1920 Detroit Heralds season

1920 Detroit Heralds season
Head coach Billy Marshall
Home field Navin Field
Results
Record 2–3–3 Overall
2–2–1 APFA
League place 9th APFA

The 1920 Detroit Heralds season was their inaugural season in the National Football League. The team finished 2–3–3,[1] earning them ninth place in the league.

Schedule

The table below was compiled using the information from NFL History and The Pro Football Archives, both of which used various contemporary newspapers.[2][3] A dagger (dagger) by a team means that team was not affiliated with the non-APFA. For the results column, the winning team's score is posted first followed by the result for the Heralds. For the attendance, if a cell is greyed out and has "N/A", then that means there is an unknown figure for that game. Green-colored rows indicate a win; yellow-colored rows indicate a tie; and red-colored rows indicate a loss.

Week Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Record
1 No game scheduled
2 No game scheduled
3 October 10, 1920 vs. Cleveland Panthersdagger 40–14 W Navin Field N/A 1–0
4 October 17, 1920 at Chicago Tigers 12–0 L Cub Park 5,000 1–1
5 October 24, 1920 vs. Columbus Panhandles 6–0 W Mack Park N/A 2–1
6 October 31, 1920 at Chicago Cardinals 21–0 L Cub Park 3,000 2–2
7 November 7, 1920 at Akron Pros Cancelled
8 November 14, 1920 at Fort Wayne Friarsdagger 0–0 T League Park 3,000 2–2–1
9 November 21, 1920 vs. Detroit Armadasdagger Cancelled
10 November 25, 1920 at Dayton Triangles 28–0 L Triangle Park N/A 2–3–1
November 28, 1920 vs. Lansing Oldsmobiledagger 0–0 T Mack Park N/A 2–3–2
11 December 5, 1920 vs. Detroit Maroonsdagger 7–7 T Mack Park N/A 2–3–3
12 No game scheduled
13 No game scheduled

Week 3: vs. Cleveland Panthers

1 2 3 4 Total
Panthers 0 0 7 7 14
Heralds 6 13 14 7 40

October 10, 1920 at Navin Field

The Heralds opened their season with a game against the Cleveland Panthers, played at Navin Field on October 10, 1920. The Heralds won by a 40-14 score. Eddie Moegle, the Heralds' right halfback, scored the team's first touchdown of the 1920 NFL season. Additional touchdowns were scored by left end Heinie Schultz, left tackle Hugh Lowery, substitute left end Joe Fitzgerald, substitute fullback Wood, and quarterback Perce Wilson. Right tackle Steamer Horning converted four goals after touchdown for Detroit. After "a mix-up" with Detroit's Charlie Guy and Gil Runkel, Cleveland's star halfback Arnold Vogel was carried off the field in the fourth quarter with a broken left shoulder and three broken ribs; he was taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital for medical treatment. The Detroit Free Press called it "a rough and tumble match," but also wrote that it was "a slow and rather uninteresting football battle."[4]

The Heralds' starting lineup against Columbus was Heinie Schultz (left end), Hugh Lowery (left tackle), Clarence Appelgran (left guard), Gil Runkel (center), Charlie Guy (right guard), Steamer Horning (right tackle), Ray Whipple (right end), Perce Wilson (quarterback), King (left halfback), Eddie Moegle (right halfback), and Pat Dunne (fullback). Jimmy Kelly (left halfback), Fitzgerald (left end), Wood (fullback), and McCoy (right tackle) appeared in the game as substitutes.[4]

Week 4: at Chicago Tigers

1 2 3 4 Total
Heralds 0 0 0 0 0
Tigers 6 0 6 0 12

October 17, 1920 at Cub Park

The Heralds lost by a 12-0 score to the Chicago Tigers on October 17, 1920, in a game played at Cub Park in Chicago.[5]

Week 5: vs. Columbus Panhandles

1 2 3 4 Total
Panhandles 0 0 0 0 0
Heralds 0 6 0 0 6

October 24, 1920 at Mack Park

Following the loss, the Heralds were visited by the Columbus Panhandles, an APFA team. The Panhandles' passing attack helped them outgain the Heralds, but, according to the Ohio State Journal, it was a close game and "one play decided the outcome."[6] The Heralds' left end, Joe Fitzgerald, intercepted a pass from Frank Nesser and ran it back for an 85-yard touchdown.[2][6]

The Heralds' starting lineup against Columbus was Fitzgerald (left end), Hugh Lowery (left tackle), Moose Gardner (left guard), Gil Runkel (center), Charlie Guy (right guard), Steamer Horning (right tackle), Ray Whipple (right end), Bill Joyce (quarterback), Bo Hanley (left halfback), Jimmy Kelly (right halfback), and Pat Dunne (fullback). Perce Wilson (quarterback), Birtie Maher (left end) and Ty Krentler (fullback) appeared in the game as substitutes.[7]

Week 6: at Chicago Cardinals

1 2 3 4 Total
Heralds 0 0 0 0 0
Cardinals 0 0 21 0 21

October 31, 1920 at Cub Park

The Heralds lost to the Chicago Cardinals on October 31, 1920, in a game played at Cub Park in Chicago. The game was a scoreless tie until the middle of the third period. Over a five-minute period, the Cardinals blocked three punts by Steamer Horning. Chicago scored touchdowns each time and won the game 21-0.[8]

Week 8: at Fort Wayne Friars

1 2 3 4 Total
Heralds 0 0 0 0 0
Friars 0 0 0 0 0

November 14, 1920 at League Park

On November 14, 1920, the Heralds played the Fort Wayne Friars to a scoreless tie at League Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The game was called "one of the best games of football seen here this season."[9]

Week 10: at Dayton Triangles

1 2 3 4 Total
Heralds 0 0 0 0 0
Triangles 0 0 0 0 0

November 25, 1920 at Triangle Park


Week 10: vs Lansing Oldsmobile

1 2 3 4 Total
Oldsmobile 0 0 0 0 0
Heralds 0 0 0 0 0

November 28, 1920 at Mack Park

On November 28, 1920, the Heralds played to a scoreless tie against the Lansing Oldsmobile team on a muddy field at Mack Park. The Heralds came closest to scoring on a long forward pass from Ernest Watson to Joe Fitzgerald who was downed at Lansing's six-yard line. The Heralds were held on downs from the six-yard line.[10]

The Heralds' starting lineup against Lansing was Blake Miller (left end), Hugh Lowery (left tackle), Gates (left guard), Gil Runkel (center), Tom Dickinson (right guard), Steamer Horning (right tackle), Joe Fitzgerald (right end), Ernest Watson (quarterback), Stan Jacobs (left halfback), Lynn Allen (right halfback), and Jimmy Kelly (fullback). Pat Dunne (fullback) and Perce Wilson (left halfback) appeared in the game as substitutes.[10]

Week 11: vs. Detroit Maroons

1 2 3 4 Total
Maroons 0 0 0 7 7
Heralds 0 0 7 0 7

December 5, 1920 at Mack Park

The Heralds finished the 1920 season with a game against the Detroit Maroons for the city championship. Substitute fullback Ty Krentler scored the Heralds' touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter. The Maroons tied the game with a touchdown in the fourth quarter by fullback Schultz.[11]

Standings

1920 APFA standings[12]
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Akron Prosdagger 8 0 3 1.000 6–0–3 151 7 T2
Decatur Staleys 10 1 2 .909 5–1–2 164 21 T1
Buffalo All-Americans 9 1 1 .900 4–1–1 258 32 T1
Chicago Cardinals 6 2 2 .750 3–2–2 101 29 T1
Rock Island Independents 6 2 2 .750 4–2–1 201 49 W1
Dayton Triangles 5 2 2 .714 4–2–2 150 54 L1
Rochester Jeffersons 6 3 2 .667 0–1 156 57 T1
Canton Bulldogs 7 4 2 .636 4–3–1 208 57 W1
Detroit Heralds 2 3 3 .400 1–3 53 82 T2
Cleveland Tigers 2 4 2 .333 1–4–2 28 46 L1
Chicago Tigers 2 5 1 .286 1–5–1 49 63 W1
Hammond Pros 2 5 0 .286 0–3 41 154 L3
Columbus Panhandles 2 6 2 .250 0–4 41 121 W1
Muncie Flyers 0 1 0 .000 0–1 0 45 L1

 dagger  Awarded the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup and named APFA Champions.
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Players

References

  1. ↑ 1920 Detroit Heralds
  2. 1 2 NFL History (2003), pp. 1–7
  3. ↑ "1920 Detroit Heralds". The Pro Football Archives. Maher Sports Media. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Heralds Trim Panthers 40-14: Vogel, Cleveland Star Right Halfback, in Hospital From Injuries". Detroit Free Press. October 11, 1920. p. 13.
  5. ↑ "FLUKY KICKS GIVE CHICAGO THE GAME: Detroit Heralds Lose Hard Fought Game, 12 to 0". Detroit Free Press. October 18, 1920. p. 11.
  6. 1 2 Willis (2007), p. 172
  7. ↑ "Heralds Get Lonely Tally: Fitzgerald Intercepts Forward Pass, Runs 85 Yards to Beat Pan Handles; Local Team Plays Good Game as Do the Visitors; Big Crowd Out". Detroit Free Press. October 25, 1920. p. 12.
  8. ↑ "HERALDS BEATEN BY LARGE SCORE: Three Blocked Punts Turn Detroit Team Back". Detroit Free Press. November 1, 1920. p. 15.
  9. ↑ "Heralds Draw at Ft. Wayne". Detroit Free Press. November 15, 1920. p. 14.
  10. 1 2 "No Scoring in Title Battle: Neither Lansing Nor Champion Heralds Are Able to Tally on Muddy Gridiron; Visitors Outgain Locals but Long Forward Pass Almost Beats Them". Detroit Free Press. November 29, 1920. p. 11.
  11. ↑ "EACH ELEVEN SCORES ONCE: Heralds and Maroons Go to 7-7 Tie on Muddy Grid Sunday Afternoon". Detroit Free Press. December 6, 1920. p. 11.
  12. ↑ "NFL – 1920 Regular Season". National Football League. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
Akron Pros Buffalo All-Americans Canton Bulldogs Racine Cardinals
Chicago Tigers Cleveland Tigers Columbus Panhandles Dayton Triangles
Decatur Staleys Detroit Heralds Hammond Pros Muncie Flyers
Rochester Jeffersons Rock Island Independents
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