History Akron Pros

1 history

1.1 origins
1.2 parratt s indians
1.3 burkhardts
1.4 pros

1.4.1 founding of national football league (nfl)
1.4.2 1920 nfl champions


1.5 decline

history
origins

the 1908 akron indians.



the akron pros in 1910.

prior 1908, several semi-pro , amateur teams dominated akron football scene. dominant of these team known akron east ends. east ends dominance of ohio football went unmatched until massillon tigers paid several ringers disbanded pittsburgh stars defeat east ends in 1903.

the akron indians date far 1908. indians teams went on win ohio league championships in 1908, 1909, 1913 , 1914. team referred indians fans. 1908–1913, indians had reputation of playing more of style of football seen @ college level of athletic clubs. example, indians preferred passing ball opposed running. team tied akron city title in 190

parratt s indians

peggy parratt.

before 1912 season, peggy parratt, football star massillon tigers, franklin athletic club , shelby blues, joined indians. made move after realizing make more money in large football market akron provided. when arrived in akron, first move change team name akron indians parratt s indians . peggy player, coach, , owner-manager, indians split series shelby , twice defeated canton, 14–7 , 19–7. however, defeated unheard of elyria athletics, took ohio championship. athletics former blues players formed team in elyria after parratt left akron.

the following season, parratt brought of elyria s 1912 championship team akron, , adding them roster. indians beat shelby , elyria. managed tie rapidly improving canton pros. during indians championship game against shelby, blues loaded team collection of famous players big eastern schools , supported each member payroll of $700 1 game. however, game cancelled due snowstorm. week later when blues returned akron, indians prepared newly recruited talent viewed superior of shelby s. indians won game 20–0 , brought ohio title akron.

for 1914 recruiting efforts, parratt signed usual big-name players, consisted of lineup changed week week, enough stars on hand guarantee win. however, in 1914, employed several former notre dame stars, including legendary knute rockne, howard horse edwards, deke jones, , joe collins, several ohio collegiate stars ed kagy, dwight wertz, homer davidson, dutch powell, frank nesser, , ralph fat waldsmith. late season, entire left side of akron indian line notre dame. team dominated ohio league season. however, managed lose canton 6–0 on november 15, 1914. despite win, canton s captain harry turner died when spine broke during tackle on akron fullback joe collins. turner s death marked first fatal accident involving major professional football team in ohio.

to avoid akron title in 1915 owners of massillon tigers raided parratt s akron roster , took away many of star players. canton manager jack cusack picked former akron players , signed jim thorpe renamed canton bulldogs team. end of season, parratt s team made of akron sandlotters. after disastrous 1915 season, parratt returned cleveland, took of former akron players , few ex-collegians , formed respectable team, named cleveland tigers.

burkhardts

in 1916 local brewer, burkhardt brewing company, took on remains of indians , renamed club akron burkhardts. team reorganized howe welch , brothers chang , suey. after 3 seasons, welch player, coach , manager akron, playing against many of professional football s stars. 1916 burkhardts had winning record despite falling bulldogs , splitting two-game series columbus panhandles. in 1918 team once again renamed indians, disputed due many records of time still refer club burkhardts until 1920. 1919 team, finished season 5–5–0. however, indians lost money despite presence of 1 of country s best breakaway runners, fritz pollard, league s first black player. 1917 through @ least 1921, indians name sold off suey welch, fielded independent club.

pros

after experiencing financial losses 1912 1919, team sold art ranney, akron businessman , former football player @ university of akron, , frank nied, cigar store proprietor in 1920. new owners dropped indian moniker , went pros, hoping inspire better results, or @ least better attendance. nied , ranney befriended , signed fritz pollard team. 2 co-owners later made pollard first african-american coach in nfl.

founding of national football league (nfl)

the minutes september 17, 1920, meeting formed afpa, kept on stationery of akron pros football team 1 of owners, art ranney. ranney elected secretary-treasurer of league (later renamed national football league in 1922).

1920 nfl champions


akron pros 1920 team photo

pollard , of top 1919 players planned return pros in 1920. team opened season @ league park in october defeating wheeling stogies, 43 0. al nesser, 1 of infamous football-playing nesser brothers, scored 3 touchdowns on fumble recoveries. following week pros defeated columbus panhandles 37 0 using former guard, frank mccormick wingback. after 13–0 win on cincinnati celts, pros played cleveland tigers, team composed of ex-stars massillon tigers. ironically bob nash, played massillon in 1919, broke stan cofall punt resulting in akron touchdown , final score of 7–0. pros shocked league beating canton bulldogs, considered top team in nation in 1920 stars jim thorpe, joe guyon, pete calac , pete henry, 10–0. however, after rained out game against detroit heralds, pros played reorganized tigers team held pros 7–7 tie. team, under rushing of pollard , mccormick, rebounded defeating dayton triangles 13–0. after 7–0 victory in rematch canton, second win on dayton, pros recognized top team in ohio.

the pros held buffalo all-americans scoreless tie in front of 3,000. @ game, nied , ranney agreed sell bob nash buffalo $300 , 5 percent of gate in first known player deal between nfl clubs. however, since pros held best record in league, had avoid losing game, while buffalo , decatur staleys had win in order capture afpa championship. pros held staleys scoreless tie in front of 12,000 fans @ cub park.

both all-americans , staleys complained championship, arguing akron had not defeated them. pros not named afpa champs until april 30, 1921, after team managers got @ canton , voted title akron, granting team brunswick-balke collender cup. (not coincidentally, ranney, league s secretary, presided on meeting de facto president of league, since neither president jim thorpe nor vice president stan cofall appeared @ meeting.) according modern nfl tie-breaking rules, 1920 buffalo all-americans co-champions. tied pros in win percentage, 9½ wins 1½ losses (.864), both teams beating out decatur staleys, have season counted 11 wins 2 losses (.846).

decline

the pros finished in 3rd place in 1921 , 10th place in 1922. team finished higher 13th place in 1925, when completed season @ fifth. following 1925 season, pros returned being akron indians. new team played next 4 seasons before disbanding due declining financial support , team’s poor record after 1926 season. team suspended operations in 1927 , formally surrendered franchise following year.