1920 Chicago Cardinals season

Background

The Chicago Cardinals finished 4-3-0 in their 1919 season in the Chicago Football league Following the 1919 season, representatives of four Ohio League teams—the Canton Bulldogs, the Cleveland Tigers, the Dayton Triangles, and the Akron Pros—called a meeting on August 20, 1920, to discuss the formation of a new league. At the meeting, they tentatively agreed on a salary cap and pledged not to sign college players or players already under contract with other teams. They also agreed on a name for the circuit: the American Professional Football Conference. Then they contacted other major professional teams and invited them to a meeting for September 17.

At that meeting, held at Bulldogs owner Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom in Canton, representatives of the Rock Island Independents, the Muncie Flyers, the Decatur Staleys, the Massillon Tigers, the Cardinals, and the Hammond Pros agreed to join the league. Representatives of the Buffalo All-Americans and Rochester Jeffersons could not attend the meeting, but sent letters to Hay asking to be included in the league. Team representatives changed the league's name slightly to the American Professional Football Association and elected officers, installing Jim Thorpe as president. Under the new league structure, teams created their schedules dynamically as the season progressed, and representatives of each team voted to determine the winner of the APFA trophy.

After joining the league, Cardinals owner Chris O'Brien signed former Northwestern star halfback John "Paddy" Driscoll to a contract paying him $300 per game, with a guarantee of 10 games. The deal made the highly-skilled Driscoll among the best compensated players in the fledgling league. More than just a runner or a passer, Driscoll could also score via the drop kick. Driscoll still holds several NFL dropkicking records, including most successful drop kicks in one game (4), in a career (49), and longest drop kick converted (50 yards, twice).

Schedule

Standings

Game summaries

Game 1: at Chicago Tigers

October 10, 1920, at Cubs Park

The Chicago Tigers hosted the Chicago Cardinals at Cubs Park in a scoreless 0-0 tie. While much of what happened in the quiet affair is unknown, it would eventually set the precedent for another, more important game in Week 7 that year.

Game 2: vs. Moline Athletics

October 17, 1920, at St. Rita's Stadium

The Cardinals improved their record to 1-0-1 on the season with a resounding victory over the semi-pro team from Moline, Illinois. A massive four touchdown second quarter spelled demise for Moline, with the Cardinals' putting up long runs by star halfback Paddy Driscoll and his backfield mate, Harry Curran. Chicago's defense was stifling, forcing Moline to settle for a third quarter field goal to avert a shutout.

Game 3: at Rock Island Independents

October 24, 1920, at Douglas Park

The Rock Island Independents hosted the Cardinals at Douglas Park, with the Cardinals losing 7-0 in front of 4,000 spectators. Their record fell to 1-1-1 as a result. The only touchdown in the game was a 6-yard pass from Sid Nichols to Arnie Wyman in the second quarter. Nichols also kicked the extra point.

Game 4: vs. Detroit Heralds

October 31, 1920, at Cubs Park

In a 21-0 rout of the Heralds with 3,000 fans in attendance, the Cardinals improved to 2-1-1 on the season. All of the touchdowns scored were in the third quarter, two of which were blocked punts returned to the end zone by Lenny Sachs and Leo Chappell. The third touchdown was a 10-yard rushing touchdown by Paddy Driscoll, who also kicked each extra point.

Game 5: at Chicago Tigers

November 7, 1920, at Cubs Park

In front of 7,000 fans, the Tigers hosted the Cardinals in a game that, according to legend, decided the fate of both teams, with the loser required to fold their team. Responding to the Tigers' 27-yard field goal by Johnny Barrett in the first quarter, Paddy Driscoll ran for 40 yards to score the game-winning touchdown for the Cardinals in the second quarter. The extra point was no good. While neither team ended their season on the spot, and the Tigers and Cardinals fell and rose to 1-3-1 and 3-1-1, respectively, the Tigers would fold at the end of the 1920 season.

Game 6: vs. Cincinnati Celts

November 14, 1920, at Normal Park

In a 20-0 shutout victory, the Cardinals hosted the Cincinnati Celts. Two of the three touchdowns came from Nick McInerney and Paddy Driscoll running the ball in from unknown distances. Leo Chappell recovered a fumble and ran another in as well. Driscoll was 2-for-3 in extra point attempts, seemingly missing after McInerney's touchdown.

Game 7: vs. Lansing Oldsmobiles

November 21, 1920, at Normal Park

The Cardinals hosted the Lansing Oldsmobiles in a 14-0 win. The pair of scores came from two rushing touchdowns from Harry Curran and Paddy Driscoll in the second and third quarters, respectively. Driscoll also kicked both extra points.

Game 8: vs. Decatur Staleys

November 28, 1920, at Normal Park

In the first of two matchups, the Cardinals won 7-6 against the Decatur Staleys in front of a crowd of 5,000 fans. The two major scores of the game were a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Bob Koehler for Decatur and a 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Lenny Sachs for the Cardinals. Paddy Driscoll kicked the extra point as well.

Game 9: vs. Decatur Staleys

December 5, 1920, at Cubs Park

In a back-to-back rematch, the Staleys struck back with a 10-0 shutout win over the Cardinals. The only two scores of the game were a Bob Koehler 2-yard rushing touchdown and a Dutch Sternaman field goal from an unknown distance. Sternaman also kicked the extra point after the touchdown by Koehler.

Game 10: at Chicago Stayms

December 19, 1920, at Pyott's Park

The Chicago Stayms hosted the Cardinals in a 14-14 tie. Only parts of this game survived in detail, with a supposed rushing touchdown scored by Nick McInerney for the Cardinals and a blocked punt recovered and scored by an unknown Staym. The other eight points apiece were scored by unknown means. This game, along with a supposed second matchup, did not count towards the 1920 APFA season, as it had ended.

Post-season: vs. Chicago Stayms

• January ??, 1921, at ????*

Any information about this game, or if it even occurred, is unknown.

Roster

References

References

1. Joe Ziemba, ''Bears vs. Cardinals: The NFL's Oldest Rivalry.'' Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2022; p. 73.
2. Ziemba, ''When Football Was Football,'' p. 64.
3. {{Harvnb. PFRA Research. 1980
4. {{Harvnb. Siwoff. Zimmber. Marini. 2010
5. {{Harvnb. PFRA Research. 1980
6. {{Harvnb. PFRA Research. 1980
7. (September 19, 1920). "Thorpe Made President". The New York Times.
8. (September 19, 1920). "Organize Pro Gridders; Choose Thorpe, Prexy". [[The Milwaukee Journal]].
9. {{harvnb. Peterson. 1997
10. {{Harvnb. Davis. 2005
11. Price, Mark. (April 25, 2011). "Searching for Lost Trophy". [[Akron Beacon-Journal]].
12. Ziemba, ''When Football Was Football,'' p. 74.
13. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-racine-cardinals-and-chicago-t/162801326/ "Racine–Tigers Scoreless Tie,"] ''Hammond [IN] Times,'' Oct. 11, 1920, p. 6.
14. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch-cardinals-trim-athletics-3/162807339/ "Cardinals Trim Athletics, 33–3: Second Quarter Waterloo for Moline Players When Four Touchdowns Are Made,"] ''Moline Dispatch,'' Oct. 18, 1920, p. 14.
15. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-racine-cardinals-beat-mo/162804247/ "Racine Cardinals Beat Moline by 33 to 3 Count,"] ''Chicago Tribune,'' Oct. 18, 1920, p. 19.
16. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch-rock-island-independents-wi/162808719/ "Rock Island Independents Win by 7 Points: Driscoll Proves His Reputation is Deserved by Nearly Trimming Entire Islander Team,"] ''Moline Dispatch,'' Oct. 25, 1920, p. 14.
17. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus-lansing-oldsmobile/162832838/ "Lansing Easy for Cardinals: Long Run by Driscoll Feature of Game; Automobile Men Wage Bitter Fight,"] ''Rock Island [IL] Argus,'' Nov. 22 1920, p. 13.