFL) in 1920 too much, but by the end of the season, having dropped back down to play the Indiana State Championship went 3-0, including two wns against the Gas City Tigers who had won all 9 games they had played, out-scoring opponents 443 points to 9.

References

References

Websites

[1] Emil Klosinski, The Coffin Corner Vol. 14 No. 3, Pro Football Researchers Association (1992) Inflation of 1920; A Tale of Two Cities – [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/14-03-463.pdf  [Accessed 18 September 2020]

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

[3] 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]

[4] Sports Encyclopedia (2020) Muncie Flyers [Internet] Available from: https://sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/muncie/flyers.html [Accessed 19 September 2020]

[5] Roy Sye, The Coffin Corner Vol. 24 No. 3, Pro Football Researchers Association (2002) Muncie Flyers 1920 – [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/24-03-937.pdf  Accessed 18 September 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Rose McCabe, Ann Hanley, Gabriel McCloyne, Peter Lemass, Ciaran Simms, Gerry Tully.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 September 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

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

Results

Date	Home Team		Away Team
	Regular Season
03.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	0	Cincinnati Celts (OH)	6
10.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	1	Dayton Counting Scales (OH)	0 #
17.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	14	Columbus Panhandles (OH)	0
24.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	1	Cleveland Panthers (OH)	0 #
31.10.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	0	Lansing Oldsmobiles (MICH)	0
11.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	0	Detroit Heralds (MICH)	0
11.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	7	Pitcairn Quakers (PA)	0
	Championship Game
11.1920	Fort Wayne Friars	6	Notre Dame Fighting Irish Freshmen	18

Note: Teams in Italics played in the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The APFA changed its name to the National Football League in 1922.

Report

While the National Football League had just started up in 1920 (as the American Professional Football Association), the country was in the midst of war inflation as a hangover from World War I, as well as the imposition of the abolition on alcohol which affected many sports teams as they relied on sponsorship from the brewing companies.

Fort Wayne Friars in Indiana decided to combat this by playing a home-only schedule and take on all-comers, thus saving money. They lost their first game 0-6 to the Cincinnati Celts, one of four Ohio teams they had scheduled to play in October. The next game against Dayton Computing Scales was forfeited by the Dayton team, as did the Friars fourth opponent Cleveland Panthers.

In between the Friars defeated Columbus Panandles, an APFA team (the name of the NFL from 1920 to 1921), before then embarking on a series of matches against Michigan teams, tying with both Lansing Oldsmobiles and Detroit Heralds (another APFA team) 0-0. The Friars finished off the season undefeated by triumphing 7-0 against the Pitcairn Quakers from Pennsylvania.

After the season a match was arranged with Knute Rockne’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish, although on the day the match was arranged the Fighting Irish were playing Michigan Aggies, so the Fighting Irish sent their Freshmen team, which came from 6-0 down to defeat the Fort Wayne Friars, in a post-season Championship Game of sorts. The Fort Wayne Friars finished the season 4-2-2 including two forfeit wins, and the post-season game with the Fighting Irish Freshmen.

References

Websites

[1] Emil Klosinski, The Coffin Corner Vol. 14 No. 3, Pro Football Researchers Association (1992) Inflation of 1920; A Tale of Two Cities – [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/14-03-463.pdf  [Accessed 18 September 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Rose McCabe, Ann Hanley, Gabriel McCloyne, Peter Lemass, Ciaran Simms, Gerry Tully.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 September 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

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

Teams

West	East
Phoenix	Toronto
Seattle	New York
Chicago	Tampa
Anaheim	Memphis
Mexico City	Birmingham

Report

The Universal Football League was announced as yet another “Major” Football league on October 5, 1973 with intentions to begin play in Fall (Autumn) 1974. Two men fro Dayton (Ohio) had planned to start the league: Tony Rizzano and Louis S. Goldman.

The league never made it past the planning stages, presumably because of the appearance of the World Football league which played from 1974 to 1975, but also possibly because there was another attempt at a World Football league at the same time: the National Football Leagues attempts to start a league in Europe: the Intercontinental Football League.

References

Websites

Origins of the WLAF

[2] Tod Maher, The Coffin Corner Volume 14 No. 2, Pro Football Researchers Association (1992) Origins of the WLAF  [Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/14-02-455.pdf  [Accessed 18 September 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Louise Wills (Kenny) and John Wills and Karl & Clive Saab.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 September 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

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