Armco Semi-Pro Football Teams 1924-1929

AAA Football Leagues American Leagues World Gridiron

Armco 1924

TeamWLT
Middletown Armco Blues801

Reference: [1]

Armco 1925

TeamWLT
Middletown Armco Blues640

Reference: [1]

Armco 1926

TeamWLT
Ashland Armco631
Middletown Armco Blues540

Reference: [1]

Armco 1927

TeamWLT
Middletown Armco Blues603
Ashland Armco622

Reference: [1]

Armco 1928

TeamWLT
Ashland Armco820
Middletown Armco Blues363

Reference: [1]

Armco 1929

TeamWLT
Ashland Armco821
Middletown Armco Blues531

Reference: [1]

Report

The interest in Football in Ashland & Middletown communities in Kentucky led the Armco Manufacturing Company to fund the creation of two Football teams, playing against semi-pro opposition in the Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia area such as the NFL’s Portsmouth Spartans, Canton Bulldogs, Dayton Triangles & Ironton Tanks.

The Portsmouth team would one day move to Detroit becoming the Lions, and are still in existence and the Indianapolis Colts team can be traced back to the Triangles, although the NFL only officially includes the record of the 1953 Colts onwards. Canton, Ohio, is famous as the birthplace of Pro Football, and is where the Pro Football Hall of Fame is based.

Players were employed by Armco and drew large crowds. Ashland won 6 of the 8 games between the two Armco teams.

Ashland’s schedule from 1926 included the following: Canton Bulldogs, Cincinnati Guards, Cincinnati Potters, Cleveland Panthers, Columbus Tigers, Dayton Koors, Dayton Triangles, Ft. Wayne Pyramids, Ironton Tanks, Kokomo Legion, Middletown Armco Blues, Portsmouth Spartans & West Virginia Wildcats.

Middletown’s Schedule included: Akron Awnings, Ashland Armco, Chillicothe Eagles, Cincinnati National Guard, CAC of Cincinnati, Cleveland Indians, Dayton Koors, Dayton Triangles, Hamilton Legion, Bobbs-Chevrolet of Indianapolis, Ironton Tanks, Kokomo Legion, Louisville CAC, Muncie Flyers, Portsmouth Spartans, Portsmouth Presidents, Springfield All Stars, Toledo Police, & Wabash.

Former College players on the roster of Middletown included those with Irish names: Don O’Brien (Purdue), Forest McGuire (Swathmore), Earl Sullivan (St. Xavier).Jim McMillan (Purdue).

References

 [1] Joe Zagorski, The Coffin Corner, Pro Football Researchers Association (1987) PFRA Annual 1987: The Anthracite Football League [Internet] Available from: http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/09-An-321.pdf    [Accessed 9 October 2018]

Armco’s Semi-Professional Teams

 Courtesy Armco, The Coffin Corner, Pro Football Researchers Association (1988) Armco’s Semi-Professional Teams [Internet] Available from: http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/10-02-333.pdf     [Accessed 9 October 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Fiona Corrigan, Caoimhe Mullaney & Alan Delaney.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 2 September 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved.

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