Buffalo Bills (AAFC)
Encyclopedia
The Buffalo Bills was an American Football
team, based in Buffalo, NY, that played in the All-America Football Conference
from 1946 to 1949. During its first season in 1946, the team was known as the Buffalo Bisons. Unlike the Cleveland Browns
, San Francisco 49ers
, and Baltimore Colts
, the franchise was not one of the three AAFC teams that merged with the National Football League
prior to the 1950 season.
The team is named after a popular barbershop quartet , whose name was a play on the name of the famed Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody. The franchise is not officially related, other than in name, to the current NFL
franchise, the Buffalo Bills
, that began play in 1960 in the American Football League
.
There was some controversy over Buffalo's exclusion from the enlarged NFL. Buffalo had experienced more success on the field and at the gate than Baltimore, and the original three-team plan would have left the league with 13 teams, not only a prime number
, but also one considered to be bad luck. The move had left Buffalo as the only AAFC market without an NFL team post-merger, and one that had outdrawn the NFL average in fan attendance. With that in mind, Buffalo fans produced more than 15,000 season ticket pledges, raised $175,000 in a stock offering, and filed a separate application to join. When the vote to admit Buffalo was held on January 20, 1950, a majority of league owners were willing to accept Buffalo; however, George Halas
, who had a longstanding animosity toward Buffalo's previous NFL franchise
, and Dan Reeves blocked the Bills' entry into the league. League rules required a unanimous vote, but the vote, which included the other AAFC teams that were already admitted, was only 9-4 in favor. League commissioner Bert Bell
had already put out a schedule based on the 13 teams, and Reeves cited as his excuse for voting against admission was simply that "it was silly to vote in a new city without first having a good idea where my teams would be playing and when."
Buffalo owner James Breuil, having lost $700,000 on the team, was instead content to accept a one-fourth share of the Browns, and the NFL was not inclined to add a fourth team (even though the addition of three teams made for an odd number of teams in the league). The American Football League
, a minor league formerly known as the "American Association," offered the Bills a spot in their league, but Breuil declined. Coming with Breuil to Cleveland were three Bills players; the rest were dispersed in the 1950 AAFC Dispersal Draft
among the NFL teams, with the Colts and Green Bay Packers
picking up the majority of the Bills' roster.
Buffalo would have to wait until 1959 to again have a pro team, when Ralph Wilson acquired an American Football League
franchise for Buffalo, which he also named the Bills, presumably after the AAFC team. The Buffalo Bills
are still in operation as an NFL team to this day.
During their existence, the Bills played at War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo)
from 1946 to 1949.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Buffalo Bisons
|-
| 1946 || 3 || 10 || 1 || 3rd AAFC East || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Buffalo Bills
|-
| 1947 || 8 || 4 || 2 || 2nd AAFC East || --
|-
| 1948 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 1st AAFC East || Won Eastern Division Championship (Colts)
Lost AAFC Championship (Browns
)
|-
| 1949 || 5 || 5 || 2 || 4th AAFC || Lost First-round Game (Browns
)
|-
!Totals || 23 || 26 || 5
|colspan="2"|
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team, based in Buffalo, NY, that played in the All-America Football Conference
All-America Football Conference
The All-America Football Conference was a professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many of the nation's best players, and introduced many lasting innovations...
from 1946 to 1949. During its first season in 1946, the team was known as the Buffalo Bisons. Unlike the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, and Baltimore Colts
Baltimore Colts (1947-50)
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The first team to bear the name Baltimore Colts, they were members of the All-America Football Conference from 1947–1949, and then joined the National Football League for one season before folding...
, the franchise was not one of the three AAFC teams that merged with the National Football League
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...
prior to the 1950 season.
The team is named after a popular barbershop quartet , whose name was a play on the name of the famed Wild West showman Buffalo Bill Cody. The franchise is not officially related, other than in name, to the current NFL
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...
franchise, the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, that began play in 1960 in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
.
There was some controversy over Buffalo's exclusion from the enlarged NFL. Buffalo had experienced more success on the field and at the gate than Baltimore, and the original three-team plan would have left the league with 13 teams, not only a prime number
Prime number
A prime number is a natural number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. A natural number greater than 1 that is not a prime number is called a composite number. For example 5 is prime, as only 1 and 5 divide it, whereas 6 is composite, since it has the divisors 2...
, but also one considered to be bad luck. The move had left Buffalo as the only AAFC market without an NFL team post-merger, and one that had outdrawn the NFL average in fan attendance. With that in mind, Buffalo fans produced more than 15,000 season ticket pledges, raised $175,000 in a stock offering, and filed a separate application to join. When the vote to admit Buffalo was held on January 20, 1950, a majority of league owners were willing to accept Buffalo; however, George Halas
George Halas
George Stanley Halas, Sr. , nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was a player, coach, owner and pioneer in professional American football. He was the iconic longtime leader of the NFL's Chicago Bears...
, who had a longstanding animosity toward Buffalo's previous NFL franchise
Staley Swindle
The 1921 NFL Championship controversy, known among Buffalo sports historians and fans as the Staley Swindle, is a dispute in which the Buffalo All-Americans unintentionally surrendered the 1921 APFA Championship title to the Chicago Staleys...
, and Dan Reeves blocked the Bills' entry into the league. League rules required a unanimous vote, but the vote, which included the other AAFC teams that were already admitted, was only 9-4 in favor. League commissioner Bert Bell
Bert Bell
De Benneville "Bert" Bell was the National Football League commissioner from 1946 until his death in 1959. As commissioner, he helped chart a path for the NFL to facilitate its rise in becoming the most popular sports attraction in the United States...
had already put out a schedule based on the 13 teams, and Reeves cited as his excuse for voting against admission was simply that "it was silly to vote in a new city without first having a good idea where my teams would be playing and when."
Buffalo owner James Breuil, having lost $700,000 on the team, was instead content to accept a one-fourth share of the Browns, and the NFL was not inclined to add a fourth team (even though the addition of three teams made for an odd number of teams in the league). The American Football League
American Association (football)
The American Association was a professional American football league based in New York City. Founded in 1936 as a minor league with teams in New York and New Jersey, the AA extended its reach to Providence, Rhode Island prior to the onset of World War II...
, a minor league formerly known as the "American Association," offered the Bills a spot in their league, but Breuil declined. Coming with Breuil to Cleveland were three Bills players; the rest were dispersed in the 1950 AAFC Dispersal Draft
1950 AAFC Dispersal Draft
The National Football League held a dispersal draft on June 2, 1950 for players from the All-America Football Conference teams of the Brooklyn-New York Yankees, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Hornets, and Los Angeles Dons...
among the NFL teams, with the Colts and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
picking up the majority of the Bills' roster.
Buffalo would have to wait until 1959 to again have a pro team, when Ralph Wilson acquired an American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
franchise for Buffalo, which he also named the Bills, presumably after the AAFC team. The Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
are still in operation as an NFL team to this day.
During their existence, the Bills played at War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo)
War Memorial Stadium (Buffalo)
War Memorial Stadium is the name of a stadium that formerly stood in Buffalo, New York. The stadium was on a rectangular block near the downtown area. Its main entrance was at Jefferson Avenue to the east and Best Street to the south...
from 1946 to 1949.
Season records
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Buffalo Bisons
|-
| 1946 || 3 || 10 || 1 || 3rd AAFC East || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Buffalo Bills
|-
| 1947 || 8 || 4 || 2 || 2nd AAFC East || --
|-
| 1948 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 1st AAFC East || Won Eastern Division Championship (Colts)
Baltimore Colts (1947-50)
The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The first team to bear the name Baltimore Colts, they were members of the All-America Football Conference from 1947–1949, and then joined the National Football League for one season before folding...
Lost AAFC Championship (Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
)
|-
| 1949 || 5 || 5 || 2 || 4th AAFC || Lost First-round Game (Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
)
|-
!Totals || 23 || 26 || 5
|colspan="2"|
External links
- databaseFootball: Buffalo Bills statistics