The Pros were established by local businessman Paul Parduhn and Dr. Alva Young. Young, a boxing promoter and owner of a racing stable, also served as doctor/trainer (and part-owner) for a semi-pro football team operated by the Hammond Clabby Athletic Association from 1915 to 1917. In 1918, Young presided over a new team known as the "Hammond All-Stars" and played against many of the teams that would form the backbone of the American Professional Football Association (including the Racine Cardinals, Detroit Heralds, Rock Island Independents, Minneapolis Marines, Cleveland Tigers, Canton Bulldogs, and Toledo Maroons); Young attended the historic meeting in Canton, Ohio at which the APFA was formed in 1920. (It is said that a game between Hammond and Canton, played Thanksgiving Day 1919 and drawing some 12,000 spectators in Chicago, convinced team owners that a league would be viable.)
In 1919, the team starred George Halas at wide receiver; Halas left for the Decatur Staleys – the future Chicago Bears – the following year, remaining with that franchise as a player, coach and owner until his death in 1983.
Despite the name, the Pros were little more than a semi-professional outfit; most of the players were locals who had full-time jobs and couldn't practice much, and thus were simply no match for most other NFL squads. Nor did they really represent Hammond, as the town's stadium (A. Murray Turner Field) was built for baseball and seated only a few thousand. The Pros would play only two regular-season NFL games in Hammond over their seven years in the league,[1][2] and would use Cubs Park in Chicago as an unofficial "home" stadium[citation needed]. Nevertheless, Young kept the team going in the NFL for seven years and 34 games, with a combined record of 5–26–4. The Pros might have lasted even longer, but after winning the 1926 battle with the American Football League, the NFL decided to scale down to 12 teams, getting rid of many of the smaller franchises, including the Pros.
Of the nine African-American players in the league during those years, six played for the Pros, including the first African-American head coach in the NFL, Fritz Pollard, and the successful music producer Mayo Williams.
hammond, pros, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 202. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Hammond Pros news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Hammond Pros were an American football team from Hammond Indiana that played in the National Football League from 1920 to 1926 as a traveling team Hammond ProsFounded1917Suspended1926Based inHammond Indiana United StatesLeagueNational Football LeagueTeam historyHammond Pros 1920 26 Team colorsPurple gold white Head coachesHank Gillo 1920 Max Hicks 1921 Wally Hess 1922 24 Fritz Pollard 1925 Doc Young 1925 Owner s Paul Parduhn Doc YoungHome field s Cubs Park Contents 1 History 2 Hall of Famers 3 Season by season 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditThe Pros were established by local businessman Paul Parduhn and Dr Alva Young Young a boxing promoter and owner of a racing stable also served as doctor trainer and part owner for a semi pro football team operated by the Hammond Clabby Athletic Association from 1915 to 1917 In 1918 Young presided over a new team known as the Hammond All Stars and played against many of the teams that would form the backbone of the American Professional Football Association including the Racine Cardinals Detroit Heralds Rock Island Independents Minneapolis Marines Cleveland Tigers Canton Bulldogs and Toledo Maroons Young attended the historic meeting in Canton Ohio at which the APFA was formed in 1920 It is said that a game between Hammond and Canton played Thanksgiving Day 1919 and drawing some 12 000 spectators in Chicago convinced team owners that a league would be viable In 1919 the team starred George Halas at wide receiver Halas left for the Decatur Staleys the future Chicago Bears the following year remaining with that franchise as a player coach and owner until his death in 1983 Despite the name the Pros were little more than a semi professional outfit most of the players were locals who had full time jobs and couldn t practice much and thus were simply no match for most other NFL squads Nor did they really represent Hammond as the town s stadium A Murray Turner Field was built for baseball and seated only a few thousand The Pros would play only two regular season NFL games in Hammond over their seven years in the league 1 2 and would use Cubs Park in Chicago as an unofficial home stadium citation needed Nevertheless Young kept the team going in the NFL for seven years and 34 games with a combined record of 5 26 4 The Pros might have lasted even longer but after winning the 1926 battle with the American Football League the NFL decided to scale down to 12 teams getting rid of many of the smaller franchises including the Pros Of the nine African American players in the league during those years six played for the Pros including the first African American head coach in the NFL Fritz Pollard and the successful music producer Mayo Williams Hall of Famers EditHammond Pros Hall of Famers No Name Position Tenure Inducted Paddy Driscoll QB HB 1919 1965 George Halas End 1919 1963 Fritz Pollard HBCoach 1923 1925 2005Season by season EditSeason records for the Hammond Pros Year W L T Finish Coach1920 2 5 0 12th Hank Gillo1921 1 3 1 13th Max Hicks1922 0 5 1 15th Wally Hess1923 1 5 1 15th1924 2 2 1 10th1925 1 4 0 14th Fritz Pollard Doc Young1926 0 4 0 21st Doc YoungReferences Edit Duluth Eskimos at Hammond Pros Pro Football Reference com Sports Reference Retrieved January 2 2022 1923 Hammond Pros Statistics amp PlayersExternal links EditMore info on the Hammond Pros Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hammond Pros amp oldid 1164755840, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
