Dan Policowski
Encyclopedia
Dan Policowski was an early professional football
player for the Massillon Tigers
from 1904 to 1906. Originally from Canton, Ohio
, which was the home of the Tigers', rival the Canton Bulldogs
, Policowski played end under the alias Dan Riley. He was also known as "Bullet Riley".
, Peggy Parratt
. This was the first recorded use of the forward pass
in professional football game. However it is unknown if it was truly the first use of the pass in a professional game, since Parratt may have used it even earlier.
Eddie Wood
was erroneously credited for catching the first forward pass in pro football by Harry March
in his book Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs
. During the second game of the 1906 Ohio League
championship, which would later result in a betting scandal on November 24, 1906, Wood reportedly caught a couple of the new forward passes. March somehow stated that those catches in a championship game, at the end of the season, were very first catches in professional football. It was later discovered that Parratt threw an earlier recorded pass to Policowski on October 25th, for professional football's first forward pass. A second recorded pass was thrown to Clark Schrontz
two days later.
. In 1907 he played for the "All-Massillon" team, which featured most of Tigers line-up. In 1910, Policowski played ofr the Shelby Tigers
, while in 1911, he played for the Shelby Blues
. A year later Policowski played for the Toledo Overlands. During a game against the Detroit Wolverines, he grabbed a fumble at Detroit's three yard line and ran it in for a touchdown.
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...
player for the Massillon Tigers
Massillon Tigers
The Massillon Tigers were an early professional football team from Massillon, Ohio. Playing in the "Ohio League", the team was a rival to the pre-National Football League version of the Canton Bulldogs. The Tigers won Ohio League championships in 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906, then merged to become...
from 1904 to 1906. Originally from Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, which was the home of the Tigers', rival the Canton Bulldogs
Canton Bulldogs
The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...
, Policowski played end under the alias Dan Riley. He was also known as "Bullet Riley".
Forward pass
On October 25, 1906, Policowski made professional football history when he caught a short pass from Massillon quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, Peggy Parratt
Peggy Parratt
George Watson "Peggy" Parratt was a professional football player who played in the "Ohio League" prior to it becoming a part of the National Football League...
. This was the first recorded use of the forward pass
Forward pass
In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...
in professional football game. However it is unknown if it was truly the first use of the pass in a professional game, since Parratt may have used it even earlier.
Eddie Wood
Eddie Wood
Edward Wood was an early professional football player for the Latrobe Athletic Association, the Franklin Athletic Club and finally for the Canton Bulldogs of the "Ohio League"...
was erroneously credited for catching the first forward pass in pro football by Harry March
Harry March
Harry Addison March was an early football historian and promoter, as well as a medical doctor. He also helped organize the National Football League and well as the second American Football League. March is also credited with convincing Tim Mara to purchase an NFL franchise for New York City, which...
in his book Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs
Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs
Pro Football: Its Ups and Downs, published in 1934, is a novel by Dr. Harry March that was the first ever attempt to write a history of professional American football. March had served in several executive offices with the New York Giants of the National Football League in the late 1920s and was a...
. During the second game of the 1906 Ohio League
Ohio League
The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1903 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship . As the name implied, its teams were based in Ohio...
championship, which would later result in a betting scandal on November 24, 1906, Wood reportedly caught a couple of the new forward passes. March somehow stated that those catches in a championship game, at the end of the season, were very first catches in professional football. It was later discovered that Parratt threw an earlier recorded pass to Policowski on October 25th, for professional football's first forward pass. A second recorded pass was thrown to Clark Schrontz
Clark Schrontz
Clark A. Schrontz was a professional American football player. In 1902 he won a championship in the first National Football League with the Pittsburgh Stars. A year later he was a member of the Franklin Athletic Club football team that was considered the "best in the world"...
two days later.
After Massillon
The Tigers and Bulldogs left football in 1906 after the events Canton Bulldogs-Massillon Tigers Betting ScandalCanton Bulldogs-Massillon Tigers Betting Scandal
The Canton Bulldogs–Massillon Tigers betting scandal was the first major scandal in professional football in the United States. It refers to a series of allegations made by a Massillon newspaper charging the Canton Bulldogs coach, Blondy Wallace, and Massillon Tigers end, Walter East, of conspiring...
. In 1907 he played for the "All-Massillon" team, which featured most of Tigers line-up. In 1910, Policowski played ofr the Shelby Tigers
Shelby Tigers
The Shelby Tigers was a professional American football team, based in Shelby, Ohio, from 1910 until 1911. The team played in the Ohio League, which was the direct predecessor to the modern National Football League.-1910 season:...
, while in 1911, he played for the Shelby Blues
Shelby Blues
The Shelby Blues were an American football team based in Shelby, Ohio. The team played in the Ohio League from 1900 to 1919. In 1920, when the Ohio League became the APFA , the Blues did not join but continued to play against APFA teams, only to later suspend operations...
. A year later Policowski played for the Toledo Overlands. During a game against the Detroit Wolverines, he grabbed a fumble at Detroit's three yard line and ran it in for a touchdown.