On October 3, 1920, the opening day of the season that would be the most profitable professional sports organization in the world had seen two games take place. The American Professional Football Association(APFA) had launched their opening games of the season. In Dayton, Ohio, the Dayton Triangles hosted the Columbus Panhandles in Triangle Park. And the Rock Island Independents hosted the Muncie Flyers. Rock Island had played the St. Paul Ideals the previous week, but the Ideals were not in the league. So therefore, these two games are officially recognized as the first in league history.
The Dayton Triangles/Columbus Panhandles contest is officially recognized as the league's first ever game. Dayton head coach Nelson Talbot went against Panhandles head coach Ted Nesser. The first touchdown scored in league play was by Triangles running back Lou Partlow. Partlow's touchdown is all the team needed as they beat Columbus 14-0. Dayton went 5-2-2 on the season. Columbus went 2-6-2.
Meanwhile in Rock Island, Independents head coach Rube Ursella went against coach Ken Huffine. Three minutes into the game, Rock Island's Ed Shaw blocked a punt attempt as Arnold Wyman scooped it up for touchdown as they cruised to an easy 45-0 victory over the Flyers. Rock Island went 6-2-2 on the season. Sadly, the Flyers would never play another game in the league.
Little did anyone know the kind of impact the league would have not only in the United States, but all over the world, too. These two games marked the beginning of greatness even though the future of the sport looked bleak at best in the coming years.
By the end of the season, the Akron Pros had clinched the APFA Title after tying the Decatur Staleys in the finale. The Staleys lost to the Racine Cardinals, and Akron had went unbeaten on the season to claim the championship. No playoffs took place, and the team with the best winning percentage took the title. That would change in 1933.
Of the 14 teams that started the professional league, only four of them finished their schedule in 1920: Akron, Buffalo All-Americans, Decatur, and the Canton Bulldogs. Of those 14 teams, only two exist today in what was renamed to the National Football League in 1922: The Decatur Staleys(known now as the Chicago Bears) and Racine Cardinals(known now as the Arizona Cardinals).
The NFL had financial troubles in their early years in large part due to the rising popularity of the college game as well as economic depression that saw many franchises fold by the early 1930s. The league was able to survive those tough times which also included rival organizations attempting to overtake them. By the 1960s, the upstart American Football League had posed a serious threat to the NFL. A merger was eventually agreed upon, and the league has thrived ever since.
The NFL has the highest ratings of any sport in the United States, and also has the highest per game attendance for any sporting event in the world. It's popularity has reached heights never seen in a professional sports league in the world. Those two games on that October day had given the fledging league a chance to become the powerful organization that exists today. Thanks to those franchises who sacrificed their lives to bring us the most successful professional sports league in the world, the National Football League!
Thanks for viewing, and I hope you enjoyed today's FSD History Flashback!
10/03/2008 11:20:00 AM
David Funk
5 comments:
MAN this was an AWESOME one david!
Thanks girl! I knew you of all people would like this one better than most because of it being an NFL one.
I dig this post
I wonder how many fantasy points each player scored that year? :)
Cool history lesson.
3rd- It probably would have been tough to get fantasy points because the starters didn't get to play as often then. Plus, it was a good while before the league saw consistent rushing and passing stats from individual players. Thanks for commenting.
Lester- Thanks for stopping by.
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