Final Standings 1928
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct | |
| *New York Yankees | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 39 | .600 |
| *Cleveland Bulldogs | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 34 | .500 |
| Los Angeles Wildcats | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 12 | .667 |
| Duluth Giants | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 33 | .000 |
Reference: Compiled from Results in [1] Note: Includes Championship Game.
Championship Game
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Championship Game | ||||
| 05.02.1928 | New York Yankees | 13 | Cleveland Bulldogs | 6 |
Results
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Week 1 | ||||
| 02.01.1928 | Los Angeles Wildcats | 6 | New York Yankees | 0 |
| Week 2 | ||||
| 08.01.1928 | Los Angeles Wildcats | 7 | New York Yankees | 0 |
| 08.01.1928 | Duluth Giants | 6 | Cleveland Bulldogs | 13 |
| Week 3 | ||||
| 15.01.1928 | Los Angeles Wildcats | 6 | Cleveland Bulldogs | 12 |
| 15.01.1928 | Duluth Giants | 0 | New York Yankees | 7 |
| Week 4 | ||||
| 22.01.1928 | New York Yankeees | 9 | Cleveland Bulldogs | 7 |
| 22.01.1928 | Los Angeles Wildcats | c | Duluth Giants | c |
| Week 5 | ||||
| 29.01.1928 | Los Angeles Wildcats | 0 | Cleveland Bulldogs | 0 |
| 29.01.1928 | Duluth Giants | 13 | New York Yankees | 13 |
Report
In the Winter of January-February 1927 & 1928, some of the top teams in the National Football League & American Football League played in a Winter League in California, following the end of the Fall (Autumn) NFL & AFL seasons. The teams included star players from college teams in California and were dubbed after the teams’ star NFL & AFL players. e.g. the Nevers Eskimoes were the Duluth Eskimoes of the NFL with star player, Ernie Nevers.
For the second year in a row the Duluth Eskimoes and New York Yankees ended their seasons by competing in a Winter League in California over January and February 1928. They were joined this time by the Cleveland Bulldogs.
There were no Pacific Coast Football League teams this year, however, the Duluth Eskimoes included many Californian College players on their roster, and were dubbed Nevers-Imlay Giants by the press (after their two star players – Ernie Nevers of the Eskimoes and Tut Imlay from the Californian Colleges). The Los Angeles Wildcats, previously of the American Football League, named Wilson’s Wildcats by the Press, made up the final team in the four team league.
The Wildcats won their opening two fixtures against the Yankees, before dropping a game to the Cleveland Bulldogs. Their fourth game, against the Duluth Giants was cancelled, and they tied their last game 0-0 with the Bulldogs.
The Yankees recovered from their defeats to the Wildcats to defeat the Bulldogs and tie with the Giants, and the Bulldogs had started their season with a win over the Giants and Wildcats, before losing to the Yankees and tying their last game.
Despite being the best team on the circuit for the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Wildcats were not invited to the season ending Finale, their place insted going to the Yankees as they were a better draw for the fans, even though they had lost both games to the LA team.
The Yankees made no mistake in their second California Winter League Finale, winning 13-6 against Friedmann’s Bulldogs.
The League was essentially a AAA League/Major League Rival to the NFL from 1927-1928, featuring both star NFL & AFL teamxs and players and teams and players from the Semi-Pro Pacific Coast Football League and Californian College players.
Teams & Star Players
| Team | NFL/AFL/PCFL Team | Star Players |
| Grange’s Yankees | New York Yankees (NFL Fall 1927) | Red Grange |
| Wilson’s Wildcats | Los Angeles Wildcats (AFL) | Wildcat Wilson |
| Friedman’s Bulldogs | Cleveland Bulldogs (NFL) | Benny Friedman |
| Nevers-Imlay Giants | Duluth Eskimoes (NFL) & Californian College Players | Ernie Nevers & Tut Imlay (College Player) |
Reference: [1]
Bob Gill (2009) Seasons in the Sun – The California winter league of 1927 and ’28 The Coffin Corner Volume 31,No. 1, Pro Football Researchers Association (2009)[Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/coffin-corner00’s/CC-31-1.pdf [Accessed 20 October 2019]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 14 May 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved.