:en:Francis Bacon (American football)
{{Short description|American football player (1894–1977)}}
{{For|the 16th century English Philosopher|Francis Bacon}}
{{For|other people called Francis Bacon|Francis Bacon (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|image=Francis Bacon (American football).jpg
|caption=Francis Bacon, c. 1920
|number=11, 8, 7
|birth_date={{birth date|1894|01|11}}
|birth_place=South Bend, Indiana
|death_date={{Death date and age|1977|8|31|1894|01|11|mf=y}}
|death_place=Sandusky, Ohio
|height_ft=5
|height_in=11
|weight_lbs=182
|high_school=South Bend Central (IN)
|college=Wabash
|teams=
- Dayton Triangles (1919–{{NFL Year|1925}})
- Akron Pros ({{NFL Year|1923}})
|highlights=
| pfr = BacoFr20
}}
Francis William Bacon (January 11, 1894 – August 31, 1977) was an American football, baseball, and basketball player. He played for the Dayton Triangles in the first official National Football League (NFL) game and was the first NFL player to return a punt for a touchdown. He played in the NFL from 1920 to 1925, appearing in 47 games and scoring 14 touchdowns.
Early life and college
Bacon was born in South Bend, Indiana, in 1894. He attended South Bend High School and was described by the South Bend Tribune as "the greatest basketball player ever sent out by the local institution."{{cite news|title=Varsity Is Crushed By Scarlet, 41–19|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|date=February 12, 1916|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90707592/bacon/|via=Newspapers.com}} He then enrolled at Wabash College where he played college basketball (as a guard), football (as a halfback and fullback), and baseball (as a first baseman) from 1914 to 1916 and was captain of the basketball team.{{cite news|title=Bacon Is New Leader of Wabash Basketball|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|date=October 16, 1915|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90707678/bacon/|via=Newspapers.com}} He was also senior class president and rated as "one of the greatest athletes of the state."
Military service
When the United States entered World War I, Bacon began studying wireless telegraphy and signalling in anticipation of joining the Aviation Corps. He was one of only two young men out of 500 who passed the eight-hour examination for the Aviation Corps.{{cite news|title=One of Two Passing|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|date=February 23, 1918|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90708023/bacon/|via=Newspapers.com}} He enlisted in March 1918, and was ordered to report for active duty one week after graduating from Wabash.{{cite news|title=Reports to Dallas, Texas|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|date=June 3, 1918|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90708060/bacon/|via=Newspapers.com}} The war ended before Bacon deployed to Europe.
Professional baseball and football
Prior to the creation of the National Football League (NFL), he played professional football for the Pine Village Athletic Club in 1917 and the Hammond Clabbys in 1918. He also played professional baseball in the Three-I and Central Leagues, probably in 1917,{{cite news|title=The Spring Fan|author=Harl Rolsacker|newspaper=The South Bend News-Times|date=March 24, 1918|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/466746038/?terms=bacon%20%22francis%20bacon%22&match=1}} and with Little Rock in the Southern Association in 1919.{{cite web|title=Francis Bacon|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=December 16, 2021|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bacon-001f--}}
In 1919, he joined the Dayton Triangles professional football team. He also worked for the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. (Delco) as the head of educational development. When the NFL was formed in 1920, the Triangles were one of the original participants. On October 3, 1920, the Triangles defeated the Columbus Panhandles, 14-0, in the first official NFL game with Bacon as the starting right halfback.{{cite news|title=The story behind Dayton hosting the first-ever NFL game|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|author=Lisa Powell|date=September 28, 2020|url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/throwback-thursday-when-dayton-hosted-the-first-nfl-game/7FgQLE7fTAD5xyDS7CniDO/}}{{cite web|title=NFL's First Game Remembered|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|accessdate=December 16, 2021|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/news/nfl-s-first-game-remembered/}} Fullback Lou Partlow gained fame for scoring the first NFL touchdown in the third quarter, and Bacon followed in the fourth quarter with the first NFL punt return for a touchdown.{{cite web|title=The First NFL Game(s)|publisher=ProFootballResearchers.org|work=The Coffin Corner|author1=Bob Braunwart |author2=Bob Carroll |year=1981|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/03-02-059.pdf}}{{cite news|title=Large Crowd Sees Local Team Humble Columbus Eleven|newspaper=The Dayton Herald|date=October 4, 1920|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35659166/first-nfl-game/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Flashback: The day Dayton became part of NFL history|newspaper=Dayton Daily News|date=October 3, 2017|author=Marcus Hartman|url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/flashback-the-day-dayton-became-part-nfl-history/Auev79RLQL9AjFNDgoHGrN/#:~:text=The%20Dayton%20Triangles%20football%20team,in%20Dayton%20s%20Triangle%20Park.}}{{cite news|title=1st Down: Here's how America's fall obsession took its initial steps in Dayton during the autumn of 1920|publisher=Ohio Magazine|date=September 2014|author=Leo Deluca|url=https://www.ohiomagazine.com/ohio-life/article/1st-down}}
Bacon continued with the club from 1920 to 1925. He also played for the Akron Pros in 1923. He appeared in 47 NFL games, playing at halfback, fullback and end, scored 14 touchdowns, and kicked two extra points.{{cite web|title=Frank Bacon|publisher=Pro Football Archives|accessdate=December 15, 2021|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerb/baco00400.html}}{{cite web|title=Frank Bacon|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|accessdate=June 26, 2020|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BacoFr20.htm}}
Later years
Bacon was married in December 1920 to Ruth Weaver of Ponca City, Oklahoma.{{cite news|title=Weds Ponca, Okla. Girl: Francis W. Bacon United in Marriage to Miss Ruth Weaver|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|date=December 23, 1920|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76727099/marriage-of-bacon-weaver/|via=Newspapers.com}}
Bacon died in 1977 in Sandusky, Ohio.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacon, Frank}}
Category:Dayton Triangles players
Category:Wabash Little Giants baseball players
Category:Wabash Little Giants basketball players
Category:Wabash Little Giants football players
Category:Players of American football from South Bend, Indiana
Category:Basketball players from South Bend, Indiana
Category:Baseball players from South Bend, Indiana