1937 American Football League season
Encyclopedia
The 1937 American Football League season is the second season of the second edition of the AFL. After the folding of the Syracuse/Rochester Braves
in the 1936 season
and the departure of the Cleveland Rams
for the National Football League
, the league added the Cincinnati Bengals
and the Los Angeles Bulldogs
, the latter being the first professional football team to play its home games on the American West Coast
.
The season got off to a rocky start, with the Pittsburgh Americans
folding after playing only three games. After a 1936
move from Brooklyn, the Rochester Tigers limped through with a paucity of fan support. The defending champion Boston Shamrocks
and 1936 contender New York Yankees
were hit hard by the raiding of their rosters by the NFL, a counterpoint to the latter's method of building its squad; as a result, both wound up with losing records (Boston's 2-5-0 and New York's 2-3-1). Cincinnati's Bengals almost matched the Yankees in their futility, finishing with a 2-3-2 record.
Only two teams in the AFL finished with a .500 or better record in 1937: the Rochester Tigers and the team that was rejected when the NFL admitted the Rams, the Los Angeles Bulldogs The West Coast newcomers dominated the league, finishing 8-0-0, the first perfect season (no wins, no losses) by a professional football
team while winning its league championship (the 1948 Cleveland Browns
and the 1972 Miami Dolphins
would later match the feat).
The Bulldogs had an average 14,000 attendance for its 1937 home games, comparable to the draws of the Rams, Shamrocks, and Yankees the previous year, but Cleveland's absence and decline of the other two 1936 contenders (both on the field and in the stands) proved devastating to the AFL. Of the six AFL teams, only Los Angeles made a profit. With the league owners having lost their optimism, the second American Football League came to an end. The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Bulldogs continued their existence as independent teams while the other AFL franchises ceased to exist.
Bill Steinkinber, Cincinnati (tackle)
Pete Meloringer, Los Angeles (guard)
Lee Mullenuaux, Cincinnati (center)
Alex Drobnitch, New York (guard)
Harry Fields, Los Angeles (tackle)
Red Fleming
, Boston (end)
Harry Newman
, Los Angeles (quarterback)
Don Geyer, Cincinnati (halfback)
Al Nidelazri, Los Angeles (halfback)
Gordon Gore, Los Angeles (fullback)
Syracuse Braves
The Syracuse Braves were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Coached by Don Irwin and Red Badgro, the Braves played in Municipal Stadium, which had a capacity of only about 10,000 people...
in the 1936 season
1936 American Football League season
The 1936 American Football League season is the first season of the second American Football League, the formation of which was announced by Harry March, former personnel director of the NFL's New York Giants, on December 15, 1935...
and the departure of the Cleveland Rams
Cleveland Rams
The Cleveland Rams were a professional American football team based in Cleveland, Ohio.The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio. The NFL considers the franchise as a second incarnation of the previous Cleveland Rams team that was a charter member of the second American Football League...
for the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, the league added the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals (AFL)
Cincinnati Bengals was the name of a short-lived professional football team that played in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is unrelated to the current Cincinnati Bengals. Originated by Hal Pennington , the team was formed as a member of the second American Football League in the 1937 season...
and the Los Angeles Bulldogs
Los Angeles Bulldogs
The Los Angeles Bulldogs were a professional American football team that competed from 1936 to 1948...
, the latter being the first professional football team to play its home games on the American West Coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
.
The season got off to a rocky start, with the Pittsburgh Americans
Pittsburgh Americans
The Pittsburgh Americans were a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1936 until 1937. The team was a member of the major-league American Football League. When plans for the league were announced on November 15, 1935, fifteen cities bid for charter franchises...
folding after playing only three games. After a 1936
1936 American Football League season
The 1936 American Football League season is the first season of the second American Football League, the formation of which was announced by Harry March, former personnel director of the NFL's New York Giants, on December 15, 1935...
move from Brooklyn, the Rochester Tigers limped through with a paucity of fan support. The defending champion Boston Shamrocks
Boston Shamrocks (AFL)
The Boston Shamrocks were a professional American football team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The team played in the second American Football League from 1936 to 1937, followed by at least one year as an independent in 1938...
and 1936 contender New York Yankees
New York Yankees (1936 AFL)
The New York Yankees of the second American Football League was the second professional American football team competing under that name. It is unrelated to the Yankees of the first AFL , the Yankees of the third AFL, the Yankees of the American Association and the Yankees of the All America...
were hit hard by the raiding of their rosters by the NFL, a counterpoint to the latter's method of building its squad; as a result, both wound up with losing records (Boston's 2-5-0 and New York's 2-3-1). Cincinnati's Bengals almost matched the Yankees in their futility, finishing with a 2-3-2 record.
Only two teams in the AFL finished with a .500 or better record in 1937: the Rochester Tigers and the team that was rejected when the NFL admitted the Rams, the Los Angeles Bulldogs The West Coast newcomers dominated the league, finishing 8-0-0, the first perfect season (no wins, no losses) by a professional football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team while winning its league championship (the 1948 Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the 1972 Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
would later match the feat).
The Bulldogs had an average 14,000 attendance for its 1937 home games, comparable to the draws of the Rams, Shamrocks, and Yankees the previous year, but Cleveland's absence and decline of the other two 1936 contenders (both on the field and in the stands) proved devastating to the AFL. Of the six AFL teams, only Los Angeles made a profit. With the league owners having lost their optimism, the second American Football League came to an end. The Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Bulldogs continued their existence as independent teams while the other AFL franchises ceased to exist.
Final standings
| Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Bulldogs Los Angeles Bulldogs The Los Angeles Bulldogs were a professional American football team that competed from 1936 to 1948... |
8 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 219 | 69 | Gus Henderson Gus Henderson Elmer Clinton "Gloomy Gus" Henderson was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Southern California , the University of Tulsa , and Occidental College , compiling a career college football record of 126–42–7... |
| Rochester Tigers Rochester Tigers The Rochester Tigers were a professional American football team that competed in the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. Owned by Mike Palm and Harry Newman, the Tigers were originally awarded to Rochester as a charter member of the AFL, but were shifted to Brooklyn two weeks... |
3 | 3 | 1 | .500 | 94 | 115 | Mike Palm Mike Palm (American football) Myron Herrick Palm was a professional football player in the National Football League for the New York Giants. He was also a player-coach in 1933 for the NFL's Cincinnati Reds. He was also the owner and head coach of the Brooklyn-Rochester Tigers of the second American Football League from 1936-1937... |
| New York Yankees New York Yankees (1936 AFL) The New York Yankees of the second American Football League was the second professional American football team competing under that name. It is unrelated to the Yankees of the first AFL , the Yankees of the third AFL, the Yankees of the American Association and the Yankees of the All America... |
2 | 3 | 1 | .400 | 57 | 115 | Jack McBride Jack McBride John F. McBride was an American football player who played the positions of halfback, fullback, and quarterback in the National Football League . He was born in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. McBride played collegiately at Syracuse University where he finished second in the nation in scoring in his... |
| Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals (AFL) Cincinnati Bengals was the name of a short-lived professional football team that played in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is unrelated to the current Cincinnati Bengals. Originated by Hal Pennington , the team was formed as a member of the second American Football League in the 1937 season... |
2 | 3 | 2 | .400 | 102 | 89 | Hal Pennington |
| Boston Shamrocks Boston Shamrocks (AFL) The Boston Shamrocks were a professional American football team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The team played in the second American Football League from 1936 to 1937, followed by at least one year as an independent in 1938... |
2 | 5 | 0 | .286 | 76 | 98 | George Kenneally George Kenneally George Vincent "Gigi" Kenneally, Sr was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Pottsville Maroons, the Boston Bulldogs, the Chicago Cardinals, the Boston Braves, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He attended St... |
| Pittsburgh Americans Pittsburgh Americans The Pittsburgh Americans were a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1936 until 1937. The team was a member of the major-league American Football League. When plans for the league were announced on November 15, 1935, fifteen cities bid for charter franchises... |
0 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 7 | 69 |
All-League selections
Bill Moore, Los Angeles (end)Bill Steinkinber, Cincinnati (tackle)
Pete Meloringer, Los Angeles (guard)
Lee Mullenuaux, Cincinnati (center)
Alex Drobnitch, New York (guard)
Harry Fields, Los Angeles (tackle)
Red Fleming
Red Fleming
"Red" Fleming was the 15th head football coach for the Virginia Military Institute Keydets located in Lexington, Virginia and he held that position for the 1919 season. His career coaching record at VMI was 6 wins, 2 losses, and 0 ties. This ranks him 20th at VMI in total wins and fourth at VMI...
, Boston (end)
Harry Newman
Harry Newman
Harry Lawrence Newman was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines , the New York Giants , and the Brooklyn/Rochester Tigers .-College career:...
, Los Angeles (quarterback)
Don Geyer, Cincinnati (halfback)
Al Nidelazri, Los Angeles (halfback)
Gordon Gore, Los Angeles (fullback)