1920 Canton Bulldogs season

Sports season March 2026 November 2013 Canton Bulldogs 1920 canton bulldogs team.png Canton Bulldogs team. 1920 7–4–2 Overall 4-3-1 APFA 8th Ralph Hay Jim Thorpe League Fieldhttp://www.hickoksports.com/history/cantonbulldogs.shtml Canton Bulldogs HickokSports.com February 18, 2009 March 31, 2012 https://archive.today/20130125194113/http://www.hickoksports.com/history/cantonbulldogs.shtml January 25, 2013 dead mdy-all The 1920 Canton Bulldogs season was the franchise's sixteenth and its first in the American Professional Football Association (APFA), which became the National Football League two years later. Jim Thorpe, the APFA's president, was Canton's coach and a back who played on the team. The Bulldogs entered the season coming off a 9–0–1 performance as Ohio League champions in 1919. The team opened the season with a 48–0 victory over the Pitcairn Quakers, and finished with a 7–4–2 record, taking eighth place in the 14-team APFA. A then-record crowd of 17,000 fans watched Canton's week 12 game against Union AA of Phoenixville. The 1920 season was Thorpe's last with the Bulldogs. Thorpe, who was of mixed American Indian ancestry, left after the season to organize and play for an all-Native American team in LaRue, Ohio. Cap Edwards replaced Thorpe as the team's coach, and Wilbur Henry, Cub Buck, Harrie Dadmun, Joe Guyon, and Pete Calac were named to the All-Pro list. Three 1920 Bulldogs players—Thorpe, Guyon and Pete Henry—were later elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 2 Offseason Representatives of four Ohio League teams—the Bulldogs, the Cleveland Tigers, the Dayton Triangles, and the Akron Pros—called a meeting on August 20, 1920, to discuss the formation of a new league. At the meeting, they tentatively agreed on a salary cap and pledged not to sign college players or players already under contract with other teams. They also agreed on a name for the circuit: the American Professional Football Conference.PFRA Research (1980), pp. 3–4Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini (2010), pp. 352–353 They then invited other professional teams to a second meeting on September 17. At that meeting, held at Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom in Canton, representatives of the Rock Island Independents, the Muncie Flyers, the Decatur Staleys, the Racine Cardinals, the Massillon Tigers, the Chicago Cardinals, and the Hammond Pros agreed to join the league. Representatives of the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons could not attend the meeting, but sent letters to Hay asking to be included in the league.PFRA Research (1980), p. 4 Team representatives changed the league's name slightly to the American Professional Football Association and elected officers, installing Jim Thorpe as president.https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1920/09/19/113313269.pdf Thorpe Made President The New York Times September 19, 1920 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f8MWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OiEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3568,5105560&dq=gridders&hl=en https://archive.today/20120711044518/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f8MWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OiEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3568,5105560&dq=gridders&hl=en dead July 11, 2012 Organize Pro Gridders; Choose Thorpe, Prexy The Milwaukee Journal September 19, 1920 24 Under the new league structure, teams created their schedules dynamically as the season progressed,Peterson (1997), p. 74Davis (2005), p. 59 and representatives of each team voted to determine the winner of the APFA trophy.Price Mark April 25, 2011 http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246 Searching for Lost Trophy Akron Beacon-Journal June 23, 2012 Schedule Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 October 3 Pitcairn Quakers W 48–0 1–0 Lakeside Park Recap "Canton Bulldogs Open Auspiciously: Roll Up 48 to 0 Tally Against Pitcairn (PA) Quakers, Guyon Starring," Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 4, 1920, p. 18. 2 October 10 Toledo Maroons W 42–0 2–0 Lakeside Park Recap 3 October 17 Cleveland Tigers W 7–0 3–0 Lakeside Park 7,000 Recap 4 October 24 at Dayton Triangles T 20–20 3–0–1 Triangle Park 5,000 Recap Barney, "News and Views," Dayton Herald, Oct. 25, 1920, p. 14. 5 October 31 Akron Pros L 0–10 3–1–1 Lakeside Park 6,000Pro Football Reference has this crowd as 10,000. Recap Tod Maher and Bob Gill (eds.), The Pro Football Encyclopedia: The Complete and Definitive Record of Professional Football. New York: Macmillan USA, 1997; p. 99. 6 November 7 at Cleveland Tigers W 18–0 4–1–1 Dunn Field 8,000 Recap 7 November 14 Chicago Tigers W 21–0 5–1–1 Lakeside Park 8,000It is possible that this figure is grossly inflated. According to a Rock Island, Illinois sportswriter, Gil Falcon of the Chicago Tigers told Walter Flanagan of the Rock Island Independents that the actual attendance for this game was 1,575. See: Bruce Copeland, "Collegians Superior to Bulldogs: Washington and Jefferson Combination with Three 1920 Collegiate Captains in Lineup, Adjudged Better Than Cantonians," Rock Island [IL] Argus, Nov. 20, 1920, p. 13. Recap 8 November 21 at Buffalo All-Americans W 3–0 6–1–1 Buffalo Baseball Park 9,000 Recap 9 November 25 at Akron Pros L 0–7 6–2–1 League Field 6,500 Recap Cleveland Plain Dealer News Bureau, [Akron Forces Thorpians to Yield Laurel: Rubber City Team Becomes World's Pro Football Champ by Second Defeat of Bulldogs,"] Rock Island [IL] Argus, Nov. 26, 1920, p. 27. — November 28 at Rock Island IndependentscanceledGame originally scheduled for November 21 postponed by Rock Island to November 28 due to player injuries, then canceled by Canton for financial reasons. "Canton Bulldogs Play Here Nov. 28: Jim Thorpe Allows Time for Crippled Locals to Regain Condition; No Game Sunday," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 16, 1920, p. 15.Bruce Copeland, "Canton Game is Off, Thorpe Says: Turns Down $4,000 Guarantee on Pretext of Losing Money; Sinister Motives are Feared," Rock Island Argus, Nov. 19, 1920, p. 32. 10 December 4 at Buffalo All-Americans L 3–7 6–3–1 Polo Grounds 10,000Brooklyn Daily Times has the crowd at 7,000, Maher and Gill (eds.), Pro Football Encyclopedia, p. 99 indicates 12,000. Recap "Buffalo Pros Beat the Canton Bulldogs: Frank McNeil's Champions Score Notable Victory Over Jim Thorpe's Eleven at the Polo Grounds," Buffalo News, Dec. 5, 1920, p. 57."Youngstrum's Touchdown Wins for Buffalo All-Americans: Jim Thorpe's Goal Only Score of Canton Bulldogs," Brooklyn Daily Times, Dec. 5, 1920, p. 13. 11 December 5 at Washington Glee Club T 0–0 6–3–2 New Haven, Connecticut 3,000 Recap 12 December 11 at Union AA of Phoenixville L 7–13 6–4–2 Phillies Park 17,000 Recap 13 December 18 at Richmond AC W 39–0 7–4–2 Boulevard Field Recap Note: Non-APFA teams appear in italics. Thanksgiving Day: November 25. Standings thumb|right|Jim Thorpe, player-coach of the Canton Bulldogs Game summaries Game 1: vs. Pitcairn Quakers Quakers 0 0 0 0 Bulldogs 34 0 0 14 October 3, 1920, at Lakeside Park The Bulldogs opened the 1920 season against the Pitcairn Quakers. The team got out to a quick lead and was never in danger, scoring 34 points in the first quarter as back Joe Guyon rushed for three touchdowns, tackle Pete Henry caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from back Tex Grigg, and back Johnny Hendren returned an interception for a touchdown.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dGxKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QYYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2868%2C2793544 Canton Trims Pitcairn Team Youngstown Vindicator October 4, 1920 19 The Bulldogs were only forced to punt once in the game, and did not attempt to score in the second and third quarters because of the large lead. In the fourth quarter, however, end Bunny Corcoran caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Guyon, and back Ike Martin ran for a one-yard touchdown.May 2020 The final score was 48–0, and Guyon was the offensive star. Game 2: vs. Toledo Maroons Maroon 0 0 0 0 Bulldogs 7 14 14 7 October 10, 1920, at Lakeside Park The Bulldogs were scheduled to play their second game against the Rochester Jeffersons, but faced the Toledo Maroons after that match was cancelled.http://www.profootballarchives.com/1920apfacan.html 1920 Canton Bulldogs The Pro Football Archives Maher Sports Media April 2, 2012 For the second game in a row the Bulldogs scored over 40 points in a shutout as Martin and Guyon dominated on offense.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201011&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Canton Stops Toledo Eleven Youngstown Vindicator October 11, 1920 11 Martin scored the first touchdown of the game with a run in the first quarter.May 2020 In the second quarter, Hendren scored a rushing touchdown, and end Tom Whelan caught a touchdown pass from Grigg.May 2020 In the third quarter, Martin caught a touchdown pass from Grigg, and Grigg rushed for another.May 2020 The Bulldogs' final score was a rushing touchdown from back Pete Calac in the fourth quarter.May 2020 The final score was 48–0. The Maroons never got close to scoring and did not make a single a first down. Game 3: vs. Cleveland Tigers Tigers 0 0 0 0 Bulldogs 7 0 0 0 October 17, 1920, at Lakeside Park The Bulldogs next faced the Cleveland Tigers, their first APFA opponent, and won 7–0 before a crowd of 7,000 people.May 2020 Despite the Bulldogs' 15 first downs, the only score of the game came on Martin's 7-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-u9XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BEUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4221%2C2532398 Canton Beats Cleveland October 18, 1920 14 The Toledo News-Bee Thorpe made his season debut in the game, coming in as a substitute in the fourth quarter. Game 4: at Dayton Triangles Bulldogs 7 7 3 3 Triangles 0 14 6 0 October 24, 1920, at Triangle Park Bulldogs battled the Dayton Triangles in week five. The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the first quarter on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Pete Calac.May 2020 But the Triangles came back in the second quarter,https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201025&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Thorpe Saves Canton Eleven with Two Goals Youngstown Vindicator October 25, 1920 10 scoring twice: back Frank Bacon had a four-yard rushing touchdown, and end Dave Reese had a 50-yard receiving touchdown.May 2020 Guyon scored a 22-yard rushing touchdown during the corner, but the extra point sailed wide.May 2020 In the third quarter, the Triangles responded with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by back Lou Partlow, but Dayton missed the extra point to make the score 20–14.May 2020 Thorpe then came into the game, and kicked a 45-yard field goal to bring his team within three points. In the final minutes, Thorpe kicked another 35-yard field goal to tie it.May 2020 The Triangles were the first team to score on the Bulldogs since the opening game of the previous year. Game 5: vs. Akron Pros Pros 3 7 0 0 Bulldogs 0 0 0 0 October 31, 1920, at Lakeside Park The Bulldogs' next opponent was the Akron Pros, who were undefeated at the time and were gaining attention around the league.Carroll (1982), p. 2 The game was the first of a two-game series between the Bulldogs and Pros, considered to be two of the best teams in the country.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MC1KAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_YUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3302%2C1526680 Akron Takes Canton in Great Game Youngstown Vindicator November 1, 1920 20 In the first quarter, after an exchange of punts, Pros tackle Charlie Copley kicked a 38-yard field goal.May 2020 On a Bulldog possession at midfield, a Gilroy pass was tipped by the Pros' Copley and Bob Nash. Pros tackle Pike Johnson caught the ball before it landed and ran 55 yards for a touchdown.May 2020 In the third quarter, Jim Thorpe came into the game but could not get the Bulldogs back into the game. Game 6: at Cleveland Tigers Bulldogs 0 14 2 2 Tigers 0 0 0 0 November 7, 1920, at Dunn Field Coming off their first loss, the Bulldogs faced the Cleveland Tigers in week seven. Neither team scored in the first quarter, but the Bulldogs ran for two touchdowns in the second. Calac and Grigg had 6- and 15-yard rushing touchdowns.May 2020 The Bulldogs' defense forced two safeties—one in the third and one in the fourth quarter—to win the game 18–0.May 2020 Game 7: vs. Chicago Tigers Tigers 0 0 0 0 Bulldogs 0 14 7 0 November 14, 1920, at Lakeside Park The Bulldogs' next matchup was against the Chicago Tigers. The first scoring came in the second quarter, when Higgins recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown.May 2020 In the same quarter, Henry caught an interception and ran it back 50 yards for a touchdown.May 2020 Calac then ran for a one-yard touchdown in the third quarter to seal the 21–0 win.May 2020 Game 8: at Buffalo All-Americans Bulldogs 0 0 0 3 All-Americans 0 0 0 0 November 21, 1920, at Buffalo Baseball Park In week nine, the Bulldogs played the Buffalo All-Americans, who were undefeated at the time. Thorpe started the game but came out at halftime because he believed it would end in a tie.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201122&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Canton Downs Buffalo Team Youngstown Vindicator 11 November 22, 1920 Both teams were slowed by a muddy field, and the football became soggy after three quarters. The lone score of the game came with under four minutes to play: a field goal from the Bulldogs' Feeney. The game was the only loss of the season for the All-Americans. Game 9: at Akron Pros Bulldogs 0 0 0 0 Pros 7 0 0 0 November 25, 1920, at League Park In week ten, the Bulldogs played the Pros for the second time in the season. In the first quarter, a fumbled punt by the Bulldogs gave the Pros the ball at their 32-yard line. On the ensuing drive, the Pros passed for the game's lone score, a touchdown from King to Nash. The Bulldogs lost 7–0 in the first professional game played on Thanksgiving Day, which launched a yearly tradition.Akron Defeats Canton Eleven: Wins Professional Championship for the World from Thorpe's Bulldogs November 26, 1920 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=pqgf-8x9CmQC&dat=19201126&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Youngstown Vindicator 13http://www.nfl.com/thanksgiving/story?id=09000d5d8045a5e3&template=without-video&confirm=true Thanksgiving Serves up Classic Games National Football League December 14, 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100410093827/http://www.nfl.com/thanksgiving/story?id=09000d5d8045a5e3&template=without-video&confirm=true April 10, 2010 Game 10: at Buffalo All-Americans Bulldogs 0 0 3 0 All-Americans 0 0 0 7 December 4, 1920, at Polo Grounds The following week, the Bulldogs played their second game against the All-Americans, losing 7–3.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aO9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fkINAAAAIBAJ&pg=1212,1102615&dq=canton+bulldogs&hl=en Tigers Tame Jim Thorpe's Bulldogs The Sunday Chronicle December 5, 1920 12 The Bulldogs did not get a first down or complete a pass during the game,https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1920/12/05/102991292.pdf All-Americans Win Pro Gridiron Game The New York Times December 5, 1920 but Thorpe kicked a field goal in the third quarter after a fumble recovery for the team's only score. In the fourth quarter, All-Americans tackle Youngstrom blocked a Thorpe punt and returned it for a touchdown. The Sunday Chronicle named Thorpe, Henry and Lowe as the Bulldogs' stars, while Anderson, Youngstrom, and Miller were the standouts for the All-Americans. Game 11: at Washington Glee Club Bulldogs 0 0 0 0 Glee Club 0 0 0 0 December 5, 1920, in Weiss Park The following day, the Bulldogs played the non-APFA Washington Glee Club.http://www.profootballarchives.com/1920newhwa.html 1920 New Haven Washington Glees The Pro Football Archives Maher Sports Media April 2, 2012 Coming into the game, the Glee Club allowed just seven points all season. The teams tied 0–0 before a crowd of 3,000 people. Game 12: at Union AA of Phoenixville Bulldogs 0 7 0 0 AA of Phoenixville 0 7 6 0 December 11, 1920, at Phillies Park In their third game in seven days, the Bulldogs played Union AA of Phoenixville, who came into the game undefeated.http://www.profootballarchives.com/1920uni.html 1920 Union AA The Pro Football Archives Maher Sports Media April 2, 2012PFRA Research http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Forward_Into_Invisibility.pdf Forward into Invisibility: 1920 Professional Football Researchers Association 5 April 2, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101218174026/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Forward_Into_Invisibility.pdf December 18, 2010 Before the largest recorded crowd of the season, the Bulldogs lost to Union AA 13–7.May 2020 Neither team scored in the first quarter, but each scored a touchdown in the second.May 2020 The Bulldogs' Calac had a six-yard rushing touchdown, and Union AA's, Hayes caught a six-yard pass from Scott for a touchdown.May 2020 In the third quarter, Union AA's Hayes blocked a punt and ran it back for a touchdown, sealing the win.May 2020 Despite not being part of the APFA, AA of Phoenixville after the season called themselves the "US Professional Champions".PFRA Research http://www.profootballresearchers.org/articles/once_more_with_feeling.pdf Once More, With Feeling: 1921 Professional Football Researchers Association April 2, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101126223713/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Once_More_With_Feeling.pdf November 26, 2010 Lewis Perry Albert Union Eleven Defeats Canton, 13-7 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82068162/the-philadelphia-inquirer/ The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, Pennsylvania December 12, 1920 20 July 23, 2021 Newspapers.com Game 13: at Richmond AC Bulldogs 13 0 13 13 Richmond AC 0 0 0 0 December 18, 1920, at Boulevard Field The Bulldogs beat Richmond AC 39–0 in the final game of the season.May 2020 Richmond AC was not part of the APFA, and this was the team's only game in 1920.http://www.profootballarchives.com/1920ric.html https://archive.today/20120906153740/http://www.profootballarchives.com/1920ric.html dead September 6, 2012 1920 Richmond AC The Pro Football Archives Maher Sports Media April 2, 2012 The Bulldogs scored 13 points in the first, third, and fourth quarter to win in the shutout.May 2020 Guyon scored two rushing touchdowns, while Jim Thorpe threw touchdown passes to Corcoran and Lowe. The other two touchdowns came on runs by Whelen and Grigg.May 2020 Guyon made two field goals, and Thorpe added a third.May 2020 Post-season Hurt by losses to the Akron Pros and Buffalo All-Americans, the Bulldogs did not contend for the APFA trophy in 1920. Following the season, Thorpe left to start a new club composed of Native Americans in LaRue, Ohio and Cap Edwards took over as head coach. Sportswriter Bruce Copeland compiled the All-Pro list for the 1920 season, naming the Bulldogs' Wilbur Henry to the first team. Cub Buck, Harry Dadmun, and Joe Guyon were on the second team, and Pete Calac was on the third team.Hogrogian (1984), pp. 1–2 Three men who played for the 1920 Canton Bulldogs were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Thorpe and Pete Henry in 1963 and Guyon in 1966.http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=84 Joe Guyon Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=94 Wilbur (Pete) Henry Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=213 Jim Thorpe Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012 Roster Canton Bulldogs 1920 rosterRuehle Bernie July 18, 2007 http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~maxymuk/home/ongoing/canton.html Canton Bulldogs (1920–23, 1925–26) Rutgers University March 29, 2012 Cub Buck (T) Pete Calac (B/E) Bunny Corcoran (E/B) Harrie Dadmun (G/E) Cap Edwards (G/T) Al Feeney (C) Johnny Gilroy (B) Tom Gormley (G/T) Larry Green (E) Tex Grigg (B) Joe Guyon (B/E) Doc Haggerty (G) Art Haley (B) Johnny Hendren (B) Pete Henry (T) Bob Higgins (E) John Kellison (G/T) Bulger Lowe (E/T) Buck MacDonald (G) Al Maginnes (G/C) Ike Martin (B) Ralph Meadow (E) Joe Murphy (G) Dan O'Connor (G/T) Lou Smyth (B) Dutch Speck (G/C) Jim Thorpe (B/E) Tom Whelan (E/C) References 35em Further reading Braunwart Bob Carroll Bob 1981 http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/03-07-068.pdf The Ohio League The Coffin Corner Professional Football Researchers Association 3 7 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140822043543/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/03-07-068.pdf August 22, 2014 Carroll Bob 1982 http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/04-12-119.pdf Akron Pros 1920 The Coffin Corner Professional Football Researchers Association 4 12 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120311103636/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/04-12-119.pdf March 11, 2012 Hogrogian John 1984 http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/06-01-173.pdf 1920 All-Pros The Coffin Corner Professional Football Researchers Association 6 1 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140808122855/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/06-01-173.pdf August 8, 2014 PFRA Research 1980 http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf Happy Birthday NFL? The Coffin Corner Professional Football Researchers Association 2 8 https://web.archive.org/web/20110817020602/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf August 17, 2011 dead Siwoff Seymour Zimmber Jon Marini Matt 2010 The Official NFL Record and Fact Book 2010 National Football League 9781603208338 Category:Canton Bulldogs seasons Canton Bulldogs Canton Bulldogs