1928 Detroit Wolverines (NFL) season

The 1928 Detroit Wolverines season was their first and only season in the league, after relocating from Cleveland in the offseason.^[1] The team went 7–2–1, ^[2] finishing third in the league; their two losses came to Frankford and Providence, the NFL's top two teams.

1928 Detroit Wolverines (NFL) season
Head coach	LeRoy Andrews
Results
Record	7–2–1
League place	3rd NFL
← 1926 (Panthers) Other seasons 1929 (NY Giants) →

The Wolverines, led by star quarterback Benny Friedman, also met the New York Giants twice: an easy 28-0 win in Detroit and a 19-19 tie (a “Scorigami” as this is so far the only game in NFL history to end with this score) at the Polo Grounds in New York. Ironically, this proved to be the team's downfall, as the Wolverines piqued the interest of Giants owner Tim Mara, who wanted to acquire Friedman and Detroit's other star players.

Mara did so by buying the entire Detroit franchise, and promptly shutting it down, thus delivering Friedman et al to New York.

The NFL would not return to the Motor City until 1934, when the Portsmouth Spartans moved to Detroit and were rebranded as the Lions.

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result
1	October 14, 1928	at New York Yankees	W 35–12
2	October 21, 1928	New York Giants	W 28–0
3	October 28, 1928	at Chicago Bears	W 6–0
4	November 3, 1928	at Frankford Yellow Jackets	L 25–7
5	November 4, 1928	at Providence Steam Roller	L 7–0
6	November 11, 1928	at New York Giants	T 19–19
7	November 18, 1928	New York Yankees	W 13–0
8	November 25, 1928	at Chicago Bears	W 14–7
9	November 29, 1928	Dayton Triangles	W 33–0
10	December 9, 1928	at New York Yankees	W 34–6

Standings

NFL standings
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	STK
Providence Steam Roller	8	1	2	.889	128	42	T1
Frankford Yellow Jackets	11	3	2	.786	175	84	L1
Detroit Wolverines	7	2	1	.778	189	76	W4
Green Bay Packers	6	4	3	.600	120	92	W1
Chicago Bears	7	5	1	.583	182	85	L2
New York Giants	4	7	2	.364	79	136	L5
New York Yankees	4	8	1	.333	103	179	W1
Pottsville Maroons	2	8	0	.200	74	134	L1
Chicago Cardinals	1	5	0	.167	7	107	L4
Dayton Triangles	0	7	0	.000	9	131	L7

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Players

• Carl Bacchus, kicker, 9 games, 204 pounds, 6-0, Missouri
• Rip Bachor, tackle, 1 game, 215 pounds, 6-0, Univ. of Detroit
• John Barrett, center, 5 games, 170 pounds, 5-6, Univ. of Detroit
• Les Caywood, guard, 9 games, 230 pounds, 6-0, St. John's (NY)
• Tom Cobb, tackle, 9 games, 250 pounds, 5-11, St. John's (NY)
• Tiny Feather, fullback, 10 games, 197 games, 6-0, Kansas St.
• Benny Friedman, quarterback, 10 games, 183 pounds, 5-10, Michigan
• Dosey Howard, guard, 9 games, 225 pounds, 6-0, Marietta
• Pete Jackson, 5 games, 200 pounds, 5-10, Missouri
• Lyle Munn, end, 10 games, 186 pounds, 6-0, Kansas St.
• Bill Owen, tackle, 10 games, 211 pounds, 6-0, Oklahoma St., Phillips
• Proc Randels, end, 10 games, 180 pounds, 6-0, Kansas St.
• Eddie Scharer, 7 games, 165 pounds, 5-6, Univ. of Detroit, Notre Dame
• Len Sedbrook, wingback, 9 games, 174 pounds, 5-10, Phillips
• Rex Thomas, wingback, 10 games, 174 pounds, 5-9, Tulsa, St. John's (NY)
• Ernie Vick, center, 6 games, 190 pounds, 5-10, Michigan
• Ossie Wiberg, back, 10 games, 207 pounds, 5-11, Nebraska Wesleyan
• Chet Widerquist, tackle, 4 games, 219 pounds, 6-1, Northwestern, Washington & Jefferson
• Joe Wostoupal, center, 8 games, 208 pounds, 6-3, Nebraska

References

1. "Cleveland Bulldogs - Ohio History Central".
2. 1928 Detroit Wolverines