Los Angeles Dons
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Dons were an American football
team in the now defunct All-America Football Conference
from 1946 to 1949 that played in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
For most of their existence, the Dons compiled an average record, and never qualified for the AAFC playoffs. The Dons' high points were their two victories over the Cleveland Browns. (The Browns won all four AAFC titles and amassed a four-year record of 52-4-3 which included a perfect season. Their dominance is generally considered the biggest reason why the AAFC folded.) Unlike the Cleveland Browns
, San Francisco 49ers
, and Baltimore Colts
, the Dons were not one of the AAFC teams that remained intact when the AAFC merged with the National Football League
in 1950: they merged with the crosstown Rams of the older league after the 1949 season.
The leader of the ownership group was Benjamin Lindheimer
, a Chicago real estate and race track executive. Other owners included Louis B. Mayer
, Bob Hope
, Bing Crosby
, and Don Ameche
.
One Dons player, William Radovich
, formerly of the NFL Detroit Lions
, filed a lawsuit
against the NFL after being blacklist
ed from playing or working in it afterwards. It led to the Supreme Court
ruling that professional football, unlike baseball, was subject to antitrust
laws.
The Dons' best seasons were from 1946–1948, although they never reached the playoffs. In 1949 the AAFC merged with the NFL, but the Dons were not one of the three teams admitted to the NFL. Those teams were the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Colts.
|1946 || 7 || 5 || 2 || 3rd AAFC West || --
|-
|1947 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AAFC West || --
|-
|1948 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AAFC West || --
|-
|1949 || 4 || 8 || 0 || 5th AAFC || --
|-
!Totals || 25 || 27 || 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 in the now defunct 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 that played in the Los Angeles Coliseum.
For most of their existence, the Dons compiled an average record, and never qualified for the AAFC playoffs. The Dons' high points were their two victories over the Cleveland Browns. (The Browns won all four AAFC titles and amassed a four-year record of 52-4-3 which included a perfect season. Their dominance is generally considered the biggest reason why the AAFC folded.) 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 Dons were not one of the AAFC teams that remained intact when the AAFC 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...
in 1950: they merged with the crosstown Rams of the older league after the 1949 season.
The leader of the ownership group was Benjamin Lindheimer
Benjamin F. Lindheimer
Benjamin Franklin Lindheimer was an American businessman who owned Chicago's Washington Park Race Track from 1935 to his death in 1960 and was the majority shareholder and Managing Director of Arlington Park Race Track...
, a Chicago real estate and race track executive. Other owners included Louis B. Mayer
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer born Lazar Meir was an American film producer. He is generally cited as the creator of the "star system" within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in its golden years. Known always as Louis B...
, Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
, Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, and Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
.
One Dons player, William Radovich
Bill Radovich
William Alex Radovich is a former American football guard.-Pro career:...
, formerly of the NFL Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, filed a lawsuit
Radovich v. National Football League
Radovich v. National Football League , , is a 1957 U.S. Supreme Court decision ruling that professional football, unlike professional baseball, was subject to antitrust laws...
against the NFL after being blacklist
Blacklist
A blacklist is a list or register of entities who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition. As a verb, to blacklist can mean to deny someone work in a particular field, or to ostracize a person from a certain social circle...
ed from playing or working in it afterwards. It led to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruling that professional football, unlike baseball, was subject to antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
laws.
The Dons' best seasons were from 1946–1948, although they never reached the playoffs. In 1949 the AAFC merged with the NFL, but the Dons were not one of the three teams admitted to the NFL. Those teams were the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Colts.
Season-By-Season
|-|1946 || 7 || 5 || 2 || 3rd AAFC West || --
|-
|1947 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AAFC West || --
|-
|1948 || 7 || 7 || 0 || 3rd AAFC West || --
|-
|1949 || 4 || 8 || 0 || 5th AAFC || --
|-
!Totals || 25 || 27 || 2 || ||