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1920 APFA season

{{short description|Sports season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}

{{Good article}}

{{Infobox NFL

| year = 1920

| NFLchampion = Akron Pros

| regular_season = September 26 – December 19, 1920

}}

{{APFA Team Map 1920}}

The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural season of the American Professional Football Association, renamed the National Football League in 1922. An agreement to form a league was made by four independent teams from Ohio on August 20, 1920, at Ralph Hay's office in Canton, Ohio, with plans to invite owners of more teams for a second meeting on September 17, 1920."Football Managers Make Plans", Akron (O.) Beacon Journal, August 21, 1920, p10 The "American Professional Football Conference" (APFC) was made up of Hay's Canton Bulldogs, Akron Pros, the Cleveland Tigers and the Dayton Triangles, who decided on a six-game schedule to play each other at home-and-away, an agreement to respect each other's player contracts, and to take a stand against signing college students whose class had not yet graduated.[http://www.profootballresearchers.org/coffin-corner80s/02-08-038.pdf "Happy Birthday NFL?"], by P.F.R.A. Research, The Coffin Corner, Vol. 2, No. 8 (August 1980)[https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/nfl-announces-plans-to-celebrate-100th-season/ "NFL Announces Plans to Celebrate 100th Season"], NFL.com, August 1, 2019

A second organizational meeting was held in Canton on September 17, 1920, with the original four APFC clubs, as well as a fifth Ohio team that had played informally in what historians later dubbed the "Ohio League" (the Columbus Panhandles) and four teams from Illinois (Chicago Cardinals and Chicago Tigers, Decatur Staleys, and Rock Island Independents), two from Indiana (Hammond Pros and Muncie Flyers), two from

New York (Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons), and the Detroit Heralds from Michigan for a total of 14. At the meeting, the name of the league became the American Professional Football Association. Four other teams also joined the Association during the year. Meanwhile, Jim Thorpe of the Canton Bulldogs was named the APFA's first president but continued to play for the team.

Scheduling was left up to each team: there were wide variations, both in the overall number of games played, and in the number played against other Association members. Thus, no official standings were maintained. In addition, football teams in the APFA also faced independent football teams not associated with the league. Of the 90 games played in the 1920 season, 51 of them were against teams that were outside of the APFA.

For instance, the Rochester Jeffersons played a schedule consisting mostly of local teams from their local sandlot circuit and the NYPFL, and only played one game against a team that was part in the APFA; The Buffalo All-Americans.

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.

At the league meeting in Akron on April 30, 1921, the Pros were awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup for the 1920 season, the only year the trophy was used. Had modern NFL tie-breaking rules been in force in 1920, the Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1) would have been co-champions with the Akron Pros (8–0–3), as both teams had a win percentage of .864 and their only game was tied, while the Staleys (10–1–2) would have finished third with .846. In this regard, if games against non-APFA teams are excluded, Akron (6–0–3) would still have won the championship with .833, but the All-Americans (4–1–1) and the Staleys (5–1–2) would have finished equal second with .750 as they did not play each other.

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.{{cite web|title=Franchise History|url=http://www.azcardinals.com/history/franchise.html|website=AZCardinals.com|access-date=July 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105212420/http://www.azcardinals.com/history/franchise.html|archive-date=November 5, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Formation

File:Hay Ralph.jpg, one of the founding representatives]]

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{{Cite web | last=Crippen | first=Ken | date=July 27, 2009 | url=http://www.twobillsdrive.com/buffalo-bills-history/articles/the_rochester_jeffersons_take_the_national_stage_part_1/ | title=The Rochester Jeffersons Take to the National Stage (Part 1) | publisher=Two Bills Drive | access-date=December 15, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217114444/http://www.twobillsdrive.com/buffalo-bills-history/articles/the_rochester_jeffersons_take_the_national_stage_part_1/ | archive-date=February 17, 2013 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}—was held. At the meeting, the representatives tentatively agreed to call their new league the American Professional Football Conference, 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 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."{{cite journal | title={{-'}}Pro' Football Moguels Form National Body | journal=Canton Evening Repository | date=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

At that meeting, held at Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom in Canton, Ohio, representatives of the Rock Island Independents, the Muncie Flyers, the Decatur Staleys, the Racine Cardinals, the Massillon Tigers, the Chicago Tigers, 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 Thorpe as president, Cofall as vice-president and Ranney as secretary-treasurer.{{Cite news | url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1920/09/19/113313269.pdf | title=Thorpe Made President | newspaper=The New York Times| date=September 19, 1920 }}{{Cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=f8MWAAAAIBAJ&pg=3568,5105560&dq=gridders&hl=en | title=Organize Pro Gridders; Choose Thorpe, Prexy | newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal | date=September 19, 1920 | page=24 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Under the new league structure, teams created their schedules dynamically as the season progressed, so there were no minimum or maximum number of games needed to be played.Peterson (1997), p. 74Davis (2005), p. 59 Also, representatives of each team voted to determine the winner of the APFA trophy.{{Cite news | last=Price | first=Mark | date=April 25, 2011 | url=http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246 | title=Searching for Lost Trophy | newspaper=Akron Beacon-Journal | access-date=June 23, 2012}}

Teams

The APFA had 14 teams that played during its inaugural season.

class="wikitable"

| style="background-color:#f7e98e;font-size: 88%;" | Team folded this season

class="wikitable"
Team

! OwnerCraig R. Cohen, From Sandlots to the Superbowl: The National Football League, 190–1967. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 2005; p. 13.

! Head coach{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/coaches.htm | title=1920 APFA Coaches | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | publisher=Sports Reference | access-date=April 22, 2020}}

! Stadium(s){{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/stadiums/ | title=NFL, AFL, and AAFC Stadium | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | publisher=Sports Reference | access-date=April 22, 2020}}

Akron ProsFred Nied,
Art Ranney		Elgie TobinAkron League Park
Buffalo All-AmericansFrank McNeilTommy HughittCanisius Villa (7),
Buffalo Baseball Park (3)
Canton BulldogsRalph HayJim ThorpeLakeside Park
Chicago CardinalsChris O'BrienPaddy DriscollNormal Park
style="background-color:#f7e98e;"

| Chicago Tigers

Gil FalconGil FalconCubs Park
Cleveland TigersStan Cofall,
Jimmy O'Donnell		Stan Cofall (3 games),
Al Pierotti (5 games)		Dunn Field
Columbus PanhandlesJoe CarrTed NesserNeil Park
Dayton TrianglesCarl StorckBud TalbottTriangle Park
Decatur StaleysA. E. StaleyGeorge HalasStaley Field
Detroit HeraldsDetroit Herald newspaperBilly MarshallNavin Field
Hammond ProsDoc YoungHank GilloTraveling team
Muncie Flyerslocal boostersKen HuffineTraveling team
Rochester JeffersonsLeo LyonsJack ForsythRochester Baseball Park
Rock Island IndependentsWalter Flanigan,
booster association		Rube UrsellaDouglas Park

Schedule

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.{{Cite web | url=http://www.daytonlocal.com/blog/community/triangle-park-site-of-first-game-in-the-nfl.asp | title=Triangle Park: Site of First Game In The NFL}}

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.{{citation needed|date=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).{{Cite web | url=http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf | title=Past Standings | publisher=National Football League | page=27 | access-date=December 7, 2012 | archive-date=September 25, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925182142/http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/history/pdfs/History/Past_Standings_2011.pdf | url-status=dead }} The Buffalo All-Americans scored the most points all season (258), and the Akron Pros allowed the fewest points (7).{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/ | title=1920 APFA Standings, Team & Offensive Statistics | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | publisher=Sports Reference | access-date=January 2, 2013}}

{{multiple image

| align = right

| direction = vertical

| header = 1920 APFA teams' roster photos

| width = 200

| image1 = Akron pros 1920.jpg

| caption1 = Akron Pros

| image2 = 1920 canton bulldogs team.png

| caption2 = Canton Bulldogs

| image3=Chicago Cardinals 1920.jpeg

| caption3=Chicago Cardinals

|image4=1920DaytonTriangles.jpg

|caption4=Dayton Triangles

|image5=Decatur staleys 1920.jpg

|caption5=Decatur Staleys

}}

class="wikitable"

|+ Key

scope="col" | Symbol

! scope="col" | Meaning

style="background:#ffc"

| Highlighted

| APFA game

{{Dagger}}

| Non-APFA team

(numbers in parentheses)

| Team's win–loss–tie record

class="wikitable"
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 1

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| September 26, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

! Visitor !! Score !! Home !! Score !! Location

style="text-align:center;"

| St. Paul Ideals{{Dagger}}

0Rock Island Independents (1–0–0)48Douglas Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 2

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| October 3, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

| Wheeling Stogies{{Dagger}}

0Akron Pros (1–0–0)43Akron League Park
style="text-align:center;"

| West Buffalo{{Dagger}}

6Buffalo All-Americans (1–0–0)32Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Pitcairn Quakers{{Dagger}}

0Canton Bulldogs (1–0–0)48Lakeside Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Columbus Panhandles (0–1–0)

0Dayton Triangles (1–0–0)14Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Moline Universal Tractors{{Dagger}}

0Decatur Staleys (1–0–0)20Staley Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Muncie Flyers (0–1–0)

0Rock Island Independents (2–0–0)45Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;"

| All-Buffalo{{Dagger}}

0Rochester Jeffersons (1–0–0)10Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 3

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| October 10, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Columbus Panhandles (0–2–0)

0Akron Pros (2–0–0)37Akron League Park
style="text-align:center;"

| All-Buffalo{{Dagger}}

0Buffalo All-Americans (2–0–0)51Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Toledo Maroons{{Dagger}}

0Canton Bulldogs (2–0–0)42Lakeside Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Racine Cardinals (0–0–1)

0Chicago Tigers (0–0–1)0Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Cleveland Tigers (0–0–1)

0Dayton Triangles (1–0–1)0Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Kewanee Walworths{{Dagger}}

7Decatur Staleys (2–0–0)25Staley Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Cleveland Panthers{{Dagger}}

14Detroit Heralds (1–0–0)40Mack Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Hammond Pros (0–1–0)

0Rock Island Independents (3–0–0)26Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Fort Porter{{Dagger}}

0Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–0)66Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 4

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| October 17, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

| Cincinnati Celts{{Dagger}}

0Akron Pros (3–0–0)13Akron League Park
style="text-align:center;"

| McKeesport Olympics{{Dagger}}

7Buffalo All-Americans (3–0–0)28Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Cleveland Tigers (0–1–1)

0Canton Bulldogs (3–0–0)7Lakeside Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Moline Universal Tractors{{Dagger}}

3Racine Cardinals (1–0–1)33St. Rita's Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Detroit Heralds (1–1–0)

0Chicago Tigers (1–0–1)12Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Columbus Panhandles (0–3–0)

0Fort Wayne Friars{{Dagger}}14Fort Wayne League Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Hammond Pros (0–2–0)

0Dayton Triangles (2–0–1)44Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Decatur Staleys (3–0–0)

7Rock Island Independents (3–1–0)0Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Utica Knights of Columbus{{Dagger}}

0Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–1)0Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 5

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| October 24, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Cleveland Tigers (0–2–1)

0Akron Pros (4–0–0)7Akron League Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Toledo Maroons{{Dagger}}

0Buffalo All-Americans (4–0–0)38Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Canton Bulldogs (3–0–1)

20Dayton Triangles (2–0–2)20Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Racine Cardinals (1–1–1)

0Rock Island Independents (4–1–0)7Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Decatur Staleys (4–0–0)

10Chicago Tigers (1–1–1)0Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Columbus Panhandles (0–4–0)

0Detroit Heralds (2–1–0)6Mack Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Syracuse Stars{{Dagger}}

7Rochester Jeffersons (3–0–1)21Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 6

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| October 31, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Akron Pros (5–0–0)

10Canton Bulldogs (3–1–1)0Lakeside Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Rochester Jeffersons (3–1–1)

6Buffalo All-Americans (5–0–0)17Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Detroit Heralds (2–2–0)

0Racine Cardinals (2–1–1)21Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Chicago Tigers (1–2–1)

7Rock Island Independents (5–1–0)20Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Columbus Panhandles (0–5–0)

0Cleveland Tigers (1–2–1)7Dunn Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Cincinnati Celts {{Dagger}}

7Dayton Triangles (3–0–2)23Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Decatur Staleys (5–0–0)

29Rockford A.C.{{Dagger}}0Kishwaukee Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Hammond Pros (1–2–0)

14Logan Square{{Dagger}}9Logan Square Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 7

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| November 7, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

| All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks{{Dagger}}

0Buffalo All-Americans (6–0–0)35Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Canton Bulldogs (4–1–1)

18Cleveland Tigers (1–3–1)0Dunn Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Racine Cardinals (3–1–1)

6Chicago Tigers (1–3–1)3Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Columbus Panhandles (1–5–0)

10Zanesville Mark Grays{{Dagger}}0Zanesville, Ohio
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Decatur Staleys (5–0–1)

0Rock Island Independents (5–1–1)0Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Hammond Pros (2–2–0)

14Pullman Thorns{{Dagger}}13Chicago, Illinois
style="text-align:center;"

| Utica Knights of Columbus{{Dagger}}

7Rochester Jeffersons (4–1–1)27Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 8

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| November 11, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

| Decatur Staleys (6–0–1)

20Champaign Legion{{Dagger}}0Champaign, Illinois
style="text-align:center;"

| Rock Island Independents (5–1–2)

7Thorn Tornadoes{{Dagger}}7Monmouth, Illinois
colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| November 14, 1920
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Akron Pros (5–0–1)

7Cleveland Tigers (1–3–2)7Dunn Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Columbus Panhandles (1–6–0)

7Buffalo All-Americans (7–0–0)43Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Chicago Tigers (1–4–1)

0Canton Bulldogs (5–1–1)21Lakeside Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Cincinnati Celts{{Dagger}}

0Racine Cardinals (4–1–1)21Chicago, Illinois
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Dayton Triangles (4–0–2)

21Rock Island Independents (5–2–2)0Douglas Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Decatur Staleys (7–0–1)

3Minneapolis Marines{{Dagger}}0Nicollet Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Detroit Heralds (2–2–1)

0Fort Wayne Friars{{Dagger}}0Fort Wayne League Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Hammond Pros (2–3–0)

6Gary Elks{{Dagger}}7Gleason Field
style="text-align:center;"

| All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks{{Dagger}}

6Rochester Jeffersons (4–2–1)0Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 9

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| November 21, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Dayton Triangles (4–1–2)

0Akron Pros (6–0–1)13Akron League Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Canton Bulldogs (6–1–1)

3Buffalo All-Americans (7–1–0)0Canisius Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Lansing Oldsmobile{{Dagger}}

0Racine Cardinals (5–1–1)14Chicago, Illinois
style="text-align:center;"

| Toledo Maroons{{Dagger}}

0Cleveland Tigers (2–3–2)14Dunn Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Columbus Panhandles (1–6–1)

0Zanesville Mark Grays{{Dagger}}0Zanesville, Ohio
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Hammond Pros (2–4–0)

7Decatur Staleys (8–0–1)28Staley Field
style="text-align:center;"

| Rochester Scalpers{{Dagger}}

0Rochester Jeffersons (5–2–1)16Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 10

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| November 25, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Canton Bulldogs (6–2–1)

0Akron Pros (7–0–1)7Akron League Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Decatur Staleys (9–0–1)

6Chicago Tigers (1–5–1)0Chicago Cub Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Columbus Panhandles (1–6–2)

0Elyria Athletics{{Dagger}}0Lorain, Ohio
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Detroit Heralds (2–3–1)

0Dayton Triangles (5–1–2)28Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Hammond Pros (2–5–0)

0Chicago Boosters{{Dagger}}27DePaul Field
style="text-align:center;"

| All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks{{Dagger}} (2–1–0)

14Rochester Jeffersons (5–3–1)3Rochester Baseball Park
style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| November 28, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Akron Pros (8–0–1)

14Dayton Triangles (5–2–2)0Triangle Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Cleveland Tigers (2–4–2)

0Buffalo All-Americans (8–1–0)7Buffalo Baseball Park
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Decatur Staleys (9–1–1)

6Racine Cardinals (6–1–1)7Normal Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Thorn Tornadoes{{Dagger}}

0Chicago Tigers (2–5–1)27Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Lansing Oldsmobile{{Dagger}}

0Detroit Heralds (2–3–2)0Mack Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Rochester Scalpers{{Dagger}}

6Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–1)7Rochester Baseball Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Pittsburgh All-Collegians{{Dagger}}

7Rock Island Independents (6–2–2)48Douglas Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 11

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| December 4, 1920

style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Canton Bulldogs (6–3–1)

3Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–0)7New York Polo Grounds
colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| December 5, 1920
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Akron Pros (8–0–2)

0Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1)0Buffalo Baseball Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Canton Bulldogs (6–3–2)

0Washington Glee Club{{Dagger}}0New Haven, Connecticut
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Racine Cardinals (6–2–1)

0Decatur Staleys (10–1–1)10Cubs Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Columbus Wagner Pirates{{Dagger}}

0Columbus Panhandles (2–6–2)24Neil Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Detroit Maroons{{Dagger}}

7Detroit Heralds (2–3–3)7Mack Park
style="text-align:center;"

| Rochester Scalpers{{Dagger}}

0Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–2)0Exposition Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 12

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| December 11, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

|Canton Bulldogs (6–4–2)

7Union Club of Phoenixville{{Dagger}}13Phillies Park
colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| December 12, 1920
style="text-align:center;background:#ffc"

| Akron Pros (8–0–3)

0Decatur Staleys (10–1–2)0Cubs Park
style="background:#d0e7ff;"

| colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| Week 13

style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| December 18, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

| Canton Bulldogs (7–4–2)

39Richmond Athletics{{Dagger}}0Boulevard Field
style="background:#efefef;"

! colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| December 19, 1920

style="text-align:center;"

| Racine Cardinals (6–2–2)

14Chicago Stayms{{Dagger}}14Pyott Field

Final standings

{{1920 APFA standings}}

Postseason and legacy

File:Akron pros celebrating.jpg

As there was no playoff system in the APFA until 1932,{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx | title=History: The First Playoff Game | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=June 10, 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110603232114/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx| archive-date=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.{{cite web | url=http://www.ohio.com/news/searching-for-lost-trophy-1.204246 | title=Searching for the Lost Trophy | work=Akron Beacon Journal | date=April 25, 2011 | last=Price | first=Mark | access-date=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.{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/history/2010/9/29/medallion-from-nfls-first-champions/ | title=Medallion from NFL's first champions | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | date=September 29, 2010 | access-date=June 10, 2011 | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924082434/http://www.profootballhof.com/history/2010/9/29/medallion-from-nfls-first-champions/ | url-status=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". 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,{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cbd/1922.htm | title=1922 Canton Bulldogs Statistics & Players | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | publisher=Sports Reference | access-date=June 10, 2011}} the 1923 Canton Bulldogs at 11–0–1,{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/cbd/1923.htm | title=1923 Canton Bulldogs Statistics & Players | publisher=Sports Reference | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date=June 10, 2011}} the 1929 Green Bay Packers at 12–0–1,{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1929.htm | title=1929 Green Bay Packers Statistics & Players | publisher=Sports Reference | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date=June 10, 2011}} and the 1972 Miami Dolphins at 17–0–0.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1972.htm | title=1972 Miami Dolphins Statistics & Players | publisher=Sports Reference | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date=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.

Awards

= All-Pro =

Bruce Copeland, sportswriter for the Rock Island Argus, compiled the 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.{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1920_APFA/allpro.htm | title=1920 APFA All-Pros | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com | publisher=Sports Reference | access-date=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

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-3}}

; First-Team All-Pro

class="wikitable"
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 Denfield

| 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

{{Col-3}}

; Second-Team All-Pro

class="wikitable"
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

Harry Dadmun

| Guard

| Canton Bulldogs

Shorty 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

{{Col-3}}

; Third-Team All-Pro

class="wikitable"
Player

! Position

! Team

Bob Marshall

| End

| Rock Island Independents

Bob Nash

| End

| Akron Pros

Burt Ingwerson

| Tackle

| Decatur Staleys

Walt Buland

| Tackle

| Rock Island Independents

Brad Tomlin

| Guard

| Akron Pros

Ross Petty

| Guard

| Decatur Staleys

Freeman Fitzgerald

| Center

| Rock Island Independents

Milt Chee

| Quarterback

| Chicago Tigers

Ed Sternaman

| Halfback

| Decatur Staleys

Frank Bacon

| Halfback

| Dayton Triangles

Pete Calac

| Fullback

| Canton Bulldogs

{{Col-end}}

= 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.

class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;"

! {{Center|{{Abbr|Name|Last name, first name}}}}

! {{Center|{{Abbr|Team(s)|Team played on in 1920}}}}

! {{0}}{{Center|{{Abbr|Year|Year inducted into the Hall of Fame}}}}{{0}}

! {{0}}Ref.{{0}}

scope="row" | Carr, Joseph

| {{Center|Columbus Panhandles}}

| align=center|{{0}} 1963 {{0}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=42 | title=Joe Carr | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame |access-date=December 26, 2011}}

scope="row" | Chamberlin, Guy

| {{Center|Decatur Staleys}}

| {{Center|1964}}

|align=center|{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=44 | title=Guy Chamberlin | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=March 17, 2012}}

scope="row" | Conzelman, Jimmy

| {{Center|Decatur Staleys}}

| {{Center|1964}}

|align=center|{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=48 | title=Jimmy Conzelman | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=March 17, 2012}}

scope="row" | Driscoll, Paddy

| {{Center|Racine Cardinals
Decatur Staleys}}

| {{Center|1965}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=60 | title=John (Paddy) Driscoll | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=June 23, 2012 | archive-date=March 9, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309013729/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=60 | url-status=dead }}

scope="row" | Guyon, Joe

| {{Center|Canton Bulldogs}}

| {{Center|1966}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=84 | title=Joe Guyon | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=June 23, 2012}}

scope="row" | Halas, George

| {{Center|Decatur Staleys}}

| {{Center|1963}}

|align=center|{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=85 | title=George Halas | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=March 17, 2012}}

scope="row" | Healey, Ed

| {{Center|Rock Island Independents}}

| {{Center|1964}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=91 | title=Ed Healey | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=December 6, 2012 | archive-date=August 29, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829021830/http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?player_id=91 | url-status=dead }}

scope="row" | Henry, Pete

| {{Center|Canton Bulldogs}}

| {{Center|1963}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=94 | title=Wilbur (Pete) Henry | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=June 23, 2012}}

scope="row" | Pollard, Fritz

| {{Center|Akron Pros}}

| {{Center|2005}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PLAYER_ID=242 | title=Fritz Pollard | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=December 12, 2011}}

scope="row" | Thorpe, Jim

| {{Center|Canton Bulldogs}}

| {{Center|1963}}

|align=center|{{Cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=213 | title=Jim Thorpe | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame | access-date=June 23, 2012}}

scope="row" | Trafton, George

| {{Center|Decatur Staleys}}

| {{Center|1964}}

|align=center|{{cite web | url=http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=215 | title=George Trafton | publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame| access-date=March 17, 2012}}

Notes

{{Reflist|30em}}

References

  • {{Cite journal|last=Carroll |first=Bob |year=1982 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/04-12-119.pdf |title=1920 Akron Pros |journal=The Coffin Corner |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |volume=4 |issue=12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311103636/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/04-12-119.pdf |archive-date=March 11, 2012 }}
  • {{cite book | last1 = Davis | first1 = Jeff | title = Papa Bear, The Life and Legacy of George Halas | publisher = McGraw-Hill | year = 2005 | location = New York | isbn = 0-07-146054-3 | url = https://archive.org/details/papabear00jeff }}
  • {{Cite journal|last=Hogrogian |first=John |year=1984 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/06-01-173.pdf |title=1920 All-Pros |journal=The Coffin Corner |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |volume=6 |issue=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511105221/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/06-01-173.pdf |archive-date=May 11, 2012 }}
  • {{cite book | last1 = Peterson | first1 = Robert | year = 1997 | title = Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = New York | isbn = 0-19-507607-9 | url = https://archive.org/details/pigskinearlyyear00pete_0 }}
  • {{cite web|author=PFRA Research |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Once_More_With_Feeling.pdf |title=Once More, With Feeling: 1921 |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |access-date=March 11, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126223713/http://profootballresearchers.org/Articles/Once_More_With_Feeling.pdf |archive-date=November 26, 2010 }}
  • {{Cite journal|author=PFRA Research |year=1980 |url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf |title=Happy Birthday NFL? |journal=The Coffin Corner |publisher=Professional Football Researchers Association |volume=2 |issue=8 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311103645/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-038.pdf |archive-date=March 11, 2012 }}
  • {{Cite book | last1=Siwoff | first1=Seymour | last2=Zimmber | first2=Jon | last3=Marini | first3=Matt | year=2010 | title=The Official NFL Record and Fact Book 2010 | publisher=National Football League | isbn=978-1-60320-833-8}}
  • Ziemba, Joe (1999). When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL. Chicago: Triumph Books. {{ISBN|1-57243-317-5}}.

{{1920 APFA season by team}}

{{NFL seasons}}

Category:NFL seasons

Category:NFL controversies