The Maroons of Pottsville, Pennsylvania were one of the best teams in the league in 1925 and 1926, recording regular season records of 10-2 and 10-2-1, respectively. However, the team suffered losing records during their next two seasons. In 1929, the team then moved to Boston, Massachusetts and became the Bulldogs, but folded after the season.
1925 NFL Championship controversy
There is considerable controversy over whether the Maroons should have been awarded the 1925 NFL Championship instead of the Chicago Cardinals.
Under the league rules during that time, the NFL title was automatically given to the team with the best record at the end of the season instead of having the winner be determined by a playoff tournament. Also there was an open-ended schedule during that season; although the final listed league games ended on December 6, teams could still schedule contests against each other through December 20 so they could make more money.[1]
On December 6, Pottsville defeated Chicago, 21-7, to establish the best record in the league and seemed to all but officially clinch the NFL championship. However, two things happened: First, the Cardinals hastily scheduled games against two weak teams which had disbanded for the year. Secondly, NFL President Joseph Carr suspended the Maroons for playing a team of University of Notre Dame All-Stars in Philadelphia (and winning 9-7) on the same day the Frankford Yellow Jackets were scheduled to play a game in Philadelphia, violating Frankford's franchise rights. Although Carr warned the Maroons in writing that they faced suspension if they played the Notre Dame All-Stars in Philadelphia, the Maroons claim that the league office verbally approved the game during a telephone call.
Prior to the controversy, a non-league exhibition game was scheduled in which the Notre Dame All-Stars would face the best NFL team in the east. The Maroons became the top NFL eastern team, and therefore became contractually and legally obligated to play the Notre Dame exhibition game, after they dismantled the Yellow Jackets, 49-0, on November 29. Frankford, who were Pottsville's bitter rivals even before both teams had joined the NFL, then quickly scheduled a game for the same day against the Cleveland Bulldogs, and subsequently protested the Maroons-Notre Dame game to the league. By those two actions, the Yellow Jackets appeared to be playing the role of spoilsport since it was they who had helped arrange the exhibition game with Notre Dame, fully expecting they would play host.
Chicago was declared the 1925 champions by default as the result of Pottsville's suspension. This decision was controversial. First, the Maroons' final league game, the 21-7 victory over the same Cardinals on December 6, was a dominant win. Secondly, Chicago, after losing to Pottsville, played two hastily-arranged games against clubs which had disbanded for the year: the Milwaukee Badgers and the Hammond Pros.[1] The Badgers were forced to field four high school students in the season finale, which was in violation of NFL rules, while the Pros had not played a game in 6 weeks. The NFL heavily sanctioned both Chicago and Milwaukee following their game, going so far as to force the Badgers owner to sell the team. Carr said they would consider the game for removal from the standings; however, this never happened.
Although the NFL attempted to officially award the 1925 NFL championship to the Cardinals, they refused the title at first. However, they would later have no objection about claiming the 1925 championship. Eventually, because of Cardinals coach Chris O'Brien's good sportsmanship in refusing to take a title over a team which had beaten them fairly, the 1925 championship was never officially awarded to anyone.
For several decades, various fans and sportswriters continued to lobby the league to reverse the decision. Furthermore, fans of football who want to see the current situation changed generally only ask that Pottsville be given a share of the championship, accepting the reality that the NFL is unlikely to completely strip a team of a championship it has had for over 80 years.
By 1963, the NFL appointed a special commission to examine the case, but voted 12-2 in favor of continuing to recognize the Cardinals as champions. The lone supporters were Art Rooney and George Halas, the then-owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears, respectively.[1]
In 2003, the issue was brought up again during the league's October owners meeting. However, the NFL voted 30-2 not to reopen the case, with the lone supporters being the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, the league's two Pennsylvania teams.[3]
There is currently a petition to re-open the case.
You can view it AND sign it by clicking on the link below: