The 1944 Boston Yanks season was its inaugural season in the National Football League. The team won two games1944 Boston Yanks and failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Pre-season 1944 NFL draft
The 1944 NFL draft was held on April 19, 1944, at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia. By agreement of league owners, the new Yanks franchise received the first pick of the first round and then dropped to 11th in the order of draft selection, making their next choice at 27.George Strickler (ed.), Record and Rules Manual, 1944. Chicago: National Football League, 1944; p. 87.
Although there were 32 rounds in the 1944 draft, each of the league's 11 teams selected 30 players, for a total of 330 players picked.Strickler (ed.), Record and Rules Manual, 1944, pp. 77–87, passim. The five worst-finishing teams of the 1943 season picked alone in rounds 2 and 4, while the five best-finishing teams plus the expansion Yanks picked alone in rounds 31 and 32.
Boston's top draft pick, Heisman Trophy-winning Notre Dame quarterback Angelo Bertelli, had enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943 and never played in the NFL, instead making his professional debut with the Los Angeles Dons of the rival All-America Football Conference (AAFC) in 1946.
The complete list of players drafted by the Boston Yanks in 1944 follows."1944 Boston Yanks Draftees," Pro Football Reference, www.pro-football-reference.com/ Due to the demands of World War II, none of these players actually played for the Yanks during the 1944 season.
Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources 1 September 26 Philadelphia Eagles L 7–28 0–1 Fenway Park — Bye 2 October 8 New York Giants L 10–22 0–2 Fenway Park 3 October 15 Washington Redskins L 14–21 0–3 Fenway Park 4 October 22 at Philadelphia Eagles L 0–38 0–4 Shibe Park 5 October 29 at Brooklyn Tigers W 17–14 1–4 Ebbets Field 6 November 5 at New York Giants L 0–31 1–5 Polo Grounds 7 November 12 at Chicago Bears L 7–21 1–6 Wrigley Field 8 November 19 Brooklyn Tigers W 13–6 2–6 Fenway Park 9 November 26 at Washington Redskins L 7–14 2–7 Griffith Stadium 10 December 3 at Detroit Lions L 7–38 2–8 Briggs Stadium Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
Roster 1944 Boston Yanks final rosterBacks 10 - Bob Davis QB/RB/CB/S 11 - George Cafego FB/QB/P/S 18 - Scott Gudmundson QB/RB/CB/S/P 21 - Ken Steinmetz FB/QB/LB 22 - Ted Williams RB/CB 23 - Milton Crane FB/LB 24 - Frank Turbert RB/CB 25 - Tony Falkenstein FB/LB 28 - Leo Stasica RB/QB/CB 33 - Johnny Martin RB/CB/P
Ends/Receivers 14 - Keith Ranspot 15 - Joe Crowley 17 - Morgan Tiller 29 - Harry Wynne 42 - Sam Goldman Linemen/Linebackers 16 - John Morelli G/DG 19 - Ed Franco T/DT 20 - Jim Magee C/LB 30 - Ed Korisky C/LB 36 - Thron Riggs T/DT 37 - Art Albrecht C/LB 38 - Frank Gaziano G/DG 41 - Augie Lio G/DG/K 40 - Edward McGee T/DT 43 - Wimpy Giddens T/DT 44 - Bill Walker G/DG
Reserve 25 - Paul Sanders RB/CB (IR) 33 - David Smukler FB/LB (Susp.) rookies in italics
References