Pittsburgh Stars
Encyclopedia
The Pittsburgh Stars were a professional American football
team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League
. This league has no connection with the National Football League
of today. The whole "league" was a curious mixture of baseball and football. The Stars were suspected of being financed by the Pittsburgh Pirates
baseball team. During the league's only year in existence, the Stars won the NFL's championship, beating out two teams that were financed by the owners of the Philadelphia Athletics and the Philadelphia Phillies
.
wars between the National League
and the new American League
that began in 1901
. Across the state in Philadelphia, the AL's Athletics lured several of the NL's Phillies from their contracts, only to lose them again through court action. When Phillies owner John Rogers
decided to start a football team, the Athletics followed suit. A's owner Ben Shibe
fielded a team made-up of several baseball players as well as some local football players. He appointed his baseball manager Connie Mack
as the team's general manager
and named former Penn
player, Charles "Blondy" Wallace
as the team's coach. Each Philadelphia team was named after their respective baseball clubs and became the Philadelphia Athletics
and Philadelphia Phillies
. However both Rogers and Shibe knew that to lay claim to a World Championship, they had to play a team from Pittsburgh, which was the focal point of football at the time. They called on pro football promoter Dave Berry
and a Pittsburgh team was soon formed. These three teams are all that made up the first NFL.
The Pittsburgh team was managed by Berry, the former manager of the Latrobe Athletic Association
. Berry also served as league president during the 1902 season. However, Berry's modest income showed that he couldn't possibly have the money to cover the salaries of the top pros the team employed, all by himself. Suspicion fell on William Chase Temple
, the steelman who'd formerly backed the Homestead Library & Athletic Club and who was still an officer with the Pirates, and Barney Dreyfuss
, the Pirates' owner. Both denied any connection to the team's finances, and Berry insisted he was the sole owner. No one believed them then, nor do any sports historians believe them now.
, 40 miles away. Berry stated that Greensburg's Natatorium provided better facilities than what could be found in Pittsburgh, but the public outrage continued. Even the benefits of breathing Greensburg's clear, country air failed to impress Pittsburghers who were used to constantly breathing highly polluted air in city during the early 1900s. Wrote one historian: "As far as the fans were concerned, Berry had deserted Pittsburgh and deprived them of the fun of watching practices for free." Berry then added another error by announcing that his team would play a couple of games in Greensburg, coming to Pittsburgh itself only for "big-money" games. As a result, the Pittsburgh Press
took to calling them "the Greensburg team".
he hired, a former Brown University
All-American, Willis Richardson
at quarterback
. Richardson had quarterbacked the Homestead Library & Athletic Club the previous year. Richardson cemented the QB position and also brought along the respect of other former Homestead players, many of whom signed up immediately. The amount of players, who were considered the stars of football during the early 1900s, led to the team being named "The Stars". New York Giants
pitcher Christy Mathewson
became the team's fullback
. Along with Pittsburgh's Honus Wagner
, he would be one of the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Also Fred Crolius
, who played several games for the Pirates' in 1902, lined-up in the Stars backfield
.
joined the team after lumberjacking in the Wisconsin
woods that summer. To make the preseason even less stressful, the average football team in 1902 only ever used about a half-dozen plays which were all standard.
in 1902. The Stars first game, played at the Pittsburgh Coliseum was rained out. The Stars played many independent teams as well as the two Philadelphia teams that made up the NFL. The very next week, the Stars defeated the Pennsylvania Railroad Y.M.C.A. 30-0. The team played its home games at the Coliseum. Temple was the proprietor of the Coliseum but he continued to deny he had any part in the football team. Those who figured Dreyfuss as the backer were surprised that the team hadn't scheduled its games for Exposition Park
, the Pirates' home.
As the season progressed, Pittsburghers began to take interest in the talented Stars. In their first six games, the gave up no touchdowns. Meanwhile, the team never scored fewer than three touchdowns in any game. Sometimes they played local semi-pros
like the Cottage and East End Athletic Clubs, while sometimes they played colleges. The Stars won their game against Bucknell
, Christy Mathewson's alma mater
24-0. In early November, in front of nearly 4,000 fans, the Stars beat the Philadelphians, 18-0 at the Coliseum.
However the team's fortunes took hit when Mathewson disappeared from the team. Some historians speculate that the Giants got wind that their star pitcher was risking life and baseball career for the Stars and ordered him to stop. While others feel that coach Richardson got rid of Mathewson because he felt that since the fullback's punting
skills were hardly used, he could replace him with local resident Shirley Ellis
. However Ellis, while a strong runner that was hard to knock down, he lacked Mathewson's punting skills. That factor cost Pittsburgh a game when the Stars went to Philadelphia to play against the Athletics. In the first half, Pittsburgh scored two touchdowns but failed to cash either extra point. The Athletics also got a TD and added the point. Then two weeks later, the Stars went back to Philadelphia and lost to the Phillies, 11-0.
On Thanksgiving Day 1902, Berry billed a game between the Stars and the Athletics as being for the championship of the National Football League. The Athletics had split on the season with the Phillies, as had Pittsburgh. Although a Philadelphia victory on Thanksgiving would give the A's the championship, a win by the Stars could tie the league race tighter. Mack agreed to the game, however he refused to play until his team was paid their share of the gate, $2,000. With the stands almost empty, it looked as if the game wouldn't be played. However Mack soon after received a check for $2,000 from William Corey, the head of Carnegie Steel who impatiently wanted to see the game. Only then did the game soon begin. Corey got his money's worth, if he liked evenly matched games. Both teams played to a scoreless tie. It was a fair verdict, but Dave Berry's "championship game" hadn't decided anything.
or the Canton Bulldogs
or the Massillon Tigers
in the next few years. The Philadelphia Athletics went home and beat the Phillies to wrap up second place. It was a nice win and gave them the city championship, but that's all it was; the season was won by Pittsburgh the week before.
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 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League
National Football League (1902)
The National Football League was the first attempt at forming a national professional football league in 1902. The league has no ties with the modern National Football League. In fact the league was only composed of teams from Pennsylvania, which was hardly "national". Two of the teams were based...
. This league has no connection 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...
of today. The whole "league" was a curious mixture of baseball and football. The Stars were suspected of being financed by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
baseball team. During the league's only year in existence, the Stars won the NFL's championship, beating out two teams that were financed by the owners of the Philadelphia Athletics and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Team origin
The Stars began as a part of the baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
wars between the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
and the new American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
that began in 1901
1901 in sports
1901 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:College championship* College football national championship – Harvard Crimson, Michigan Wolverines and Yale Bulldogs -Association football:England...
. Across the state in Philadelphia, the AL's Athletics lured several of the NL's Phillies from their contracts, only to lose them again through court action. When Phillies owner John Rogers
John Rogers (baseball)
John Ignatius Rogers , was part-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies from to , and majority owner from 1899 to . He also owned the Philadelphia Phillies of the short-lived National Football League of 1902.Rogers was born to Irish immigrant parents in Philadelphia on May 27, 1844...
decided to start a football team, the Athletics followed suit. A's owner Ben Shibe
Ben Shibe
Benjamin Franklin Shibe was an American sporting goods and baseball executive who, along with his sons John and Tom, was half-owner of the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League from 1901 until his death. He is credited with the invention of the automated stitching machinery to make...
fielded a team made-up of several baseball players as well as some local football players. He appointed his baseball manager Connie Mack
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
as the team's general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
and named former Penn
Pennsylvania University
Pennsylvania University may refer to one of two unrelated universities:* University of Pennsylvania, a private university* Pennsylvania State University, a state-related university...
player, Charles "Blondy" Wallace
Blondy Wallace
Charles Edgar "Blondy" Wallace was an early professional football player. He was a 240-pound, former Walter Camp second-team All-American tackle from the University of Pennsylvania. He also played two years at Peddie Institute, in New Jersey, winning state championships in 1896 and 1897...
as the team's coach. Each Philadelphia team was named after their respective baseball clubs and became the Philadelphia Athletics
Philadelphia Athletics (NFL)
The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League. This league has no connection with the National Football League of today. The whole "league" was a curious...
and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies (NFL)
The Philadelphia Phillies were a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1902. The team was member of what was referred to as the National Football League. This league has no connection with the National Football League of today. The whole league was a curious...
. However both Rogers and Shibe knew that to lay claim to a World Championship, they had to play a team from Pittsburgh, which was the focal point of football at the time. They called on pro football promoter Dave Berry
Dave Berry (American football)
David J. Berry was a major football manager during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the top promotor for the sport during that time period...
and a Pittsburgh team was soon formed. These three teams are all that made up the first NFL.
The Pittsburgh team was managed by Berry, the former manager of the Latrobe Athletic Association
Latrobe Athletic Association
The Latrobe Athletic Association was a professional football team located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, from 1895 until 1909. The team is best known for being the first football club to play a full season while composed entirely of professional players...
. Berry also served as league president during the 1902 season. However, Berry's modest income showed that he couldn't possibly have the money to cover the salaries of the top pros the team employed, all by himself. Suspicion fell on William Chase Temple
William Chase Temple
William Chase Temple was a coal, citrus, and lumber baron during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was also a part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates from baseball's National League...
, the steelman who'd formerly backed the Homestead Library & Athletic Club and who was still an officer with the Pirates, and Barney Dreyfuss
Barney Dreyfuss
Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss was an executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to 1932....
, the Pirates' owner. Both denied any connection to the team's finances, and Berry insisted he was the sole owner. No one believed them then, nor do any sports historians believe them now.
Mistakes
However Berry did make the management decisions. And right away he alienated many potential fans in Pittsburgh when he decided to have his team train in GreensburgGreensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
, 40 miles away. Berry stated that Greensburg's Natatorium provided better facilities than what could be found in Pittsburgh, but the public outrage continued. Even the benefits of breathing Greensburg's clear, country air failed to impress Pittsburghers who were used to constantly breathing highly polluted air in city during the early 1900s. Wrote one historian: "As far as the fans were concerned, Berry had deserted Pittsburgh and deprived them of the fun of watching practices for free." Berry then added another error by announcing that his team would play a couple of games in Greensburg, coming to Pittsburgh itself only for "big-money" games. As a result, the Pittsburgh Press
Pittsburgh Press
The Pittsburgh Press is an online newspaper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, currently owned and operated by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Historically, it was a major afternoon paper...
took to calling them "the Greensburg team".
All-Star cast
However Berry did build a top-notch team. As a player-coachPlayer-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....
he hired, a former Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
All-American, Willis Richardson
Willis Richardson (American football)
Willis Richardson was an early professional football player-coach for the Homestead Library & Athletic Club and the Pittsburgh Stars of the first National Football League. He won the Pennsylvania State Championship with Homestead in 1900 and 1901...
at 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...
. Richardson had quarterbacked the Homestead Library & Athletic Club the previous year. Richardson cemented the QB position and also brought along the respect of other former Homestead players, many of whom signed up immediately. The amount of players, who were considered the stars of football during the early 1900s, led to the team being named "The Stars". New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
pitcher Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson
Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...
became the team's 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...
. Along with Pittsburgh's Honus Wagner
Honus Wagner
-Louisville Colonels:Recognizing his talent, Barrow recommended Wagner to the Louisville Colonels. After some hesitation about his awkward figure, Wagner was signed by the Colonels, where he hit .338 in 61 games....
, he would be one of the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Also Fred Crolius
Fred Crolius
Frederick Joseph Crolius was a professional baseball and football player. He is best remembered as being the first player from Tufts University to come to play Major League Baseball. He was at Tufts in 1894, and at Dartmouth College, where he also played college football, from 1896 until 1899...
, who played several games for the Pirates' in 1902, lined-up in the Stars backfield
Backfield
The backfield is the area of an American football field behind the line of scrimmage. The backfield or offensive backfield can also refer to members of offense who begin plays behind the line, typically including any backs on the field, such as the quarterback, running back, and/or fullback.-Play...
.
Pre-Season
With all the baseball involvement, training didn't get underway for the football teams until September 29, 1902 with the season was scheduled to open a week later on October 4. However, most of the players were already in shape. Besides the baseball players, many of the others had jobs that kept them in good condition. For example, Pittsburgh halfback Artie MillerArtie Miller
Arthur "Artie" Miller was an early professional American football player for the Homestead Library & Athletic Club in 1900 and 1901, as well as the Pittsburgh Stars of the first National Football League. He played the position of halfback...
joined the team after lumberjacking in the Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
woods that summer. To make the preseason even less stressful, the average football team in 1902 only ever used about a half-dozen plays which were all standard.
1902 season
The league played all of its games on Saturdays, since there were no Sunday sports events according to Pennsylvania blue lawsBlue Laws
The Blue Laws of the Colony of Connecticut, as distinct from the generic term "blue law" that refers to any laws regulating activities on Sunday, were the initial statutes set up by the Gov. Theophilus Eaton with the assistance of the Rev. John Cotton in 1655 for the Colony of New Haven, now part...
in 1902. The Stars first game, played at the Pittsburgh Coliseum was rained out. The Stars played many independent teams as well as the two Philadelphia teams that made up the NFL. The very next week, the Stars defeated the Pennsylvania Railroad Y.M.C.A. 30-0. The team played its home games at the Coliseum. Temple was the proprietor of the Coliseum but he continued to deny he had any part in the football team. Those who figured Dreyfuss as the backer were surprised that the team hadn't scheduled its games for Exposition Park
Exposition Park
Exposition Park is the name of more than one place:*Exposition Park - a neighborhood in south Dallas, Texas*Exposition Park - A former baseball park in Kansas City...
, the Pirates' home.
As the season progressed, Pittsburghers began to take interest in the talented Stars. In their first six games, the gave up no touchdowns. Meanwhile, the team never scored fewer than three touchdowns in any game. Sometimes they played local semi-pros
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
like the Cottage and East End Athletic Clubs, while sometimes they played colleges. The Stars won their game against Bucknell
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
, Christy Mathewson's alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
24-0. In early November, in front of nearly 4,000 fans, the Stars beat the Philadelphians, 18-0 at the Coliseum.
However the team's fortunes took hit when Mathewson disappeared from the team. Some historians speculate that the Giants got wind that their star pitcher was risking life and baseball career for the Stars and ordered him to stop. While others feel that coach Richardson got rid of Mathewson because he felt that since the fullback's punting
Punt (football)
In some codes of football, a punt is a play in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it touches the ground. A punt is in contrast to a drop kick, in which the ball touches the ground before being kicked....
skills were hardly used, he could replace him with local resident Shirley Ellis
Shirley Ellis
Shirley Ellis is an American soul music singer and songwriter of West Indian origin. She is best known for her novelty hits "The Nitty Gritty" , "The Name Game" and "The Clapping Song"...
. However Ellis, while a strong runner that was hard to knock down, he lacked Mathewson's punting skills. That factor cost Pittsburgh a game when the Stars went to Philadelphia to play against the Athletics. In the first half, Pittsburgh scored two touchdowns but failed to cash either extra point. The Athletics also got a TD and added the point. Then two weeks later, the Stars went back to Philadelphia and lost to the Phillies, 11-0.
On Thanksgiving Day 1902, Berry billed a game between the Stars and the Athletics as being for the championship of the National Football League. The Athletics had split on the season with the Phillies, as had Pittsburgh. Although a Philadelphia victory on Thanksgiving would give the A's the championship, a win by the Stars could tie the league race tighter. Mack agreed to the game, however he refused to play until his team was paid their share of the gate, $2,000. With the stands almost empty, it looked as if the game wouldn't be played. However Mack soon after received a check for $2,000 from William Corey, the head of Carnegie Steel who impatiently wanted to see the game. Only then did the game soon begin. Corey got his money's worth, if he liked evenly matched games. Both teams played to a scoreless tie. It was a fair verdict, but Dave Berry's "championship game" hadn't decided anything.
1902 championship
Another championship game was soon planned between Berry and Mack. But due to a lack of funds Berry almost ended up cancelling the game. However, he later promised to his players, they would all share equally in Saturday's game, which was sure to be a sell-out. After some complaints were addressed, everything was set. The crowd was a little better on Saturday, but not much. About 2,000 fans showed up, and the Pittsburgh players knew before the game began that they were going to come up short at pay time. The game looked like it might once again end in a tie. However a late touchdown by Ellis and another by Artie Miller led Pittsburgh to an 11-0 win over the Athletics.Afterwards
Not many fans noticed the championship win. The Pittsburgh players were too busy suing Temple for their Thanksgiving Day money to do much gloating over their victory, and the story disappeared from the newspapers before the suit was settled. Most of the players tried it again with the Franklin Athletic ClubFranklin Athletic Club
The Franklin Athletic Club was an early professional football team based in Franklin, Pennsylvania. It was considered the top team in professional football in 1903, by becoming the becoming the US Football Champions and winning the 1903 World Series of Football, held after the 1903 season, at New...
or 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...
or the Massillon Tigers
Massillon Tigers
The Massillon Tigers were an early professional football team from Massillon, Ohio. Playing in the "Ohio League", the team was a rival to the pre-National Football League version of the Canton Bulldogs. The Tigers won Ohio League championships in 1903, 1904, 1905, and 1906, then merged to become...
in the next few years. The Philadelphia Athletics went home and beat the Phillies to wrap up second place. It was a nice win and gave them the city championship, but that's all it was; the season was won by Pittsburgh the week before.