Boston Yanks
Encyclopedia
The Boston Yanks were a National Football League
team based in Boston, Massachusetts
that played from 1944 to 1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park
. Games that conflicted with the Boston Red Sox
schedule were held at the Manning Bowl
in Lynn, Massachusetts
. Team owner Ted Collins, who managed singer Kate Smith
, picked the name "Yanks" because he originally wanted to run a team that played at New York City
's Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately, the Yanks could only manage a 2-8 record during its first regular season.
Because of a shortage of players caused by World War II
, the Yanks were merged with the Brooklyn Tigers for the 1945 season, and styled as the Boston Yanks. The merged team played four home games in Boston and one in New York. But fans from neither city cared as they finished with a 3-6-1 record.
When Brooklyn Tigers owner Dan Topping
announced his intentions to join the All-America Football Conference
in 1946, his NFL franchise was revoked and all of its players were assigned to the Yanks. After three continuous losing seasons, Collins finally was allowed to move to New York. But instead of an official relocation, he asked the league to officially fold his Boston franchise and give him a new franchise, for a tax write off. The league granted his request, and Collins named his new team the New York Bulldogs.http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/17-05-621.pdf
The Boston Yanks are the only defunct NFL team ever to have the first overall NFL draft pick. They had it twice in 1944 and 46. Both times they selected a quarterback from the University of Notre Dame
: Angelo Bertelli
(44) and Frank Dancewicz
(46).
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...
team based in Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
that played from 1944 to 1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. Games that conflicted with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
schedule were held at the Manning Bowl
Manning Bowl
Manning Bowl is a former American football and soccer stadium located in Lynn, Massachusetts. It was the home stadium for Lynn English, Lynn Classical, Lynn Tech, St. Mary's High School...
in Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...
. Team owner Ted Collins, who managed singer Kate Smith
Kate Smith
Kathryn Elizabeth "Kate" Smith was an American Popular singer, best known for her rendition of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America". Smith had a radio, television, and recording career spanning five decades, which reached its pinnacle in the 1940s.Smith was born in Greenville, Virginia...
, picked the name "Yanks" because he originally wanted to run a team that played at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Yankee Stadium. Unfortunately, the Yanks could only manage a 2-8 record during its first regular season.
Because of a shortage of players caused by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Yanks were merged with the Brooklyn Tigers for the 1945 season, and styled as the Boston Yanks. The merged team played four home games in Boston and one in New York. But fans from neither city cared as they finished with a 3-6-1 record.
When Brooklyn Tigers owner Dan Topping
Dan Topping
Daniel Reid Topping was a part owner and president of the New York Yankees baseball team from 1945 to 1964. Daniel Reid Topping was the son of Rhea Reid and Henry J. Topping. Rhea Reid, the daughter of Daniel G. Reid, known as the "Tinplate King" for his vast wealth in the tin industry, was the...
announced his intentions to join the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
in 1946, his NFL franchise was revoked and all of its players were assigned to the Yanks. After three continuous losing seasons, Collins finally was allowed to move to New York. But instead of an official relocation, he asked the league to officially fold his Boston franchise and give him a new franchise, for a tax write off. The league granted his request, and Collins named his new team the New York Bulldogs.http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/17-05-621.pdf
The Boston Yanks are the only defunct NFL team ever to have the first overall NFL draft pick. They had it twice in 1944 and 46. Both times they selected a quarterback from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
: Angelo Bertelli
Angelo Bertelli
Angelo Bortolo Bertelli was an American football player. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1943 playing as a quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.-Early life:...
(44) and Frank Dancewicz
Frank Dancewicz
Francis Joseph "Boley" Dancewicz was an American football quarterback who played professionally in the National Football League...
(46).
First Round draft selections
- 19441944 NFL DraftThe 1944 National Football League Draft was held on April 19, 1944.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
Angelo BertelliAngelo BertelliAngelo Bortolo Bertelli was an American football player. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1943 playing as a quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.-Early life:...
Back Notre Dame - 19451945 NFL DraftThe 1945 National Football League Draft was held on April 8, 1945. It was the last draft held in Chicago; later in the year the league moved its offices to Philadelphia.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
Eddie ProkopEddie ProkopEddie Prokop was an NFL Back in the 1940s. He was the first pick in the 1945 Draft for the Boston Yanks.- College :Prokop played college football Georgia Tech under coach William Alexander and was a 1969 Hall of Fame inductee there. In the 1944 Sugar Bowl Prokop led his #13 Yellow Jackets to...
Back Georgia Tech - 19461946 NFL DraftThe 1946 National Football League Draft was held on January 14, 1946.The most notable draft choice in this player selection meeting was made by the Washington Redskins and remains one of the biggest draft blunders of all time. They chose Cal Rossi with the 9th overall pick. However, Rossi was a...
Frank DancewiczFrank DancewiczFrancis Joseph "Boley" Dancewicz was an American football quarterback who played professionally in the National Football League...
Back Notre Dame - 19471947 NFL DraftThe 1947 National Football League Draft was held on December 16, 1946.The National Football League in this draft made the first overall pick a bonus pick determined by lottery. The Chicago Bears won the first lottery...
Fritz Barzilauskas Guard Yale - 19481948 NFL DraftThe 1948 National Football League Draft was held on December 19, 1947 at the Fort Pitt Hotel in Pittsburgh.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:...
Vaughn ManchaVaughn ManchaVaughn Mancha was a professional American football player who played professionally for the Boston Yanks. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990. He was named to the All-SEC team during his career at the University of Alabama, where he played from 1944 through 1947...
Center Alabama
Season-by-season
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 4th East | Herb Kopf |
| 1945 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3rd East | Herb Kopf |
| 1946 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 5th East | Herb Kopf |
| 1947 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 3rd East | Clipper Smith Maurice J. "Clipper" Smith -External links:... |
| 1948 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 5th East | Clipper Smith |
| Totals | 14 | 38 | 3 | ||