Syracuse Pros
Encyclopedia
The Syracuse Pros, also sometimes referred to as the Syracuse Eleven, were a professional American football team from Syracuse, New York
. It is suspected, though not known for sure, that the team joined the American Professional Football Association
(now the National Football League) in 1921 and left the same year. The team was coached by Mike Purdy
and managed by Andy Friedman
.
suggests that the team was still known as All-Syracuse, an independent team, and it is sometimes said that the Rochester Jeffersons
only won two games against NFL opponents in their existence, against Tonawanda and the Columbus Panhandles-- even though Rochester beat Syracuse in 1921. The game is counted in Syracuse's records but not Rochester's. A third game, against the Washington Senators
, was also played against a league opponent.
No record of the league admitting "The Pros" to the league or removing them from the league exists; only a statement from the team itself says it was (and even that uses the erroneous name "National Professional Football Association"). Only the Chicago Tigers
, who played seven games against NFL teams during the 1920 NFL season
, have been generally recognized as league members without having formally been admitted to or removed from the league. (A few teams, such as the New York Brickley Giants, have either admission or removal records missing, but not both.) At least one team, that year's runner-up Buffalo All-Americans, refused to recognize their membership and canceled two games against them, and possibly pressured the Akron Pros
into canceling a game against Syracuse as well.
The Professional Football Researchers Association
at one time considered the fact that Syracuse said they were in the league as sufficient evidence to say they were, claiming that since professional football was not that popular at the time, the team had nothing to gain from lying about their status (even though the team's announcement trumpeted the ability to play "the top teams in the country;" this hypothesis also does not take into account the possibility of the team being turned down for league membership); the PFRA has since backed off from that stance. Also according to PFRA, in 1921 all teams that played fewer than six games against APFA members were dropped from the official standings. If Syracuse had played all of those cancelled games, it would have played seven league games, enough to qualify for the final standings if they were APFA members.
. A touchdown pass from player-coach
Mike Purdy to Lew Andreas
in the last minute of play was called back on a holding penalty
, costing Syracuse a win. Only 800 spectators showed up to the game because of inclement weather. The next two games were to be on the road against the AFPA's Buffalo All-Americans and New York Brickley Giants. However both were later canceled for reason that are unknown. To fill the first open date, manager Andy Friedman lined up a game with the Oakdales, a local semi-pro
team. Syracuse then coasted to an easy 19-0 victory before a slightly improved crowd of 1,000.
For the next home game, Syracuse was to play the defending AFPA champions, the Akron Pros. However a few days later, Akron canceled the game in order to play the Rochester Jeffersons. In return, Syracuse played the an incarnation of the Akron Indians, this one an all-Native American
football team, led by Suey Welch
. The Pros defeated the Indians 47-0 in front of only 1,500 people. The Pros then prepared for a series of tough games against Rochester and Buffalo. However both teams canceled their games against Syracuse. A week later the Pros finally played their second game against an APFA team. However this game against the Washington Senators resulted in a 20-7 Syracuse loss. The Pros ended their only possible AFPA-NFL season with 12-0 loss to Rochester, them with an APFA record of 0-2-1.
, and is notable for being the first ever national pro football champion
; using ringers such as Pop Warner
and members of the Watertown Red & Black
, the Syracuse A.C. upset the favorite "New York" team
in round 1 of the 1902 World Series of Pro Football and went on to win the tournament. Since the tournament was held in New York City's
Madison Square Garden
, the Syracuse A.C. played in the first indoor football game. An independent team known as "All-Syracuse" also existed both before and after 1921. Another Syracuse-based team, the "Syracuse Stars," is listed in the Rochester Jeffersons' 1920 season records
, and is more likely than not the same team as the Syracuse Pros.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. It is suspected, though not known for sure, that the team joined the American Professional Football Association
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...
(now the National Football League) in 1921 and left the same year. The team was coached by Mike Purdy
Mike Purdy
Clair Joseph Purdy Jr. was a professional football player. He played in the National Football League with the Rochester Jeffersons, New York Brickley Giants, Syracuse Pros and the Milwaukee Badgers. Please note that Brickley's New York Giants are not related to the modern-day New York Giants...
and managed by Andy Friedman
Andy Friedman
Andy Friedman was a professional American football player, as well as the manager of the Syracuse Pros in 1921. The Pros were professional team from Syracuse, New York. It is suspected, though not known for sure, that the team joined the American Professional Football Association in 1921....
.
NFL debate
Though most of today's records state that the Pros did indeed exist and were a member of the APFA, this is not entirely certain. For instance, research centered around the Tonawanda KardexTonawanda Kardex
The Tonawanda Kardex was an American football team active between 1916 and 1921. It played its games in City of Tonawanda, New York, a suburb of Buffalo with close ties to North Tonawanda, New York where American Kardex was founded...
suggests that the team was still known as All-Syracuse, an independent team, and it is sometimes said that the Rochester Jeffersons
Rochester Jeffersons
The Rochester Jeffersons from Rochester, New York played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1925.Formed as an amateur outfit by a rag-tag group of Rochester-area teenagers after the turn of the century , the team became known as the Jeffersons in reference to the locale of their playing...
only won two games against NFL opponents in their existence, against Tonawanda and the Columbus Panhandles-- even though Rochester beat Syracuse in 1921. The game is counted in Syracuse's records but not Rochester's. A third game, against the Washington Senators
Washington Senators (NFL)
Washington Senators, also referred to as the Washington Pros or Washington Presidents, was a professional football club from Washington, D.C.. The team played in the American Professional Football Association during the 1921 season, and continued to operate as a football club until 1941...
, was also played against a league opponent.
No record of the league admitting "The Pros" to the league or removing them from the league exists; only a statement from the team itself says it was (and even that uses the erroneous name "National Professional Football Association"). Only the Chicago Tigers
Chicago Tigers
The Chicago Tigers of the American Professional Football Association played only in the first year of the league and, because of this, have the distinction of being the first official NFL team to fold. They had a record of 2 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie...
, who played seven games against NFL teams during the 1920 NFL season
1920 NFL season
The 1920 APFA season was the inaugural regular season of the National Football League which was called the American Professional Football Association in 1920 and 1921...
, have been generally recognized as league members without having formally been admitted to or removed from the league. (A few teams, such as the New York Brickley Giants, have either admission or removal records missing, but not both.) At least one team, that year's runner-up Buffalo All-Americans, refused to recognize their membership and canceled two games against them, and possibly pressured the Akron Pros
Akron Pros
The Akron Pros were a professional football team located played in Akron, Ohio from 1908–1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, however name was changed to the Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional...
into canceling a game against Syracuse as well.
The Professional Football Researchers Association
Professional Football Researchers Association
The Professional Football Researchers Association is an organization of researchers whose mission is to preserve and, in some cases, reconstruct professional football history. It was founded on June 22, 1979 in Canton, Ohio by writer/historian Bob Carroll and six other football researchers and is...
at one time considered the fact that Syracuse said they were in the league as sufficient evidence to say they were, claiming that since professional football was not that popular at the time, the team had nothing to gain from lying about their status (even though the team's announcement trumpeted the ability to play "the top teams in the country;" this hypothesis also does not take into account the possibility of the team being turned down for league membership); the PFRA has since backed off from that stance. Also according to PFRA, in 1921 all teams that played fewer than six games against APFA members were dropped from the official standings. If Syracuse had played all of those cancelled games, it would have played seven league games, enough to qualify for the final standings if they were APFA members.
1921 Syracuse Pros season
The Pros opened their 1921 campaign with a scoreless tie against Tonawanda at Star ParkStar Park
Star Park is a former baseball ground located in Syracuse, New York. The ground was home to the Syracuse Stars from 1885 to 1899 and from 1902 to 1904. It was also the home of the Syracuse Pros football team, who were possible members of the American Professional Football Association , in 1921....
. A touchdown pass from player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
Mike Purdy to Lew Andreas
Lew Andreas
Lew Andreas was the head coach for Syracuse University's men's basketball and football programs beginning in the 1920s. The Sterling, Illinois native played baseball, basketball and football at University of Illinois as a freshman before transferring to Syracuse...
in the last minute of play was called back on a holding penalty
Holding (American football)
In gridiron football, holding is the illegal restraining of another player who is not in possession of the ball. Holding is banned in most football leagues because it does not allow fair play of the game and increases the risk for injury....
, costing Syracuse a win. Only 800 spectators showed up to the game because of inclement weather. The next two games were to be on the road against the AFPA's Buffalo All-Americans and New York Brickley Giants. However both were later canceled for reason that are unknown. To fill the first open date, manager Andy Friedman lined up a game with the Oakdales, a local semi-pro
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
team. Syracuse then coasted to an easy 19-0 victory before a slightly improved crowd of 1,000.
For the next home game, Syracuse was to play the defending AFPA champions, the Akron Pros. However a few days later, Akron canceled the game in order to play the Rochester Jeffersons. In return, Syracuse played the an incarnation of the Akron Indians, this one an all-Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
football team, led by Suey Welch
Suey Welch
Stephen H. "Suey" Welch was an Akron, Ohio-based manager who handled boxers from the 1920s through the 1970s. He specialized in bringing fighters from Ohio to Southern California, where many of them went on to become main event fighters. Most notably, he managed Middleweight Champion Gorilla Jones...
. The Pros defeated the Indians 47-0 in front of only 1,500 people. The Pros then prepared for a series of tough games against Rochester and Buffalo. However both teams canceled their games against Syracuse. A week later the Pros finally played their second game against an APFA team. However this game against the Washington Senators resulted in a 20-7 Syracuse loss. The Pros ended their only possible AFPA-NFL season with 12-0 loss to Rochester, them with an APFA record of 0-2-1.
Ties to other Syracuse teams
What is known for certain is that professional football in Syracuse had been around since at least 1890, with the formation of the Syracuse Athletic Club. Syracuse A.C. existed from 1890 to 1900, and according to PFRA contributor Kenneth Crippen had a tumultuous but prolific existence. A new Syracuse A.C. reformed in 1902, under Frank "Buck" O'NeillFrank "Buck" O'Neill
Frank J. "Buck" O'Neill was an American football player and coach. He served as head football coach at Colgate University , Syracuse University , and Columbia University , compiling a career college football coaching record of 81–41–8...
, and is notable for being the first ever national pro football champion
Professional American football championship games
Below is a list of professional football championship games in the United States, involving:* the informal Pittsburgh circuit of professional football teams ;...
; using ringers such as Pop Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner
Glenn Scobey Warner , most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American football player and coach...
and members of the Watertown Red & Black
Watertown Red & Black
The Watertown Red & Black is a semi-professional American football team based in Watertown, New York. Founded in 1896, the team is the oldest semi-pro football team in the United States...
, the Syracuse A.C. upset the favorite "New York" team
New York (World Series of Football)
"New York" was a term given to a professional football team formed by promoter Tom O'Rouke for the World Series of Football in 1902. The event was held in New York City at Madison Square Garden...
in round 1 of the 1902 World Series of Pro Football and went on to win the tournament. Since the tournament was held in New York City's
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...
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden (1890)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the second by that name, and the second to be located at 26th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan...
, the Syracuse A.C. played in the first indoor football game. An independent team known as "All-Syracuse" also existed both before and after 1921. Another Syracuse-based team, the "Syracuse Stars," is listed in the Rochester Jeffersons' 1920 season records
1920 Rochester Jeffersons season
The 1920 Rochester Jeffersons season was their inaugural season in the league. The team finished 6-3-2, earning them seventh place in the league....
, and is more likely than not the same team as the Syracuse Pros.
Season-by-season
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19th | Mike Purdy Mike Purdy Clair Joseph Purdy Jr. was a professional football player. He played in the National Football League with the Rochester Jeffersons, New York Brickley Giants, Syracuse Pros and the Milwaukee Badgers. Please note that Brickley's New York Giants are not related to the modern-day New York Giants... |
| Totals | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||