1920 APFA season

American football season November 2013 March 2026 1920 Akron Pros September 26 – December 19, 1920 The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural season of the American Professional Football Association, direct lineal forerunner of the National Football League, reorganized as such in 1922. The Association included 14 teams from the Midwest and Northeast during its inaugural season. Teams scheduled their own games, including contests against non-APFA opponents, with the champion to be determined by a vote of league owners rather than through raw winning percentage. At the league meeting held on April 30, 1921, the Akron Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup as champions for the 1920 season, the only year the trophy was used. History First meeting Prior to the APFA, there were several other loose, professional organizations; most of the APFA teams were from either the Ohio League or the New York Pro Football League. On August 20, 1920, a meeting attended by representatives of four Ohio League teams — Ralph Hay and Jim Thorpe for the Canton Bulldogs, Jimmy O'Donnell and Stan Cofall for the Cleveland Tigers, Carl Storck for the Dayton Triangles, and Frank Nied and Art Ranney for the Akron Pros — was held.Crippen Ken July 27, 2009 http://www.twobillsdrive.com/buffalo-bills-history/articles/the_rochester_jeffersons_take_the_national_stage_part_1/ The Rochester Jeffersons Take to the National Stage (Part 1) Two Bills Drive December 15, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20130217114444/http://www.twobillsdrive.com/buffalo-bills-history/articles/the_rochester_jeffersons_take_the_national_stage_part_1/ February 17, 2013 dead mdy-all At this initial session held at Ralph Hay's office in Canton, Ohio, the club representatives tentatively agreed to call their new league the American Professional Football Conference (APFC), to introduce a salary cap for the teams, and not to sign college players nor players under contract with another team.PFRA Research (1980), pp. 3–4Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini (2010), pp. 352–353 Plans were tentatively made by the four clubs to play one another "home and away,' creating a uniform six game schedule for each team."Happy Birthday NFL?", by PFRA Research, The Coffin Corner, Vol. 2, No. 8 (August 1980)"NFL Announces Plans to Celebrate 100th Season", NFL.com, August 1, 2019 thumb|right|Ralph Hay, one of the founding league owners. According to the Canton Evening Repository, the purpose of the league was to "raise the standard of professional football in every way possible, to eliminate bidding for players between rival clubs and to secure cooperation in the formation of schedules, at least for the bigger teams."Pro' Football Moguels Form National Body Canton Evening Repository August 21, 1920 The representatives then contacted other major professional teams and invited them to a meeting for September 17.PFRA Research (1980), p. 1 Organizational meeting Word of the new organization spread. A second meeting including an expanded circle of interested teams was called to Canton on September 17, 1920, for the purpose of formal organization. Participants included the original four APFC clubs, as well as a fifth Ohio team, the Columbus Panhandles that had played together with these teams in what historians later dubbed the "Ohio League"; four teams from Illinois (the Chicago Cardinals and Chicago Tigers, Decatur Staleys, and Rock Island Independents); two from Indiana (the Hammond Pros and Muncie Flyers); two from New York (the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons); and the Detroit Heralds from Michigan. These 14 founding teams determined to form a formal association known as the American Professional Football Association (APFA). Jim Thorpe, player-coach of the Canton Bulldogs, was named the APFA's first president — more for the publicity associated with his famous name than for any particular administrative prowess.David S. Neft, Richard M. Cohen, Jordan A. Deutsch, with John G. Hogrogian, Pro Football: The Early Years: An Encyclopedic History, 1895–1959. Ridgefield, Ct: Sports Products Inc. Publishers, 1978; pp. 15–16. A franchise admission fee of $100 was adopted — although George S. Halas, player-coach of the Chicago Staleys, later recalled that "I can testify that no money changed hands" between the 14 founding adopters. Writing in 1978, a team of gridiron historians noted that "This new organization did not resemble a league as we would know it today, but was more like a professional association whose sole functions were membership and articulation of some general principles. Perhaps the best modern-day analogy would be a weak form of the NCAA. As can be imagined, the league office had no influence on anybody. It set no schedules, leaving each team to arrange its own slate." Since scheduling was left in the hands of each team, there were wide variations from club to club in the total number of games played, the number played against fellow association members, and the strength of opponents added to the schedule. Traditional local rivalries were maintained, regardless of affiliation. For example, the Rochester Jeffersons played a schedule consisting mostly of local teams from their local sandlot circuit and the New York Professional Football League, playing but one game against an APFA opponent. Indeed, of the 90 games played by APFA teams during the football season of 1920, 51 were against teams not affiliated with the APFA. No official standings were maintained by the association or published in the press, with later standings for the APFA teams assembled and published by football historians after the fact. Because most APFA games played in 1920 matched teams from the same geographic area, fans in different regions had different opinions of who the league champion was — with the final determination to be made by a meeting of team owners held during the winter after completion of the season. Teams The APFA had 14 teams that played during its inaugural season. Team folded this season Team OwnerCraig R. Coenen, From Sandlots to the Super Bowl: The National Football League, 1920–1967. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2005; p. 13. Head coachhttps://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/coaches.htm 1920 APFA Coaches Pro-Football-Reference.com Sports Reference April 22, 2020 Stadium(s)https://www.pro-football-reference.com/stadiums/ NFL, AFL, and AAFC Stadium Pro-Football-Reference.com Sports Reference April 22, 2020 Akron Pros Fred Nied,Art Ranney Elgie Tobin Akron League Park Buffalo All-Americans Frank McNeil Tommy Hughitt Canisius Villa (7), Buffalo Baseball Park (3) Canton Bulldogs Ralph Hay Jim Thorpe Lakeside Park Chicago Cardinals Chris O'Brien Paddy Driscoll Normal Park Chicago Tigers Guil Falcon Guil Falcon Cubs Park Cleveland Tigers Stan Cofall,Jimmy O'Donnell Stan Cofall (3 games), Al Pierotti (5 games) Dunn Field Columbus Panhandles Joe Carr Ted Nesser Neil Park Dayton Triangles Carl Storck Bud Talbott Triangle Park Decatur Staleys A. E. Staley George Halas Staley Field Detroit Heralds Detroit Herald newspaper Billy Marshall Navin Field Hammond Pros Doc Young Hank Gillo Traveling team Muncie Flyers Earl Ball,Cooney Checkaye Ken Huffine Traveling team Rochester Jeffersons Leo Lyons Jack Forsyth Rochester Baseball Park Rock Island Independents Walter Flanigan,booster association Rube Ursella Douglas Park Season review The regular-season schedule was not fixed but was created dynamically by each team as the season progressed. The first game involving an APFA team occurred on September 26, when the Rock Island Independents beat the St. Paul Ideals 48–0. The first official game between APFA (NFL) members occurred on October 3, when the Dayton Triangles beat the Columbus Panhandles 14–0. The Triangles' Lou Partlow scored the league's first touchdown and George "Hobby" Kinderline kicked the first extra point. An historic marker placed by the Ohio Historical Society at Triangle Park in Dayton marks the location of that first ever game.http://www.daytonlocal.com/blog/community/triangle-park-site-of-first-game-in-the-nfl.asp Triangle Park: Site of First Game In The NFL Although both the Dayton Triangles and the Rock Island Independents hosted matchups on October 3, 1920, that are recognized as the first games played between two league franchises, localized contemporary newspaper records show that the Dayton game kicked off first. Because both cities operated on Central Standard Time (CST) in October 1920,Interstate Commerce Commission (1920). Standard Time Zone Boundary Changes, under the Standard Time Act of 1918, confirming Ohio's alignment with Central Standard Time (CST) prior to its mid-1920s transition to Eastern Time. Dayton's scheduled 2:30 PM CST kickoffOctober 3, 1920 Triangles and Pan Handles Ready for Opening Game https://newspapers.com Dayton Daily News Dayton, Ohio 35 Newspapers.com preceded Rock Island's 3:04 PM CST kickoffOctober 4, 1920 Flyers vs Independents Official Game Log https://newspapers.com The Rock Island Argus Rock Island, Illinois 11 Newspapers.com by 34 minutes. The final game of the season was a 14–14 tie between the Chicago Cardinals and the non-league Chicago Stayms on December 19, 1920.May 2020 The Decatur Staleys and the Canton Bulldogs played the most games in the season (13), while the Muncie Flyers played the fewest (1).http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf Past Standings National Football League 27 December 7, 2012 September 25, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130925182142/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf dead The Buffalo All-Americans scored the most points all season (258), and the Akron Pros allowed the fewest points (7).https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/ 1920 APFA Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics Pro-Football-Reference.com Sports Reference January 2, 2013 right vertical 1920 APFA teams' roster photos 200 Akron pros 1920.jpg Akron Pros 1920 canton bulldogs team.png Canton Bulldogs Chicago Cardinals 1920.jpeg Chicago Cardinals 1920DaytonTriangles.jpg Dayton Triangles Decatur staleys 1920.jpg Decatur Staleys + Key Symbol Meaning Highlighted APFA game Non-APFA team (numbers in parentheses) Team's win–loss–tie record September 26, 1920 Visitor Score Home Score Location St. Paul Ideals 0 Rock Island Independents (1–0–0) 48 Douglas Park October 3, 1920 Wheeling Stogies 0 Akron Pros (1–0–0) 43 Akron League Park West Buffalo 6 Buffalo All-Americans (1–0–0) 32 Canisius Field Pitcairn Quakers 0 Canton Bulldogs (1–0–0) 48 Lakeside Park Columbus Panhandles (0–1–0) 0 Dayton Triangles (1–0–0) 14 Triangle Park Moline Universal Tractors 0 Decatur Staleys (1–0–0) 20 Staley Field Muncie Flyers (0–1–0) 0 Rock Island Independents (2–0–0) 45 Douglas Park All-Buffalo 0 Rochester Jeffersons (1–0–0) 10 Rochester Baseball Park October 10, 1920 Columbus Panhandles (0–2–0) 0 Akron Pros (2–0–0) 37 Akron League Park All-Buffalo 0 Buffalo All-Americans (2–0–0) 51 Canisius Field Toledo Maroons 0 Canton Bulldogs (2–0–0) 42 Lakeside Park Racine Cardinals (0–0–1) 0 Chicago Tigers (0–0–1) 0 Cubs Park Cleveland Tigers (0–0–1) 0 Dayton Triangles (1–0–1) 0 Triangle Park Kewanee Walworths 7 Decatur Staleys (2–0–0) 25 Staley Field Cleveland Panthers 14 Detroit Heralds (1–0–0) 40 Mack Park Hammond Pros (0–1–0) 0 Rock Island Independents (3–0–0) 26 Douglas Park Fort Porter 0 Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–0) 66 Rochester Baseball Park October 17, 1920 Cincinnati Celts 0 Akron Pros (3–0–0) 13 Akron League Park McKeesport Olympics 7 Buffalo All-Americans (3–0–0) 28 Canisius Field Cleveland Tigers (0–1–1) 0 Canton Bulldogs (3–0–0) 7 Lakeside Park Moline Universal Tractors 3 Racine Cardinals (1–0–1) 33 St. Rita's Field Detroit Heralds (1–1–0) 0 Chicago Tigers (1–0–1) 12 Cubs Park Columbus Panhandles (0–3–0) 0 Fort Wayne Friars 14 Fort Wayne League Park Hammond Pros (0–2–0) 0 Dayton Triangles (2–0–1) 44 Triangle Park Decatur Staleys (3–0–0) 7 Rock Island Independents (3–1–0) 0 Douglas Park Utica Knights of Columbus 0 Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–1) 0 Rochester Baseball Park October 24, 1920 Cleveland Tigers (0–2–1) 0 Akron Pros (4–0–0) 7 Akron League Park Toledo Maroons 0 Buffalo All-Americans (4–0–0) 38 Canisius Field Canton Bulldogs (3–0–1) 20 Dayton Triangles (2–0–2) 20 Triangle Park Racine Cardinals (1–1–1) 0 Rock Island Independents (4–1–0) 7 Douglas Park Decatur Staleys (4–0–0) 10 Chicago Tigers (1–1–1) 0 Cubs Park Columbus Panhandles (0–4–0) 0 Detroit Heralds (2–1–0) 6 Mack Park Syracuse Stars 7 Rochester Jeffersons (3–0–1) 21 Rochester Baseball Park October 31, 1920 Akron Pros (5–0–0) 10 Canton Bulldogs (3–1–1) 0 Lakeside Park Rochester Jeffersons (3–1–1) 6 Buffalo All-Americans (5–0–0) 17 Canisius Field Detroit Heralds (2–2–0) 0 Racine Cardinals (2–1–1) 21 Cubs Park Chicago Tigers (1–2–1) 7 Rock Island Independents (5–1–0) 20 Douglas Park Columbus Panhandles (0–5–0) 0 Cleveland Tigers (1–2–1) 7 Dunn Field Cincinnati Celts 7 Dayton Triangles (3–0–2) 23 Triangle Park Decatur Staleys (5–0–0) 29 Rockford A.C. 0 Kishwaukee Park Hammond Pros (1–2–0) 14 Logan Square 9 Logan Square Park November 7, 1920 All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks 0 Buffalo All-Americans (6–0–0) 35 Canisius Field Canton Bulldogs (4–1–1) 18 Cleveland Tigers (1–3–1) 0 Dunn Field Racine Cardinals (3–1–1) 6 Chicago Tigers (1–3–1) 3 Cubs Park Columbus Panhandles (1–5–0) 10 Zanesville Mark Grays 0 Zanesville, Ohio Decatur Staleys (5–0–1) 0 Rock Island Independents (5–1–1) 0 Douglas Park Hammond Pros (2–2–0) 14 Pullman Thorns 13 Chicago, Illinois Utica Knights of Columbus 7 Rochester Jeffersons (4–1–1) 27 Rochester Baseball Park November 11, 1920 Decatur Staleys (6–0–1) 20 Champaign Legion 0 Champaign, Illinois Rock Island Independents (5–1–2) 7 Thorn Tornadoes 7 Monmouth, Illinois November 14, 1920 Akron Pros (5–0–1) 7 Cleveland Tigers (1–3–2) 7 Dunn Field Columbus Panhandles (1–6–0) 7 Buffalo All-Americans (7–0–0) 43 Canisius Field Chicago Tigers (1–4–1) 0 Canton Bulldogs (5–1–1) 21 Lakeside Park Cincinnati Celts 0 Racine Cardinals (4–1–1) 21 Chicago, Illinois Dayton Triangles (4–0–2) 21 Rock Island Independents (5–2–2) 0 Douglas Park Decatur Staleys (7–0–1) 3 Minneapolis Marines 0 Nicollet Park Detroit Heralds (2–2–1) 0 Fort Wayne Friars 0 Fort Wayne League Park Hammond Pros (2–3–0) 6 Gary Elks 7 Gleason Field All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks 6 Rochester Jeffersons (4–2–1) 0 Rochester Baseball Park November 21, 1920 Dayton Triangles (4–1–2) 0 Akron Pros (6–0–1) 13 Akron League Park Canton Bulldogs (6–1–1) 3 Buffalo All-Americans (7–1–0) 0 Canisius Field Lansing Oldsmobile 0 Racine Cardinals (5–1–1) 14 Chicago, Illinois Toledo Maroons 0 Cleveland Tigers (2–3–2) 14 Dunn Field Columbus Panhandles (1–6–1) 0 Zanesville Mark Grays 0 Zanesville, Ohio Hammond Pros (2–4–0) 7 Decatur Staleys (8–0–1) 28 Staley Field Rochester Scalpers 0 Rochester Jeffersons (5–2–1) 16 Rochester Baseball Park November 25, 1920 Canton Bulldogs (6–2–1) 0 Akron Pros (7–0–1) 7 Akron League Park Decatur Staleys (9–0–1) 6 Chicago Tigers (1–5–1) 0 Chicago Cub Park Columbus Panhandles (1–6–2) 0 Elyria Athletics 0 Lorain, Ohio Detroit Heralds (2–3–1) 0 Dayton Triangles (5–1–2) 28 Triangle Park Hammond Pros (2–5–0) 0 Chicago Boosters 27 DePaul Field All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks (2–1–0) 14 Rochester Jeffersons (5–3–1) 3 Rochester Baseball Park November 28, 1920 Akron Pros (8–0–1) 14 Dayton Triangles (5–2–2) 0 Triangle Park Cleveland Tigers (2–4–2) 0 Buffalo All-Americans (8–1–0) 7 Buffalo Baseball Park Decatur Staleys (9–1–1) 6 Racine Cardinals (6–1–1) 7 Normal Park Thorn Tornadoes 0 Chicago Tigers (2–5–1) 27 Cubs Park Lansing Oldsmobile 0 Detroit Heralds (2–3–2) 0 Mack Park Rochester Scalpers 6 Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–1) 7 Rochester Baseball Park Pittsburgh All-Collegians 7 Rock Island Independents (6–2–2) 48 Douglas Park December 4, 1920 Canton Bulldogs (6–3–1) 3 Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–0) 7 New York Polo Grounds December 5, 1920 Akron Pros (8–0–2) 0 Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1) 0 Buffalo Baseball Park Canton Bulldogs (6–3–2) 0 Washington Glee Club 0 New Haven, Connecticut Racine Cardinals (6–2–1) 0 Decatur Staleys (10–1–1) 10 Cubs Park Columbus Wagner Pirates 0 Columbus Panhandles (2–6–2) 24 Neil Park Detroit Maroons 7 Detroit Heralds (2–3–3) 7 Mack Park Rochester Scalpers 0 Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–2) 0 Exposition Park December 11, 1920Canton Bulldogs (6–4–2) 7 Union Club of Phoenixville 13 Phillies Park December 12, 1920 Akron Pros (8–0–3) 0 Decatur Staleys (10–1–2) 0 Cubs Park December 18, 1920 Canton Bulldogs (7–4–2) 39 Richmond Athletics 0 Boulevard Field December 19, 1920 Racine Cardinals (6–2–2) 14 Chicago Stayms 14 Pyott Field Final standings Postseason and legacy thumb|right|350px|Several Akron Pros players celebrating their championship. The Akron Pros ended the season as the only undefeated team in the Association. Despite this, two one-loss teams, the Decatur Staleys and Buffalo All-Americans, who both tied Akron that year, made cases for a co-championship. As there was no playoff system in the APFA until 1932,http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx History: The First Playoff Game Pro Football Hall of Fame June 10, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110603232114/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx June 3, 2011 a meeting was held to determine the 1920 Champions.Carroll (1982), p. 3 Each team that showed up had a vote to determine the champions. Since the Akron Pros never lost a game, the Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup on April 30, 1921.http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246 Searching for the Lost Trophy Akron Beacon Journal April 25, 2011 Price Mark December 21, 2011 The trophy was a "silver loving cup", donated by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company.PFRA Research (1980), p. 6 This decision, however, would arise with controversy. The Staleys and the All-Americans each stated that they should win the award because they had more wins and were not beaten by the Akron Pros. Each player from the Pros was also awarded with a golden fob; this was in the shape of a football and inscribed with "1920", "WORLD CHAMPIONS", and each player's first initial and last name.http://www.profootballhof.com/history/2010/9/29/medallion-from-nfls-first-champions/ Medallion from NFL's first champions Pro Football Hall of Fame September 29, 2010 June 10, 2011 September 24, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924082434/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/2010/9/29/medallion-from-nfls-first-champions/ dead The Pros did not officially celebrate their championship season until the following year. In October 1921, most of the team was invited to the Elks Club of Akron, which was labeled as "a grand homecoming celebration for the world's champions".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 Fritz Pollard was congratulated during an Akron Merchants Association of Colored Business Men's meeting. The Pros were the first team in the history of the APFA to complete a non-modern "perfect season". Only four other teams have since accomplished this feat: the 1922 Canton Bulldogs at 10–0–2,https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cbd/1922.htm 1922 Canton Bulldogs Statistics & Players Pro-Football-Reference.com Sports Reference June 10, 2011 the 1923 Canton Bulldogs at 11–0–1,https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cbd/1923.htm 1923 Canton Bulldogs Statistics & Players Sports Reference Pro-Football-Reference.com June 10, 2011 the 1929 Green Bay Packers at 12–0–1,https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1929.htm 1929 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players Sports Reference Pro-Football-Reference.com June 10, 2011 and the 1972 Miami Dolphins at 17–0–0.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1972.htm 1972 Miami Dolphins Statistics & Players Sports Reference Pro-Football-Reference.com June 10, 2011 In 1972, the NFL changed the rules, so ties count as a half-win and a half-loss.Siwoff, Zimmber & Marini (2010), p. 360 Even though the Pros were given the trophy in 1920, the league lost track of the event, and for a long time published in its own record books that the 1920 championship was undecided.PFRA Research (n.d.), p. 1 It was not until the 1970s that the NFL discovered this early vote on awarding the Akron Pros the championship. Of the 14 teams that played in the APFA/NFL's inaugural season, the Chicago Cardinals, now the Arizona Cardinals, and the Decatur Staleys, now the Chicago Bears, are the only teams that remain in the league.Franchise History http://www.azcardinals.com/history/franchise.html AZCardinals.com July 4, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20121105212420/http://www.azcardinals.com/history/franchise.html November 5, 2012 dead mdy-all Awards All-Pro Bruce Copeland, sportswriter for the Rock Island Argus, compiled an All-Pro list for 1920. He used the games played in Rock Island, other newspapers, and his own memory to determine the first-, second-, and third-team All-Pro list. Pro-Football-Reference.com uses this list as the official All-Pro list of 1920.https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/allpro.htm 1920 APFA All-Pros Pro-Football-Reference.com Sports Reference April 11, 2012 Twenty of the players were from Illinois and thirteen were from Ohio. The Rock Island Independents had the most players on the list (9), and Racine Cardinals had the least (1).Hogrogian (1984), p. 1–2 First-Team All-Pro Player Position Team Guy Chamberlin End Decatur Staleys Oak Smith End Rock Island Independents Wilbur Henry Tackle Canton Bulldogs Hugh Blacklock Tackle Decatur Staleys Fred Denfeld Guard Rock Island Independents Dewey Lyle Guard Rock Island Independents George Trafton Center Decatur Staleys Paddy Driscoll Quarterback Racine Cardinals Eddie Novak Halfback Rock Island Independents Fritz Pollard Halfback Akron Pros Rip King Fullback Akron Pros Second-Team All-Pro Player Position Team George Halas End Decatur Staleys Obe Wenig End Rock Island Independents Cub Buck Tackle Canton Bulldogs Ed Shaw Tackle Rock Island Independents Alf Cobb Guard Akron Pros Harrie Dadmun Guard Canton Bulldogs Paul Des Jardien Center Chicago Tigers Al Mahrt Quarterback Dayton Triangles Norb Sacksteder Halfback Dayton Triangles Joe Guyon Halfback Canton Bulldogs Gil Falcon Fullback Chicago Tigers Third-Team All-Pro Player Position Team Bobby Marshall End Rock Island Independents Bob Nash End Akron Pros Burt Ingwersen Tackle Decatur Staleys Walt Buland Tackle Rock Island Independents Tommy Tomlin Guard Akron Pros Ross Petty Guard Decatur Staleys Freeman Fitzgerald Center Rock Island Independents Milt Ghee Quarterback Chicago Tigers Dutch Sternaman Halfback Decatur Staleys Frank Bacon Halfback Dayton Triangles Pete Calac Fullback Canton Bulldogs Hall of Fame As of 2012, 10 players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame who played in the 1920 APFA season. One non-player, Joseph Carr, the owner of the Columbus Panhandles in the 1920 season and league president from 1921 to 1939, was also elected to the Hall. Name Last name, first name Team(s) Team played on in 1920 Year Year inducted into the Hall of Fame Ref. Carr, Joseph Columbus Panhandles 1963 http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=42 Joe Carr Pro Football Hall of Fame December 26, 2011 Chamberlin, Guy Decatur Staleys 1964http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=44 Guy Chamberlin Pro Football Hall of Fame March 17, 2012 Conzelman, Jimmy Decatur Staleys 1964http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=48 Jimmy Conzelman Pro Football Hall of Fame March 17, 2012 Driscoll, Paddy Racine CardinalsDecatur Staleys 1965http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=60 John (Paddy) Driscoll Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012 March 9, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120309013729/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=60 dead Guyon, Joe Canton Bulldogs 1966http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=84 Joe Guyon Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012 Halas, George Decatur Staleys 1963http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=85 George Halas Pro Football Hall of Fame March 17, 2012 Healey, Ed Rock Island Independents 1964http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=91 Ed Healey Pro Football Hall of Fame December 6, 2012 August 29, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120829021830/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?player_id=91 dead Henry, Pete Canton Bulldogs 1963http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=94 Wilbur (Pete) Henry Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012 Pollard, Fritz Akron Pros 2005http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=242 Fritz Pollard Pro Football Hall of Fame December 12, 2011 Thorpe, Jim Canton Bulldogs 1963http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=213 Jim Thorpe Pro Football Hall of Fame June 23, 2012 Trafton, George Decatur Staleys 1964http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=215 George Trafton Pro Football Hall of Fame March 17, 2012 References 35em Further reading Carroll Bob 1982 http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/04-12-119.pdf 1920 Akron Pros 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 Davis Jeff Papa Bear, The Life and Legacy of George Halas McGraw-Hill 2005 New York 0-07-146054-3 https://archive.org/details/papabear00jeff 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/20120511105221/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/06-01-173.pdf May 11, 2012 Peterson Robert 1997 Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football Oxford University Press New York 0-19-507607-9 https://archive.org/details/pigskinearlyyear00pete_0 PFRA Research http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Once_More_With_Feeling.pdf Once More, With Feeling: 1921 Professional Football Researchers Association March 11, 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101126223713/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Once_More_With_Feeling.pdf November 26, 2010 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 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20120311103645/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf March 11, 2012 Siwoff Seymour Zimmber Jon Marini Matt 2010 The Official NFL Record and Fact Book 2010 National Football League 978-1-60320-833-8 Ziemba, Joe (2022). "Bears vs. Cardinals: The NFL's Oldest Rivalry." Jefferson: McFarland, 2022. ISBN 978-1-4766-8851-0. Ziemba, Joe (1999). When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL. Chicago: Triumph Books. 1-57243-317-5. Category:NFL seasons Category:NFL controversies