PLAYED IN NON-LEAGUE GAMES ONLY
PLAYER POS COLLEGE G YR HT WT
George Douglas C Marquette 6- 2 200
Bill Oakes T Haskell 6- 3 220
Burton Elliott B Marquette 6- 0 185
Gus Rosenow B Wisconsin 6- 0 185
Buck Gavin B Marquette 6- 0 195
Walter Sullivan G Beloit 6- 0 195
Eddie Glick B Marquette 5-11 165
Dick Williams B Wisconsin 6- 1 180
Cliff Lande E Carroll 5-11 180
Carl Zoll G No College 5-11 240
Wes Leaper E Wisconsin 6- 1 190
PLAYER POS COLLEGE G YR HT WT
Nate Abrams E None 1 1 5- 7 160
Norm Barry B Notre Dame 5 1 5- 9 170
Cub Buck T Wisconsin 6 1 6- 3 250
Joe Carey G Illinois Tech 6 1 6- 0 185
James Cook G Notre Dame 2 1 6- 2 245
Frank Coughlin T Notre Dame 5 1 6- 2 215
Bill DuMoe E No College 6 1 5-11 165
Dave Hayes E Notre Dame 6 1 5-11 165
Lynn Howard B Indiana 4 1 5-11 210
Emmett Keefe T No College 1 1 6- 1 210
Feryl Klaus C No College 4 1 6- 1 180
Roger Kliebhan B Milwaukee 1 1 6- 0 210
Wally Ladrow HB No College 1 1 6- 0 185
1921 Packers Uniform
PLAYER POS COLLEGE G YR HT WT
Curly Lambeau B Notre Dame 6 1 6- 0 190
Grover Malone B Notre Dame 6 1 5-10 195
Herman Martell E No College 1 1 6- 0 160
Orlo McLean B No College 3 1 5- 9 165
Jab Murray T Marquette 5 1 6- 3 250
Sammy Powers G N. Michigan 4 1 6- 0 150
Art Schmaehl FB No College 6 1 5-10 165
Warren Smith G W.Michigan 2 1 6- 1 215
Buff Wagner B Carroll-WI 4 1 5- 9 165
Lyle Wheeler E Ripon 3 1 6- 0 190
Milt Wilson G Oshkosh 6 1 6- 1 200
Martin Zoll G No College 1 1 5-11 190
1921 PRE-SEASON RESULTS (4-0)
September (1-0)
14 Menominee North End A.C. W 53- 0 1- 0-0 N/A
25 CHICAGO BOOSTERS W 13- 0 1- 0-0 3,500
October (3-0)
2 ROCKFORD MAROONS W 49- 0 2- 0-0 N/A
9 CHICAGO CORNELL-HAMBURGS W 40- 0 3- 0-0 N/A
16 BELOIT FAIRIES W 7- 0 4- 0-0 5,000
1921 REGULAR SEASON RESULTS (3-2-1)
October (1-1)
23 MINNEAPOLIS MARINES (0-1-0) W 7- 6 1- 0-0 6,000
30 ROCK ISL. INDEPENDENTS (2-1-1) L 3-13 1- 1-0 6,000
November (2-1-1)
6 EVANSVILLE CRIMSON GIANTS (2-1-0) W 43- 6 2- 1-0 N/A
13 HAMMOND PROS (1-2-1) W 14- 7 3- 1-0 N/A
20 at Chicago Cardinals (3-2-1) T 3- 3 3- 1-1 2,000
27 at Chicago Staleys (6-1-0) L 0-20 3- 2-1 7,000
December (0-0-1)
4 X-Racine Legion T 3- 3 6,200
X-Non-League Game at Milwaukee
1921 IN REVIEW
After going 19-2-1 as an independent team, the Green Bay Packers joined the American Professional Football Association (renamed the National Football League in 1922). J.E. Clair of Acme Packing Company was granted the franchise for Green Bay on August 27. Their first win in the APFA came on Sunday, October 23 when they defeated the Minneapolis Marines, 7-6, at Hagemeister Park in Green Bay. In that game, Curly Lambeau threw the first forward pass in Packer history (an incompletion intended for Lyle "Cowboy" Wheeler). Buff Wagner would record the first reception, an 18-yard pass from Curly Lambeau. FB Art Schmaehl would run four yards for the first Green Bay touchdown. Lambeau would drop kick the first extra point in Packer history. The following week, October 30, Green Bay would lose its first league game ever, dropping a 13-3 decision to the Rock Island Independents at Hagemeister Park. In that game, Lambeau would attempt and make the first field goal in team history, connecting from 25 yards on a drop kick. The first touchdown pass in Green Bay history would come on November 13 in a 14-7 win over the visiting Hammond Pros. Lambeau tossed a 35-yard score off a fake kick to Bill DuMoe. Two weeks later, the famous Packer-Bear series would be launched at Chicago, with the Packers losing a 20-0 decision to Chicago Staleys, who changed name to Bears in 1922. After the season, Green Bay nearly lost its franchise, as it was found to have used two active Notre Dame players in the game with the Staleys and a non-league game against Chicago Supremes after 1921 season. Upset at teams using illegal players, the APFA made an example of the Packers and stripped Green Bay of the team on January 28, 1922. John Clair surrendered the franchise at the meeting. The NFL owners would reinstate the Packers at a June 24 meeting in Canton, after Lambeau apologized and paid the $250 franchise fee, making him team's new owner.
THE STALEY SWINDLE
The Staley Swindle is a term used, primarily by sports fans from Buffalo, New York, to describe the loss of the Buffalo All-Americans 1921 APFA Championship title to the Chicago Staleys (later renamed the Chicago Bears). The controversy began at the conclusion of the 1921 season, when the All-Americans finished the season with the best record in the American Professional Football Association (renamed the National Football League in 1922). However after losing an "exhibition" game to the Staleys on December 4, 1921, the All-Americans lost their title to Chicago. The Buffalo All-Americans finished 1921 with a 9-0-2 record, meanwhile Chicago captured second-place with their only loss coming against Buffalo on Thanksgiving. The Staleys refused to play any road games that season except for their Thanksgiving game against the then-undefeated All-Americans who also had played all of their games at home. Chicago owner, George Halas, then challenged the All-Americans to a rematch. Buffalo owner, Frank McNeil, having already scheduled the team's last game for December 3 against the Akron Pros, agreed on the condition that it be considered only a "post-season exhibition match" and not be counted in the standings. McNeil also made a point of telling the Buffalo media that the two games were exhibitions and would have no bearing on the team's claim to the AFPA title. He then scheduled the game against the Staleys the day after the team's final game against Akron. Therefore after a game, scheduled for December 3 against the tough Akron Pros, McNeil's team would take an all-night train to Chicago to play the Staleys the next day.
The All-Americans defeated the Pros. They then boarded a train for Chicago, worn out and in no real condition to play the Staleys. The All-Americans then lost to the Staleys, 10-7. Meanwhile McNeil still believed his team was the AFPA's 1921 champion, and even invested in tiny gold footballs for his players to commemorate the achievement. After all, at the time, Buffalo was still 9-1-2, and Chicago was still 8-1 -- a half-game behind Buffalo in the standings (Buffalo played more games earlier in the season). If the season ended that day, Buffalo would still have won the league title. Chicago, however, saw their opportunity, and swiftly scheduled two games in December: one against the Canton Bulldogs, and the other against their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cardinals. Winning both would have propelled Chicago to 10-1, a half-game ahead of Buffalo and assuring the team of the championship. The Staleys defeated Canton, 10-0, on December 11, but managed only to reach a scoreless tie with the Cardinals on December 18. Thus, the two teams were now tied at 9-1 (ties did not count in the APFA standings at the time). Halas decided to declare that the title belonged to Chicago and began to persuade the other owners in the league to give his Staleys the title. Halas based his claim for the championship on his belief that the second game of the Buffalo-Chicago series mattered more than the first. He also pointed out that the aggregate score of the two games was 16-14 in favor of the Staleys. McNeil insisted that the Buffalo was the champions and maintained that the last two games his team played were merely exhibitions. (Notably, both the All-Americans and the Staleys disputed the previous year's title, but were both overruled and the Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup went to the Akron Pros.) The league then instituted the first-ever tiebreaker for the championship. The new rule stated that a rematch counts more than a first matchup, which handed the championship to Chicago. The rule has since been discontinued by the NFL, largely due to the playoff system that was developed in the early 1930s. However the league was also forced to place a finite end to the season after the incident. In 1924, when Chicago attempted to do the same thing with a post-season match against the Cleveland Bulldogs, the league disallowed it, allowed the Bulldogs to keep their title, and banned the use of postseason championship games.[2] In their decision, based on a generally accepted (but now obsolete) rule that if two teams play each other more than once in a season, the second game counts more than the first, the executive committee followed established tradition. Had Buffalo not played the last game (or if it had not been counted as per Buffalo's wishes), they would have had an undefeated season and won the title. Meanwhile McNeil eventually went to his grave trying to get the league's decision overturned. Buffalo never again reached the level of success they did in the 1918-1921 period; the franchise barely stayed over .500 for the next three seasons, after which the team fell to the bottom of the league in the standings for most of the rest of the decade, suspending operations in 1927 and folding in 1929.
(SOURCE: Wikipedia)
1921 Green Bay Packers- Martell, R. Lambeau, Cook, Abrams, DuMoe, Wheeler, Wagner, Coughlin, Barry, Carey, Murray, Lambeau, Hayes, Buck, Schmael, Wilson, Ladrow, (?), Howard, Klaus, McLean, Powers, LeClair
September 25: Green Bay (1-0) 13, Chicago Boosters 0
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers opened their football season with a 13-0 win over the Boosters. Art Schmaehl scored twice, in the second and fourth quarters. Specht and Nielsen were featured for the Chicago club, with Nielsen's punting saving the Boosters on several occasions. Cub Buck was the big star for the Packers.
CHI BOOSTERS - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 0 6 0 7 - 13
GB - Schmael 2 TD
GREEN BAY PACKERS GET TUBBY HOWARD
(Green Bay) - Tubby Howard, All-American fullback in 1915, 1916 and 1917 with Indiana, has signed a contract with the Packer it was announced and will appear in Sunday's game against the Rockford eleven.
(SOURCE: Racine Journal News, Saturday October 1st 1921)
October 2: Green Bay (2-0) 49, Rockford 0
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers swamped the Rockford team Sunday. Before the heavy forward wall of the Packers, the Rockford team was almost helpless. Erickson was the lone man on the visiting team who gained consistently through the Green Bay line. The Packers did their greatest damage in the final quarter, running the ends at will, and plunging through holes in the line for big gains.
ROCKFORD - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - ? ? ? 28 - 49
October 9: Green Bay (3-0) 40, Chicago Cornell Hamburgs 0
(GREEN BAY) - Displaying super football the Packers won the third game of the season, defeating the Cornell Hamburgs of Chicago. The visiting team was hopelessly outclassed and only made first downs four times during the game. The Packers' smashing offensive built around sensational forward passes paved the way for an easy victory. Three touchdowns were made via the aerial attack. Chicago was never within the Packers' thirty yard line. Keeley, Davis and McWeeney starred for Chicago, while Wagner, Martell, Howard and Cary were the luminaries for Green Bay.
CHICAGO - ? ? ? ? - 0
GREEN BAY - ? ? ? ? - 40
PACKERS TO BATTLE BELOIT ON SUNDAY
Green Bay Packers, who have been having easy picking so far this season, will run into stiff opposition next Sunday afternoon at Green Bay when they meet the Beloit Fairies. Beloit is an ancient rival of the Packers and last year, defeated the Green Bay squad in a gruelling fight. This year's game, by that token, is likely to be even more gruelling. Green Bay has gathered together one of the greatest aggregation of football stars that every played in Wisconsin. The team is made up almost entirely of college veterans and contains several men who are nationally famous on the gridiron. One of the mainstays is Howard "Cub" Buck, one of the best linemen Wisconsin has ever had.
(SOURCE: Appleton Post-Crescent, Wednesday October 12th 1920)
October 16: Green Bay (4-0) 7, Beloit Fairies 0
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers bettered their claim to the state professional football championship by defeating the Fairies on Sunday in a bitterly contested same. A forward pass, Lambeau to Wheeler, early in the first quarter was responsible for the only score of the game. The Fairies looked dangerous in the closing periods, but the Packers' stonewall defense, led by Cub Buck, checked the attack. Dalton's brilliant work featured for Beloit, while Lambeau and Schmael starred for the Packers. 5,000 witnessed the game.
BELOIT - 0 0 0 0 - 0
GREEN BAY - 7 0 0 0 - 7
GB - Wheeler pass from Lambeau
PACKERS TO BATTLE REAL FOE SUNDAY - Minneapolis Marines Sure to Give Green Bay Stars a Regular Fight
The Green Bay Packers will play their first game in the Professional league Sunday afternoon at Hagemeister park when they tackle the Minneapolis Marines, champions of the Northwest for the last six years. This contest Is the turning point to the Packers' gridiron career. For four years the Green Bay team has been close on the heels of the "big fellows" but they never before succeeded in booking a game. The Marines are rated as one of the best ten professional football elevens in the country. Their lineup includes some of the greatest pigskin chasers in pro football circles. The Marines' line will tip the beam at 200 pounds. Gus Kramer, Washington State guard in 1920 is the "anchor." He tips the beam at 220 pounds. Left Tackle Palmer, the lightest man on the scrimmage front weighs 190. The Marines will travel from Minneapolis in a special car.
(SOURCE: Appleton Post-Crescent, Thursday October 20th 1920)
PACKERS LOAD UP FOR MARINE GAME
When those Minneapolis Marines' line up against the Green Bay Packers on the Green Bay gridiron Sunday afternoon they will meet some of the most famous footballers in recent history. Announcement was made Friday that Deloe, formerly of Syracuse university, Coughlin, former captain of Notre Dame, and Hayes, a famous player on the Penn State eleven would be with the Packers on Sunday. In addition the Green Bay aggregation has Cub Buck who is about a whole team in himself. If the Marines beat that squad it is certain the Minneapolis crew is one of the best in the country.
(SOURCE: Appleton Post-Crescent, Saturday October 22nd 1920)
October 23: Green Bay (1-0) 7, Minneapolis Marines (0-2) 6
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers defeated the Marines Sunday in one of the greatest games ever played in this city. The Marines were the first to score. Line smashes early in the first quarter placed the ball on the 3-yard line from where Dvorak plunged over for a touchdown. Sampson missed the goal which eventually cost the Marines the game. From then on, the teams battled on an even basis until late in the fourth quarter when Dvorak fumbled Cub Buck's punt on his own 30-yard line and Hayes of the Packers recovered. Lambeau shot a forward to Wagner on the first play, netting twenty yards after which Schmeal bucked through tackle for a touchdown. Lambeau kicked goal, deciding the game. Powers, Schmael and Buck starred for the Packers, while Gunderson, Sampson and Itegnior carried the brunt of the Marine attack.
MINNEAPOLIS - 6 0 0 0 - 6
GREEN BAY - 0 0 0 7 - 7
MINN - Ben Dvorak, 3-yard run (Sampson kick failed) - MINNEAPOLIS 7-0
GB - Art Schmael, 4-yard run (Lambeau kick) - TIED 7-7
October 30: Rock Island Independent (3-1-1) 13, Green Bay (1-1) 3
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers bit off more than they could masticate when they tackled the Independents at Green Bay Sunday afternoon. The Packers were defeated, but the score does not tell the story of the comparative strength of the teams. If the Independents could have held the slippery ball they might have scored at least two and possibly three more touchdowns. Three times they dropped the oval when they were within a few yards of the Packer goal. The Packers were outplayed every minute of the game. They did not make a first down until the last quarter when a few forward passes were completed. In that period the aerial attack carried the ball to the Rock Island 15 yard line where four tosses went bad and the visitors punted out of danger. It was the only real chance Green Bay had to score except when a fumbled ball was recovered on the Independents' 20-yard line and Lambeau drop-kicked the pigskin over the goal posts. Two bad punts by Cub Buck paved the way to Rock Island touchdowns. In the second period the ball was blocked and went about 20 feet straight in the air and a green jerseyed Independent fell on it about 10 yards from the Packer goal. The touchdown followed in about three plays. In the final period Cub punted out of bounds on his own 30 yard line. Two-long -and runs and a smash through the line resulted in another score. The Packer backfield was helpless. Not more than 40 yards were made by he backs in running the ball. Most of the time they were thrown for losses.
ROCK ISLAND - 7 0 0 6 - 13
GREEN BAY - 3 0 0 7 - 3
GB - Curly Lambeau field goal - GREEN BAY 3-0
RI - Jimmy Conzelman, 3-yard run (Obe Wenig kick) - ROCK ISLAND 7-3
RI - Sid Nichols, 1-yard run (XP failed) - ROCK ISLAND 13-3
November 6: Green Bay (2-1) 43, Evansville Crimson Giants (2-2) 6
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers, with an aerial attack working perfectly, routed Evansville. The Indiana eleven was outclassed, although at times they showed flashes of offensive power. The Giants made their lone TD on a neatly executed forward pass, Zellers making the score after taking a long toss from O'Neill. Splendid teamwork enabled the Packers to score at will in the worst defeat ever suffered by the Giants. Coughlin, Hayes, and Murray were the stars for the Packers, while O'Neill, Zellers and Lindsey played well for Evansville.
EVANSVILLE - 0 0 0 6 - 6
GREEN BAY - 7 15 14 7 - 43
GB - Billy DeMoe, 25-yard interception (Lambeau kick) - GREEN BAY 7-0
GB - Norm Barry run (XP failed) - GREEN BAY 13-0
GB - Art Schmael, 8-yard run (XP failed) - GREEN BAY 19-0
GB - Curly Lambeau field goal - GREEN BAY 22-0
GB - Tubby Howard, 5-yard run (Lambeau kick) - GREEN BAY 29-0
GB - Nate Abrams interception (Lambeau kick) - GREEN BAY 36-0
EVAN - Chuck O'Neill-Jerry Zeller, 40-yard pass (XP failed) - GREEN BAY 39-6
GB - Curly Lambeau run (Lambeau kick) - GREEN BAY 43-6
November 13: Green Bay (3-1) 14, Hammond Pros (1-3-1) 7
(GREEN BAY) - The Packers defeated the noted Hammond team Sunday afternoon. Green Bay has shown great improvement in its recent games. Hammond scored its lone touchdown following a blocked punt.
HAMMOND - 0 0 7 0 - 7
GREEN BAY - 14 0 0 0 - 14
GB - Curly Lambeau, 2-yard run (Lambeau kick) - GREEN BAY 7-0
GB - Curly Lambeau-Billy DuMoe, 60-yard pass (Lambeau kick) - GREEN BAY 14-0
HAM - Russ Oltz, 20-yard blocked punt return (Elliot Risley kick) - GREEN BAY 14-7
November 20: Green Bay (3-1-1) 3, Chicago Cardinals (3-2-2) 3 (T)
(CHICAGO) - The Chicago Cardinals and the Packers struggled to a tie on Sunday at Normal Park. Lambeau kicked a field goal for the visitors in the third period and Paddy Driscoll evened the count by hoisting the oval between the post for the tying points m the last quarter. A slippery playing surface made running around the ends impossible.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 3 0 - 3
CHI CARDINALS - 0 0 0 3 - 3
GB - Curly Lambeau, 25-yard FG - GREEN BAY 3-3
CARDS - Paddy Driscoll, 35-yard FG - TIED 3-3
November 27: Chicago Staleys (7-1) 20, Green Bay (3-2-1) 0
(CHICAGO) - The Packers were beaten Sunday by the Decatur Staleys at the Cub Park. Green Bay put up a hard fight, and was cheered on by 300 rooters who came down on a special train. Green Bay brought along a brass band, the musicians being garbed in woodsmens' costume. Their "On, Wisconsin!" sounded like old times to the many Badger graduates who went out to see their old favorites, Cub Buck, Guard Wilson and Halfback Klaus, in action. The Staley attack, which moved smoothly after it once gat started, proved too much for the Packers. In the first quarter the Green Bay men threatened the Staley line, Lambeau making two trials for a place kick. One went short and the other was blocked.
GREEN BAY - 0 0 0 0 - 0
CHICAGO STALEYS - 0 14 0 6 - 20
CHI - Pete Stinchomb, 45-yard run (Dutch Sternaman kick) - CHICAGO 7-0
CHI - Pard Pearce run (Sternaman kick) - CHICAGO 14-0
CHI - George Halas-Chic Harley pass (Kick failed) - CHICAGO 20-0
December 4: Green Bay 3, Racine 3 (T) (Exhibition)
(MILWAUKEE) - Racine grid fans are doing their conversing in whispers today, all because of the manner in which Hank Gillo booted their team into a tie with the Packers during the last three minutes of Sunday's state title contest at Brewers' Park in Milwaukee. Things looked pretty gloomy in those solemn moments with the score 3-0 in favor of the northerners and the Legion trying vainly to work the ball up into enemy territory so when Johnny Mohardt grabbed onto a pass, putting the oval on the Green Bay 40 yard line and Hank signalled for a place kick. A deep hush fell over the Racine section. His aim was perfect, and the bull sailed through the posts. It was a tough, spirited game witnessed by a crowd of 6,200. Mohardt, late of Notre Dame, made his first professional appearance, but the Green Bay defense had him nailed. In the fourth, Green Bay had the ball on the 10-yard line with four downs to go. After four yards on the first down, twice the runners were thrown for a loss, and as a last resort, the Packers attempted a forward over the line that was knocked down.
GREEN BAY - 0 3 0 0 - 3
RACINE - 0 0 0 3 - 3
GB - Lambeau, 25-yard field goal GREEN BAY 3-0
RAC - Hank Gillo, 40-yard field goal TIED 3-3
Simply put, the most historic Green Bay Packer image ever offered. Buff Wagner stood 5’9” tall and
weighed 165 pounds and hailed from Marinette, Wi. He also had the distinction of playing for the 1920
& 1921 Green Bay Packers. A young football player from Green Bay named Curly Lambeau joined
the team in 1921, Wagner’s final season in the NFL. In a freak-like premonition, a local photographer
named F. Thomas captured a Sunday’s game of early NFL football. Similar to the feat Charles
Conlon accomplished twelve years prior when he captured the image of Cobb with spikes flying
high, lens man F. Thomas immortalized early Green Bay Packers history and the rise of Curly
Lambeau with this early pigskin image. The image itself is masterful, with 11 Packers facing an
unidentified opponent in an attempt at a goal line score. The Green Bay Packers are seen moving
left to right, wearing simple canvas pants, long sleeved solid colored jerseys with simple shoulder
pads with light colored uniform numbers on reverse. Floppy eared leather football helmets barely
protect the heads of the combatants. Wooden cleats can be seen fighting with turf in an attempt to
maintain a hard fought position. The Packers offensive surge seems to be working, as the defenders,
wearing dark, long sleeved jerseys with stripes appear to be on their heels. Both teams wear striped
socks. A light dusting of freshly fallen snow covers the frozen tundra of a battlefield of unknown future epic proportions. A local business, the “Allouez Water and Beverage” company painted advertising sign is prominently displayed just a few feet behind the end zone. Keeping with the simplicity of the times, the goal post is constructed with (3) pieces of 2x4’s, just big enough to serve its purpose. By my count, 35+ spectators neatly dressed with long coats and derby hats are there to support the newly born team, a far cry from the 72,900+ found at today’s Packers game. The detail is simple amazing. Whether by pure luck or a desire to chronicle his football career, Buff Wagner commissioned this image from the photographer, and it remained in the possession of his family until about the year 2000. The photo is dated by the intersection of Buff Wagner & Curly Lambeau’s career, 1921. About the image itself, it is from the Packers second professional season, and Curly Lambeau’s first. Fittingly, Curly Lambeau is running the ball, making it the earliest action image of Lambeau known. This is also the earliest known action photo of the Green Bay Packers franchise. (SOURCE: Mears Online Auctions)
