Early American Football Leagues

AFL-I  (1926)

AFL-II  (1936-37)

AFL-III  (1940-41)

American Football League I (1926)

1926-Standings             W L T Pct. PF PA
Philadelphia Quakers      7 2 0 0.778 93 52
New York Yankees           9 5 0 0.643 212 82
Cleveland Panthers         3 2 0 0.600 62 46
Los Angeles Wildcats       6 6 2 0.500 105 83
Chicago Bulls              5 6 3 0.455 88 69
Boston Bulldogs            2 4 0 0.333 20 81
Rock Island Independents 2 5 1 0.286 21 156
Brooklyn Horsemen          1 3 0 0.250 25 68
Newark Bears-Demons               0 4 2 0.000 7 26

Note: The Philadelphia Quakers were declared the league champion.
The First AFL disbands after one season!!

 

Leading Scorers Rush TDs Rec TDs Ret TDs PATs FGs Pts
Eddie Tryon, New York 5 3 1 12 2 72
Joey Sternaman, Chicago 3 0 0 7 9 52
Red Grange, New York 4 3 0 2 0 50
Al Kreuz, Philadelphia 1 0 0 4 8 34
Dave Noble, Cleveland 4 1 0 1 0 31
George Wilson, Los Angeles 4 0 0 1 0 25
Johnny Mohardt, Chicago 4 0 0 0 0 24
Adrian Ford, Philadelphia 0 2 1 0 0 18
Bob Dinsmore, Philadelphia 0 0 1 2 3 17
           
Rushing TD Leaders TDs Yds        
Eddie Tryon, New York 5 83        
Red Grange, New York 4 131        
Johnny Mohardt, Chicago 4 6        
Dave Noble, Cleveland 4 9        
George Wilson, Los Angeles 4 16        
Joey Sternaman, Chicago 3 35        
Duke Morrison, Los Angeles 2 2        
           
Receiving TD Leaders TDs Yds        
Eddie Tryon, New York 3 43        
Red Grange, New York 2 80        
Cookie Cunningham, Cleveland 2 105        
Red Maloney, New York 2 -        
Mal Bross, Los Angeles 2 70        
Adrian Ford, Philadelphia 2 4        
           
Passing TD Leaders TDPs Yds        
George Pease, New York 9 152        
Wildcat Wilson, Los Angeles 5 70        
Al Michaels, Cleveland 4 134        
Johnny Scott, Philadelphia 3 44        
Harry Stuhldreher, Brooklyn 2 60        
Red Grange, New York 2 -        
           
Punt Return TD Leaders TDs Yds        
Mal Bross, Los Angeles 1 70        
Bob Dinsmore, Philadelphia 1 56        
           
Interception TD Leaders TDs Yds   INTs    
Wes Fry, New York 2 82        
Red Grange, New York 1 55   2    
Eddie Tryon, New York 1 45   2    
Adrian Ford, Philadelphia 1 18        
Glenn Killinger, Philadelphia       4    
George Pease, New York       1    
Johnny Mohardt, Chicago       1    
Harry Hall, Chicago       1    
Al Kreuz, Philadelphia       1    
George Tully, Philadelphia       1    
           
Fumble Return TD Leaders TDs Yds        
Charlie Morrison, Boston 1 20        
           
Kicking Leaders PATs FGs Pts      
Joey Sternaman, Chicago 7 9 34      
Al Kreuz, Philadelphia 4 8 28      
Eddie Tryon, New York 12 2 18      
Bob Dinsmore, Philadelphia 2 3 11      
Dave Elliott, Cleveland 4 2 10      
Jim Lawson, Los Angeles 4 2 10      
Dick Reed, Los Angeles 4 2 10      
Art Coglizer, New York 7 1 10      

Note- TD yardage listed if available

Note- Red Grange is said to have had 961 yards rushing in 191 attempts during the season

American Football League-II (1936-1937)

1936-Standings          W L T Pct. PF PA
Boston Shamrocks        8 3 0 0.727 133 97
Cleveland Rams          5 2 2 0.714 123 77
New York Yankees        5 3 2 0.625 75 74
Pittsburgh Americans    3 2 1 0.600 78 65
Syracuse-Roch Braves        1 6 0 0.143 51 113
Brk-Rochester Tigers        0 6 1 0.000 58 82
1937-Standings          W L T Pct. PF PA
Los Angeles Bulldogs    8 0 0 1.000 219 69
Rochester Tigers        3 3 1 0.500 94 115
New York Yankees        2 3 1 0.400 57 115
Cincinnati Bengals      2 3 2 0.400 102 89
Boston Shamrocks        2 5 0 0.286 76 98
Pittsburgh Americans    0 3 0 0.000 7 69

NOTE:  A 1936 championship game was scheduled between Boston  Shamrocks and Cleveland Rams to be played in Cleveland, but was called off. The Boston Shamrocks were declared the 1936 league champion. Syracuse Braves disbanded in 1936. The Los Angeles Bulldogs were the 1937 league champion. The Second AFL disbands after only two seasons.

Pos. 1936 AFL All League Team
none selected
 
Pos. 1937 AFL All League Team
E Bill Moore, Los Angeles
T Bill Steinkinber, Cincinnati
G Pete Meloringer, Los Angeles
C Lee Mullenuaux, Cincinnati
G Alex Drobnitch, New York
T Harry Fields, Los Angeles
E Red Fleming, Boston
QB Harry Newman, Los Angeles
HB Don Geyer, Cincinnati
HB Al Nidelazri, Los Angeles
FB Gordon Gore, Los Angeles

Notes:
 1936 - Harry Newman, Brook-Rochester (4-FGs, 2-PATs, 45 Yd TD run, incomplete stats) - Rushing Leader
1937 - Harry Newman, Rochester (1-FG, 1-PAT, 5-TDPs, 25 Yd TD run, incomplete stats)
1937 - Bill Howard, Los Angeles - Scoring leader
 

The American Football League-III (1940-1941)

The AFL existed unofficially in 1939 and Columbus was the champion that year. They also won the championship in 1940 and 1941. This league might be a continuation of the AFL of 1936-37. After Pearl Harbor, it was only a matter of time before the AFL ceased to exist. The shortage of players due to the draft was already acute enough to bite into the much more mature NFL.

 

1940-Standings          W L T Pct. PF PA
Columbus Bullies        8 1 1 0.888 134 69
Milwaukee Chiefs        7 2 0 0.777 180 59
Boston Bears            5 4 1 0.555 120 79
New York Yankees        4 5 0 0.445 138 138
Buffalo Indians         2 8 0 0.200 45 138
Cincinnati Bengals      1 7 0 0.143 53 178
   
   
1941-Standings          W L T Pct. PF PA
Columbus Bullies        5 1 2 0.833 142 55
New York Americans      5 2 1 0.714 116 73
Milwaukee Chiefs        5 4 1 0.555 105 84
Buffalo Tigers         2 6 0 0.250 72 172
Cincinnati Bengals      1 5 2 0.167 69 120

NOTE:  The Columbus Bullies were the league champions in both 1940 and 1941.
The Third AFL also disbands after only two 'official' seasons

 

Pos. 1940 AFL All League Team
E Sherman Barnes, Milwaukee
T Ed Karp, Buffalo
G Jim Karcher, Columbus
C Joe Alexus, Columbus
G Alex Drobnitch, Buffalo
T Bob Eckl, Milwaukee
E Harlan Gustafson, New York
QB Andy Karpuls, Boston
HB Bill Hutchinson, New York
HB Nelson Peterson, Columbus
FB Al Novakofski, Milwaukee
Pos. 1941 AFL All League Team
E Earl Ohlgren, Milwaukee
T Alec Shellogg, Buffalo
G Ted Livinston, Columbus
C Paul Humphrey, Milwaukee
G- Tex Akin, Milwaukee
T Bob Eckl, Milwaukee
E Joe Kruse, Cincinnati
QB Bob Davis, Columbus
HB Charlie Armstrong, New York
HB Bill McGannon, Cincinnati
FB John Kimbrough, New York

Notes:
1940 - Nelson Peterson, Columbus (1-TD rushing, 4 TDs receiving, 9-PATs, 1-FG, 42 points)
1940 - Bob Davis, Columbus (94 yard TD run, 1-Kick Return TD, 1-TDP, 12 points)
1941 - Nelson Peterson, Columbus (1-TD rushing, 2 TDs receiving, 10-PATs, 1-FG, 31 points)
1941 - Bob Davis, Columbus (7 TDs, 2-PATs, 50 pts, 3-TDPs) - rushing TDs and scoring leader

Other AFL Links:

Bob Braunwart's AFL Web Page

 

Extinct Sports Leagues Home Page

©1998 Steve Dimitry, all rights reserved.

Email: sdimitry@verizon.net