Cleveland Panthers
Encyclopedia
The Cleveland Panthers were a professional American football
team that competed in the first American Football League in 1926
. Owned by General C. X. Zimmerman (the vice president of the AFL), the Panthers played their home games in Luna Bowl in Luna Park
. Coached by Roy Watts, the team drew its players from Ohio
colleges and universities and raided the rosters of National Football League
teams based in Ohio
The veteran squad led by tailback
Al Michaels
was one of only two AFL franchises (the other was the New York Yankees
) to average more than 12 points per game. Other former Cleveland Bulldogs
Dave Noble
and Doc Elliott
helped provide offensive firepower, while two-sport star Cookie Cunningham
excelled at end, scoring twice on long passes in an October 3, 1926, game against the Los Angeles Wildcats
.
In terms of fan support, the Panthers appeared to have had a good start, defeating the Yankees in their first game, at Luna Bowl in front of a reported 22,000 people, but after a second home victory (17-13, against the Wildcats) in which the attendance figures were apparently not reported, and a third straight home win (this time 23-7 against the Rock Island Independents
) in front of only 7000 people, it was becoming evident that the Panthers were in trouble despite being in first place with an undefeated record. A 19-12 defeat in front of only 3000 spectators in Chicago
's Comiskey Park
foreshadowed the inevitable as the similarly-troubled Newark Bears
withdrew from the league on October 24, 1926.
The next week, the Panthers returned home to Luna Park for a rematch with the Los Angeles Wildcats, a hard fought game dominated by defense, with Cleveland guard Al Nesser
dictating much of the game until a fourth quarter fumble by Al Michaels led to the only score of the game in a 6-0 Wildcats win. While the game was stellar, the attendance was not: only 1000 fans saw it. Shortly after the end of the game, the Panthers called it quits.
Four Panthers subsequently found roster spots on AFL and NFL teams to complete the 1926 season
, while six who had played in the NFL had their professional football careers end with the demise of the Cleveland Panthers.
The exodus from the AFL continued through November 1926, and after the last official game was played (December 12, 1926), the league itself went out of business.
The "Cleveland Panthers" name had come from an independent team that had played several years before and would continue for several years afterward. The independent Panthers, founded in 1919 from the remains of the Youngstown Patricians
, had played, with various degrees of success, continuously since 1919 and eventually, as fewer opponents played them each year after 1926, sputtered to a quiet folding in 1933.
, the only one of the league's existence:
1 Also played fullback
2 Started 1926 season
as coach of Akron Indians, then left to play for Panthers
3 Also played tackle
4 Played wingback
and American football
5 Also played guard
6 Position currently known as quarterback
, while Al Nesser returned to the NFL, this time playing for the New York Giants
. Guy Roberts and Jack Sack both found a new “home” with the Canton Bulldogs
. While Sack finished his career in 1926
and Elliott was out of professional football until 1931
, the other two former members continued their careers after the end of the first AFL.
They were not the only 1926 Panthers to play for the NFL afterwards:
Cookie Cunningham
– 1927 Cleveland Bulldogs
, 1929 Chicago Bears
, 1931 Staten Island Stapletons
Doc Elliott
– 1931 Cleveland Indians
Al Nesser
– 1926-28 New York Giants, 1931 Cleveland Indians
Guy Roberts
– 1926 Canton Bulldogs, 1927 Pottsville Maroons
Jack Sack
– 1926 Canton Bulldogs
Dick Wolf
– 1927 Cleveland Bulldogs
Cunningham also played in the American Basketball League 1926-1931 and was a player-coach
in the National Basketball League
in 1937 and 1938.
On the other hand, six former NFL players had their professional football careers end with the folding of the Panthers:
Al Michaels
– 1923-24 Akron Pros
, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs
Dave Noble
– 1924-25 Cleveland Bulldogs, 1926 Cleveland Panthers
Red Roberts
– 1922 Toledo Maroons
, 1923 Akron Pros
Bob Spiers
– 1922 Akron Pros, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs
Ralph Vince
– 1923 and 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs
Red Weaver
– 1923-25 Columbus Tigers (coach 1924-25)
When Cleveland was getting a new team to play in the All-America Football Conference
in 1944, the team's head coach, Paul Brown
, wanted to use the name "Cleveland Panthers" after popular support named the team after him initially. However, Brown would later be informed by former Panthers owner Zimmerman that he still held the rights to the Panthers name. Brown ultimately went with the first option, and the team would be named the Cleveland Browns
. The Browns joined the NFL from the AAFC in 1950 and continue to play in the NFL today.
The "Panthers" nickname would be revived in the NFL in 1993 for an expansion team
based in Charlotte, North Carolina
; the Carolina Panthers
.
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 that competed in the first American Football League in 1926
1926 American Football League season
The 1926 American Football League season is the only season of the existence of the first American Football League. It started with nine teams, with the initial game of the season being played in front of 22,000 fans in Cleveland, Ohio, but by the end of the season , only four teams were still in...
. Owned by General C. X. Zimmerman (the vice president of the AFL), the Panthers played their home games in Luna Bowl in Luna Park
Luna Park, Cleveland
Luna Park was an amusement park in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, from 1905 to 1929. Constructed by Frederick Ingersoll, the park occupied a hilly site bounded by Woodland Avenue, Woodhill, Mt...
. Coached by Roy Watts, the team drew its players from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
colleges and universities and raided the rosters of 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...
teams based in Ohio
The veteran squad led by tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
Al Michaels
Al Michaels (American football)
Alton Court Michaels was an American football running back.After attending Ohio State University, he joined the Akron Pros of the National Football League, and played a total of 14 games for the team in the 1923 and 1924 seasons, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 1923...
was one of only two AFL franchises (the other was the New York Yankees
New York Yankees (NFL)
The New York Yankees were a short-lived professional American football team from 1926 to 1928. The team was a member of the first American Football League in 1926, and later the National Football League from 1927-1928. They played their home games at Yankee Stadium...
) to average more than 12 points per game. Other former Cleveland Bulldogs
Cleveland Bulldogs
The Cleveland Bulldogs was a team that played in Cleveland, Ohio in the National Football League. They were originally called the Indians in 1923, not to be confused with the Cleveland Indians NFL franchise in 1922...
Dave Noble
Dave Noble
David Gordon Noble , nicknamed "Big Moose", was an American football running back. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, where he scored the first touchdown in Memorial Stadium history...
and Doc Elliott
Doc Elliott
Wallace John "Doc" Elliott was an American football running back. He played five seasons in the National Football League for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Bulldogs and the Cleveland Indians. During that time he won NFL Championships with Canton in 1922 and 1923, as well as a third with the...
helped provide offensive firepower, while two-sport star Cookie Cunningham
Cookie Cunningham
Harold Brewer "Cookie" Cunningham was an American professional football player, basketball player, and basketball coach....
excelled at end, scoring twice on long passes in an October 3, 1926, game against the Los Angeles Wildcats
Los Angeles Wildcats
The Los Angeles Wildcats was a traveling team of the first American Football League that was not based in its nominal home city but in Chicago, Illinois...
.
In terms of fan support, the Panthers appeared to have had a good start, defeating the Yankees in their first game, at Luna Bowl in front of a reported 22,000 people, but after a second home victory (17-13, against the Wildcats) in which the attendance figures were apparently not reported, and a third straight home win (this time 23-7 against the Rock Island Independents
Rock Island Independents
The Rock Island Independents were a professional American football team based in Rock Island, Illinois. One of the first professional football teams, they were founded in 1907 as an independent club. They later played in what is now the National Football League from 1920 to 1925. They joined the...
) in front of only 7000 people, it was becoming evident that the Panthers were in trouble despite being in first place with an undefeated record. A 19-12 defeat in front of only 3000 spectators in Chicago
Chicago Bulls (AFL)
The Chicago Bulls were a professional American football team that competed in the first American Football League in 1926. Owned by Joey Sternaman , the Bulls also had AFL founders C. C. Pyle and Red Grange as shareholders...
's Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
foreshadowed the inevitable as the similarly-troubled Newark Bears
Newark Bears (AFL)
The Newark Bears were a professional American football team that competed in the first American Football League in 1926. Owned by the New Jersey Athletic Association , the Bears played their home games in Davids' Stadium...
withdrew from the league on October 24, 1926.
The next week, the Panthers returned home to Luna Park for a rematch with the Los Angeles Wildcats, a hard fought game dominated by defense, with Cleveland guard Al Nesser
Al Nesser
Alfred "Al" Louis Nesser was a professional American football offensive lineman. He played for 7 teams in the National Football League and the Cleveland Panthers in the first American Football League...
dictating much of the game until a fourth quarter fumble by Al Michaels led to the only score of the game in a 6-0 Wildcats win. While the game was stellar, the attendance was not: only 1000 fans saw it. Shortly after the end of the game, the Panthers called it quits.
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | Roy Watts |
Four Panthers subsequently found roster spots on AFL and NFL teams to complete the 1926 season
1926 NFL season
The 1926 NFL season was the 7th regular season of the National Football League. The league grew to 22 teams, a figure that would not be equaled in professional football until 1961, adding the Brooklyn Lions, the Hartford Blues, the Los Angeles Buccaneers, and the Louisville Colonels, with Racine...
, while six who had played in the NFL had their professional football careers end with the demise of the Cleveland Panthers.
The exodus from the AFL continued through November 1926, and after the last official game was played (December 12, 1926), the league itself went out of business.
The "Cleveland Panthers" name had come from an independent team that had played several years before and would continue for several years afterward. The independent Panthers, founded in 1919 from the remains of the Youngstown Patricians
Youngstown Patricians
The Youngstown Patricians were a semi-professional football team based in Youngstown, Ohio. In the 1910s, the team briefly held the professional football championship and established itself as a fierce rival of more experienced clubs around the country, some of which later formed the core of the...
, had played, with various degrees of success, continuously since 1919 and eventually, as fewer opponents played them each year after 1926, sputtered to a quiet folding in 1933.
Players in the first AFL
The following people played for the Panthers for at least one game in the 1926 AFL regular season1926 American Football League season
The 1926 American Football League season is the only season of the existence of the first American Football League. It started with nine teams, with the initial game of the season being played in front of 22,000 fans in Cleveland, Ohio, but by the end of the season , only four teams were still in...
, the only one of the league's existence:
| Name | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Norty “Mope” Behm | End1 | Iowa State Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of... |
| Cookie Cunningham Cookie Cunningham Harold Brewer "Cookie" Cunningham was an American professional football player, basketball player, and basketball coach.... |
End | Ohio State Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States... |
| Doc Elliott Doc Elliott Wallace John "Doc" Elliott was an American football running back. He played five seasons in the National Football League for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Bulldogs and the Cleveland Indians. During that time he won NFL Championships with Canton in 1922 and 1923, as well as a third with the... |
Fullback | Lafayette Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832... |
| Myles Evans | Tackle | Ohio Wesleyan Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges... |
| Billy Gribben | Tailback | Case Western Reserve Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA... |
| Eddie “Red” Kregenow | End | Akron University of Akron The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of... |
| Al Michaels Al Michaels (American football) Alton Court Michaels was an American football running back.After attending Ohio State University, he joined the Akron Pros of the National Football League, and played a total of 14 games for the team in the 1923 and 1924 seasons, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 1923... |
Tailback | Heidelberg Heidelberg College Heidelberg University is a private liberal arts college located in the city of Tiffin, Ohio in the U.S. state of Ohio. Founded in 1850, it was known as Heidelberg College until 1889 and from 1926 to 2009.- History :... , Ohio State |
| Al Nesser Al Nesser Alfred "Al" Louis Nesser was a professional American football offensive lineman. He played for 7 teams in the National Football League and the Cleveland Panthers in the first American Football League... 2 |
Guard3 | none |
| Dave Noble Dave Noble David Gordon Noble , nicknamed "Big Moose", was an American football running back. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, where he scored the first touchdown in Memorial Stadium history... |
Back4 | Nebraska |
| John Otterbacher | Guard | Ohio State |
| Guy Roberts Guy Roberts Guy Thomas "Zeke" Roberts was a professional American football player in the early National Football League and the first American Football League. He played for three pro teams over the course of two years. In 1926 he played with the Canton Bulldogs in the NFL and the Cleveland Panthers in the... |
Back4 | Iowa State Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of... |
| Red Roberts Red Roberts (American football) James Madison "Red" Roberts was an American football player and coach in the United States. He played football for the Centre Praying Colonels in Danville, Kentucky. After college Roberts,played in the early National Football League for the Toledo Maroons and the Akron Pros. He also played in the... |
Tackle | Centre Centre College Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose... |
| Jack Sack Jack Sack Jack Sack was an American football player and coach in the United States. Sack was a college football player and coach who also played professional football.-University of Pittsburgh:... |
Guard | Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... |
| Bob Spiers Bob Spiers Bob Spiers was a director. He is particularly noted as the director of the early series of Absolutely Fabulous , the musical comedy Spiceworld, and of the second series of Fawlty Towers . He also worked with Steven Moffat on Press Gang and Joking Apart... |
Tackle5 | Ohio State |
| Al Thornburg | Center | Iowa State |
| Ralph Vince Ralph Vince - References :... |
Guard | Washington & Jefferson Washington & Jefferson Presidents football The Washington & Jefferson Presidents football team represents Washington & Jefferson College in collegiate level football. The team competes in NCAA Division III and is affiliated with the Presidents' Athletic Conference... |
| Leo Virant | Guard | Iowa State |
| Red Weaver Red Weaver -Coaching career:Weaver was the head football coach for the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears located in Montgomery, West Virginia. He held that position for the 1921 season... |
Center | Centre |
| Jay Winters | Blocking back6 | Ohio Wesleyan |
| Dick Wolf Dick Wolf (American football) Richard D. Wolf was a professional American football player in the early National Football League. He first played at the college level for Miami University. Wolfe then played in the NFL with the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Bulldogs. He also played in the 1926 American Football League for... |
Blocking back | Miami (Ohio) Miami University Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S... |
1 Also played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
2 Started 1926 season
1926 NFL season
The 1926 NFL season was the 7th regular season of the National Football League. The league grew to 22 teams, a figure that would not be equaled in professional football until 1961, adding the Brooklyn Lions, the Hartford Blues, the Los Angeles Buccaneers, and the Louisville Colonels, with Racine...
as coach of Akron Indians, then left to play for Panthers
3 Also played tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
4 Played wingback
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and American football
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
5 Also played guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
6 Position currently known as quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Aftermath & legacy
Immediately after the sudden dissolution of the Panthers, four of the team's members managed to join other rosters in either the NFL or the AFL. Doc Elliot found a spot in the eventual AFL champion Philadelphia QuakersPhiladelphia Quakers (AFL)
Not to be confused with the defunct Philadelphia Quakers team of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia Quakers baseball team who became the Philadelphia Phillies in 1890 or the University of Pennsylvania athletics teams, the Pennsylvania Quakers....
, while Al Nesser returned to the NFL, this time playing for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Guy Roberts and Jack Sack both found a new “home” with the Canton Bulldogs
Canton Bulldogs
The Canton Bulldogs were a professional American football team, based in Canton, Ohio. They played in the Ohio League from 1903 to 1906 and 1911 to 1919, and its successor, the National Football League, from 1920 to 1923 and again from 1925 to 1926. The Bulldogs would go on to win the 1917, 1918...
. While Sack finished his career in 1926
1926 NFL season
The 1926 NFL season was the 7th regular season of the National Football League. The league grew to 22 teams, a figure that would not be equaled in professional football until 1961, adding the Brooklyn Lions, the Hartford Blues, the Los Angeles Buccaneers, and the Louisville Colonels, with Racine...
and Elliott was out of professional football until 1931
1931 NFL season
The 1931 NFL season was the 12th regular season of the National Football League. The league decreased to 10 teams due to financial hardships caused by the Great Depression. While the Cleveland Indians joined as an expansion team, the league lost the Minneapolis Red Jackets and the Newark Tornadoes...
, the other two former members continued their careers after the end of the first AFL.
They were not the only 1926 Panthers to play for the NFL afterwards:
Cookie Cunningham
Cookie Cunningham
Harold Brewer "Cookie" Cunningham was an American professional football player, basketball player, and basketball coach....
– 1927 Cleveland Bulldogs
Cleveland Bulldogs
The Cleveland Bulldogs was a team that played in Cleveland, Ohio in the National Football League. They were originally called the Indians in 1923, not to be confused with the Cleveland Indians NFL franchise in 1922...
, 1929 Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 1931 Staten Island Stapletons
Staten Island Stapletons
The Staten Island Stapletons also known as the Staten Island Stapes were a professional American football team founded in 1915 that played in the National Football League from 1929 to 1930. The team was based in the Stapleton section of Staten Island. Under the shortened nickname the "Stapes"...
Doc Elliott
Doc Elliott
Wallace John "Doc" Elliott was an American football running back. He played five seasons in the National Football League for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Bulldogs and the Cleveland Indians. During that time he won NFL Championships with Canton in 1922 and 1923, as well as a third with the...
– 1931 Cleveland Indians
Al Nesser
Al Nesser
Alfred "Al" Louis Nesser was a professional American football offensive lineman. He played for 7 teams in the National Football League and the Cleveland Panthers in the first American Football League...
– 1926-28 New York Giants, 1931 Cleveland Indians
Guy Roberts
Guy Roberts
Guy Thomas "Zeke" Roberts was a professional American football player in the early National Football League and the first American Football League. He played for three pro teams over the course of two years. In 1926 he played with the Canton Bulldogs in the NFL and the Cleveland Panthers in the...
– 1926 Canton Bulldogs, 1927 Pottsville Maroons
Pottsville Maroons
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1920, they went on to play in the National Football League for four seasons, from 1925–1928...
Jack Sack
Jack Sack
Jack Sack was an American football player and coach in the United States. Sack was a college football player and coach who also played professional football.-University of Pittsburgh:...
– 1926 Canton Bulldogs
Dick Wolf
Dick Wolf (American football)
Richard D. Wolf was a professional American football player in the early National Football League. He first played at the college level for Miami University. Wolfe then played in the NFL with the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Bulldogs. He also played in the 1926 American Football League for...
– 1927 Cleveland Bulldogs
Cunningham also played in the American Basketball League 1926-1931 and was a player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
in the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
in 1937 and 1938.
On the other hand, six former NFL players had their professional football careers end with the folding of the Panthers:
Al Michaels
Al Michaels (American football)
Alton Court Michaels was an American football running back.After attending Ohio State University, he joined the Akron Pros of the National Football League, and played a total of 14 games for the team in the 1923 and 1924 seasons, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 1923...
– 1923-24 Akron Pros
Akron Pros
The Akron Pros were a professional football team located played in Akron, Ohio from 1908–1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, however name was changed to the Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional...
, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs
Dave Noble
Dave Noble
David Gordon Noble , nicknamed "Big Moose", was an American football running back. He played college football for the University of Nebraska, where he scored the first touchdown in Memorial Stadium history...
– 1924-25 Cleveland Bulldogs, 1926 Cleveland Panthers
Red Roberts
Red Roberts (American football)
James Madison "Red" Roberts was an American football player and coach in the United States. He played football for the Centre Praying Colonels in Danville, Kentucky. After college Roberts,played in the early National Football League for the Toledo Maroons and the Akron Pros. He also played in the...
– 1922 Toledo Maroons
Toledo Maroons
The Toledo Maroons were a professional American football team based in Toledo, Ohio in the National Football League in 1922 and 1923. Prior to joining the NFL, the Maroons played in the unofficial "Ohio League" from 1902 until 1921.-Origins:...
, 1923 Akron Pros
Bob Spiers
Bob Spiers
Bob Spiers was a director. He is particularly noted as the director of the early series of Absolutely Fabulous , the musical comedy Spiceworld, and of the second series of Fawlty Towers . He also worked with Steven Moffat on Press Gang and Joking Apart...
– 1922 Akron Pros, 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs
Ralph Vince
Ralph Vince
- References :...
– 1923 and 1925 Cleveland Bulldogs
Red Weaver
Red Weaver
-Coaching career:Weaver was the head football coach for the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears located in Montgomery, West Virginia. He held that position for the 1921 season...
– 1923-25 Columbus Tigers (coach 1924-25)
When Cleveland was getting a new team to play 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...
in 1944, the team's head coach, Paul Brown
Paul Brown
Paul Eugene Brown was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League...
, wanted to use the name "Cleveland Panthers" after popular support named the team after him initially. However, Brown would later be informed by former Panthers owner Zimmerman that he still held the rights to the Panthers name. Brown ultimately went with the first option, and the team would be named 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...
. The Browns joined the NFL from the AAFC in 1950 and continue to play in the NFL today.
The "Panthers" nickname would be revived in the NFL in 1993 for an expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
based in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
; the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
.