Die APFA-Saison 1920 war die erste Saison der US-amerikanischen Footballliga „American Professional Football Association“ (APFA), welche zwei Jahre später in die heute bekannte National Football League (NFL) umbenannt wurde. Das erste Spiel fand am 26. September 1920, das letzte Spiel am 19. Dezember 1920 statt. Meister der Liga wurden die Akron Pros.
Organisation und Teams Obwohl in der Moderne als offiziell erste Saison ausgegeben, war die APFA 1920 nur wenig organisiert. Allen Mannschaften gemeinsam war nur die Verwendung eines einheitlichen Briefkopfes. Dennoch verständigte man sich darauf, Jim Thorpe zum ersten Präsidenten zu ernennen. Dies geschah jedoch nicht wegen seiner administrativen Fähigkeiten, sondern viel eher, um die Bekanntheit von Thorpe für die neue Vereinigung zu nutzen.
Von den an dieser Meisterschaft teilnehmenden Mannschaften sind mit den Chicago Cardinals (jetzt Arizona Cardinals) und den Decatur Staleys (jetzt Chicago Bears) auch 100 Jahre später noch zwei Teams in der NFL aktiv.
Modus Es gab weder einen einheitlichen Spielplan, noch eine gemeinsame Mindestanzahl an Spielen. Die Gegner wurden wie im Zeitraum zuvor ausschließlich aufgrund finanzieller Erwägungen ausgesucht und waren mitunter auch von außerhalb der APFA. Aus diesem Grund vermied man die Verwendung des Begriffes Liga (engl. League) und es wurde von der APFA auch keine Tabelle geführt. Lange Zeit vertrat die NFL die Ansicht, es wäre auch kein Meister für diese Saison gekürt worden, jedoch fanden Historiker heraus, dass beim offiziellen Treffen der Besitzer am 30. April 1921 beiläufig bei der Besprechung der Lage der Teams die Meisterschaft an die Pros vergeben wurde.
Tabelle Team S N U SQ P+ P− Akron Pros 8 0 3 1,000 151 7 Decatur Staleys1012 0,909 16421 Buffalo All-Americans911 0,900 25832 Chicago Cardinals622 0,750 11543 Rock Island Independents622 0,750 20149 Dayton Triangles522 0,71415054 Rochester Jeffersons632 0,667 15657 Canton Bulldogs742 0,636 20857 Detroit Heralds233 0,400 5382 Cleveland Tigers242 0,333 2846 Chicago Tigers251 0,2864963 Hammond Pros250 0,286 41154 Columbus Panhandles262 0,250 41121 Muncie Flyers010 0,000 045
Spiele
Woche 1 26. September 1920 Gast Punkte Heim Punkte Spielort St. Paul Ideals 0 Rock Island Independents (1–0–0) 48 Douglas Park Woche 2 3. Oktober 1920 Wheeling Stogies 0 Akron Pros (1–0–0) 43 Akron League Park West Buffalo 6 Buffalo All-Americans (1–0–0) 32 Canisius Field Pitcairn Quakers 0 Canton Bulldogs (1–0–0) 48 Lakeside Park Columbus Panhandles (0–1–0) 0 Dayton Triangles (1–0–0) 14 Triangle Park Moline Universal Tractors 0 Decatur Staleys (1–0–0) 20 Staley Field Muncie Flyers (0–1–0) 0 Rock Island Independents (2–0–0) 45 Douglas Park All-Buffalo 0 Rochester Jeffersons (1–0–0) 10 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 3 10. Oktober 1920 Columbus Panhandles (0–2–0) 0 Akron Pros (2–0–0) 37 Akron League Park All-Buffalo (0–2–0) 0 Buffalo All-Americans (2–0–0) 51 Canisius Field Toledo Maroons 0 Canton Bulldogs (2–0–0) 42 Lakeside Park Chicago Cardinals (0–0–1) 0 Chicago Tigers (0–0–1) 0 Cubs Park Cleveland Tigers (0–0–1) 0 Dayton Triangles (1–0–1) 0 Triangle Park Kewanee Walworths 7 Decatur Staleys (2–0–0) 25 Staley Field Cleveland Panthers 14 Detroit Heralds (1–0–0) 40 Mack Park Hammond Pros (0–1–0) 0 Rock Island Independents (3–0–0) 26 Douglas Park Fort Porter 0 Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–0) 66 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 4 17. Oktober 1920 Cincinnati Celts 0 Akron Pros (3–0–0) 13 Akron League Park McKeesport Olympics 7 Buffalo All-Americans (3–0–0) 28 Canisius Field Cleveland Tigers (0–1–1) 0 Canton Bulldogs (3–0–0) 7 Lakeside Park Moline Universal Tractors (0–2–0) 3 Chicago Cardinals (1–0–1) 33 St. Rita's Field Detroit Heralds (1–1–0) 0 Chicago Tigers (1–0–1) 12 Cubs Park Columbus Panhandles (0–3–0) 0 Fort Wayne Friars (1–0–0) 14 Fort Wayne League Park Hammond Pros (0–2–0) 0 Dayton Triangles (2–0–1) 44 Triangle Park Decatur Staleys (3–0–0) 7 Rock Island Independents (3–1–0) 0 Douglas Park Utica Knights of Columbus 0 Rochester Jeffersons (2–0–1) 0 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 5 24. Oktober 1920 Cleveland Tigers (0–2–1) 0 Akron Pros (4–0–0) 7 Akron League Park Toledo Maroons (0–2–0) 0 Buffalo All-Americans (4–0–0) 38 Canisius Field Canton Bulldogs (3–0–1) 20 Dayton Triangles (2–0–2) 20 Triangle Park Chicago Cardinals (1–1–1) 0 Rock Island Independents (4–1–0) 7 Douglas Park Decatur Staleys (4–0–0) 10 Chicago Tigers (1–1–1) 0 Cubs Park Columbus Panhandles (0–4–0) 0 Detroit Heralds (2–1–0) 6 Mack Park Syracuse Stars 7 Rochester Jeffersons (3–0–1) 21 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 6 31. Oktober 1920 Akron Pros (5–0–0) 10 Canton Bulldogs (3–1–1) 0 Lakeside Park Rochester Jeffersons (3–1–1) 6 Buffalo All-Americans (5–0–0) 17 Canisius Field Detroit Heralds (2–2–0) 0 Chicago Cardinals (2–1–1) 21 Cubs Park Chicago Tigers (1–2–1) 7 Rock Island Independents (5–1–0) 20 Douglas Park Columbus Panhandles (0–5–0) 0 Cleveland Tigers (1–2–1) 7 Dunn Field Cincinnati Celts (0–2–0) 7 Dayton Triangles (3–0–2) 23 Triangle Park Decatur Staleys (5–0–0) 29 Rockford A.C. 0 Kishwaukee Park Hammond Pros (1–2–0) 14 Logan Square 9 Logan Square Park Woche 7 7. November 1920 All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks 0 Buffalo All-Americans (6–0–0) 35 Canisius Field Canton Bulldogs (4–1–1) 18 Cleveland Tigers (1–3–1) 0 Dunn Field Chicago Cardinals (3–1–1) 6 Chicago Tigers (1–3–1) 3 Cubs Park Columbus Panhandles (1–5–0) 10 Zanesville Mark Grays 0 Zanesville, Ohio Decatur Staleys (5–0–1) 0 Rock Island Independents (5–1–1) 0 Douglas Park Hammond Pros (2–2–0) 14 Pullman Thorns 13 Chicago, Illinois Utica Knights of Columbus 7 Rochester Jeffersons (4–1–1) 27 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 8 11. November 1920 Decatur Staleys (6–0–1) 20 Champaign Legion 0 Champaign, Illinois Rock Island Independents (5–1–2) 7 Thorn Tornadoes 7 Monmouth, Illinois 14. November 1920 Akron Pros (5–0–1) 7 Cleveland Tigers (1–3–2) 7 Dunn Field Columbus Panhandles (1–6–0) 7 Buffalo All-Americans (7–0–0) 43 Canisius Field Chicago Tigers (1–4–1) 0 Canton Bulldogs (5–1–1) 21 Lakeside Park Cincinnati Celts (0–3–0) 0 Chicago Cardinals (4–1–1) 21 Chicago, Illinois Dayton Triangles (4–0–2) 21 Rock Island Independents (5–2–2) 0 Douglas Park Decatur Staleys (7–0–1) 3 Minneapolis Marines 0 Nicollet Park Detroit Heralds (2–2–1) 0 Fort Wayne Friars 0 Fort Wayne League Park Hammond Pros (2–3–0) 6 Gary Elks (1–0–0) 7 Gleason Field All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks (1–1–0) 6 Rochester Jeffersons (4–2–1) 0 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 9 21. November 1920 Dayton Triangles (4–1–2) 0 Akron Pros (6–0–1) 13 Akron League Park Canton Bulldogs (6–1–1) 3 Buffalo All-Americans (7–1–0) 0 Canisius Field Lansing Oldsmobile 0 Chicago Cardinals (5–1–1) 14 Chicago, Illinois Toledo Maroons (0–3–0) 0 Cleveland Tigers (2–3–2) 14 Dunn Field Columbus Panhandles (1–6–1) 0 Zanesville Mark Grays 0 Zanesville, Ohio Hammond Pros (2–4–0) 7 Decatur Staleys (8–0–1) 28 Staley Field Rochester Scalpers 0 Rochester Jeffersons (5–2–1) 16 Rochester Baseball Park Woche 10 25. November 1920 Canton Bulldogs (6–2–1) 0 Akron Pros (7–0–1) 7 Akron League Park Decatur Staleys (9–0–1) 6 Chicago Tigers (1–5–1) 0 Chicago Cub Park Columbus Panhandles (1–6–2) 0 Elyria Athletics 0 Lorain, Ohio Detroit Heralds (2–3–1) 0 Dayton Triangles (5–1–2) 28 Triangle Park Hammond Pros (2–5–0) 0 Chicago Boosters (1–0–0) 27 DePaul Field All-Tonawanda Lumberjacks (2–1–0) 14 Rochester Jeffersons (5–3–1) 3 Rochester Baseball Park 28. November 1920 Akron Pros (8–0–1) 14 Dayton Triangles (5–2–2) 0 Triangle Park Cleveland Tigers (2–4–2) 0 Buffalo All-Americans (8–1–0) 7 Buffalo Baseball Park Decatur Staleys (9–1–1) 6 Chicago Cardinals (6–1–1) 7 Normal Park Thorn Tornadoes 0 Chicago Tigers (2–5–1) 27 Cubs Park Lansing Oldsmobile 0 Detroit Heralds (2–3–2) 0 Mack Park Rochester Scalpers (0–2–0) 6 Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–1) 7 Rochester Baseball Park Washington and Jeffe Collegians 7 Rock Island Independents (6–2–2) 48 Douglas Park Woche 11 4. Dezember 1920 Canton Bulldogs (6–3–1) 3 Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–0) 7 New York Polo Grounds 5. Dezember 1920 Akron Pros (8–0–2) 0 Buffalo All-Americans (9–1–1) 0 Buffalo Baseball Park Canton Bulldogs (6–3–2) 0 Washington Glee Club 0 New Haven, Connecticut Chicago Cardinals (6–2–1) 0 Decatur Staleys (10–1–1) 10 Cubs Park Columbus Wagner Pirates 0 Columbus Panhandles (2–6–2) 24 Neil Park Detroit Maroons 7 Detroit Heralds (2–3–3) 7 Mack Park Rochester Scalpers (0–2–1) 0 Rochester Jeffersons (6–3–2) 0 Exposition Park Woche 12 11. Dezember 1920Canton Bulldogs (6–4–2) 7 Union Club of Phoenixville (1–0–0) 13 Phillies Park 12. Dezember 1920 Akron Pros (8–0–3) 0 Decatur Staleys (10–1–2) 0 Cubs Park Woche 13 18. Dezember 1920 Canton Bulldogs (7–4–2) 39 Richmond Athletics 0 Boulevard Field 19. Dezember 1920 Chicago Cardinals (6–2–2) 14 Chicago Stayms 14 Pyott Field
Inoffizielle Liga-Bestleistungen Punkte Name Team Punkte Dutch Sternaman Decatur 86 Ockie Anderson Buffalo 71 Tommy Hughitt Buffalo 53 Fritz Pollard Akron 42 Bodie Weldon Buffalo 41
Rushing Touchdowns Name Team TDs Dutch Sternaman Decatur 11 Ockie Anderson Buffalo 8 Tommy Hughitt Buffalo 8 Bob Argus Rochester 6 Fritz Pollard Akron 5 Joe Guyon Canton 5
Receiving Touchdowns Name Team TDs Norb Sacksteder Dayton 3 Dave Reese Dayton 2 Bunny Corcoran Canton 2 George Halas Decatur 2
Return Touchdowns Name Team TDs Arnie Wyman Rock Island 3 Ockie Anderson Buffalo 3 Al Nesser Akron 3 Frank Bacon Dayton 2 Swede Youngstrom Buffalo 2 Lenny Sachs Chicago C 2 Leo Chappell Chicago C 2
Literatur National Football League: 2005 NFL Record & Fact Book. Sports Illustrated, 2005, ISBN 1-932994-36-X.
Einzelnachweise
#1920 Kategorie:American-Football-Veranstaltung 1920