| Chicago Tigers | |
| Founded | 1920 |
| Folded | 1920 |
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Home field | Cub's Park |
| League | National Football League |
| Team History | Chicago Tigers (1920) |
| Team Colors | Black, Orange
|
| Head coaches | Guil Falcon |
| Owner(s) | Guil Falcon |
The Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association (now the NFL) played only in the first year of the league (1920) and, because of this, have the distinction of being the first official NFL team to fold. They had a record of 2 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie. The team played its home games at Chicago's Wrigley Field (then called Cub's Park) and was the first NFL team to do so. The Tigers were never formally members of the APFA. However since the team played in seven games against APFA teams in 1920, resulting in a 1-5-1 league record, that they're generally included in the league standings.
Contents |
The franchise
According to Emil Klosiinkski in the book, Pro Football in the Days of Rockne, the Tigers main offensive weapon was it's passing game. This is specifically referred to the passes thrown by Johnny Barrett and Milt Ghee to Jack Meagher and Oscar Knop. On October 24, 1920, the Decatur Staleys (renamed the Chicago Bears in 1922) played a game against the Tigers at Cub's Park and billed it as the "the season's most professional game" that would also determine the "pro title". Many Decatur games, at the time, were billed as championships in an attempt to lure crowds. Still the Staleys defeated the Tigers 10-0.
Winner-take-all legend
In 1920 the Tigers and Chicago Cardinals were playing for the same Chicago fan dollar. Legend has it, that the Cardinals' owner Chris O’Brien offered to play for the right to represent the city of Chicago in the APFA. The winner would remain as the city’s only professional team, the loser would fold operations. The Tigers’ owner Guil Falcon agreed to the terms. The game resulted ina 6-3 Cardinals win. John Paddy Driscoll scored the game’s only touchdown on a 40-yard run. As promised, the Tigers finished the season with a 2-5-1 record, dropped out of competition, becoming the first NFL/APFA team to fold. However there are two problems with the story. First, the Tigers played two more league games after losing to the Cardinals. Second, O'Brien was willing to let the Decatur Staleys play in Chicago the following season. According to the NFL, the Chicago Tigers fold between the 1920 and 1921 seasons.
Thanksgiving Day football
The Tigers' main claim to fame, other than being the first NFL team to disband, is that they helped start the tradition of playing on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1920, when they were defeated by the Decatur Staleys.
Season-by-season
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 11th | Guil Falcon |
References
- NFL Franchise Chronology: Chicago Tigers
- Winner Take All
- Klosiinkski, Emil (2006). Pro Football in the Days of Rockne. Panoply Publications. ISBN 1886571147. http://books.google.com/books?id=yjmt3zvvBg8C&dq=Chicago+Tigers+football&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
This American football team article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
