Franklin Athletic Club facts for kids
| Founded | 1890 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1903 |
| Based in | Franklin, Pennsylvania, United States |
| League | Independent (1890–1904) |
| Team history | Franklin Athletic Club (1890–1903) |
| Team colors | Unknown |
| General managers | Bill Prince |
| Other League Championship wins | 1903 World Series of Football |
The Franklin Athletic Club was an early professional football team. They were based in Franklin, Pennsylvania. In 1903, they were considered the best professional football team in the United States. They won the US Football Championship and the 1903 World Series of Football. This big event happened after the 1903 season at New York's Madison Square Garden. The team also had a big rivalry with the nearby Oil City Athletic Club.
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Football Rivalry: The 1902 Season
The towns of Franklin and Oil City, Pennsylvania loved their football teams. They invested a lot of money in them. In 1902, the two teams played their third game against each other. For this game, Oil City signed many star players. They brought in players from the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. They also got players from the Philadelphia All-Stars, a team from Steubenville, Ohio, and Grove City College.
Many people in Franklin had placed bets on their team winning. Because Oil City brought in so many star players, Franklin's fans lost their bets. Even though Franklin lost the game, they played very well. They only allowed Oil City's all-star team to score 10 points, with Franklin scoring 0.
Building a Dream Team: The 1903 Pre-season
Franklin's manager, Bill Prince, wanted to make sure Oil City couldn't outbid them again. He decided to recruit the best football players from all over Pennsylvania to play for Franklin.
After Franklin's loss to Oil City, Prince went to watch a big game. It was the first championship game of the National Football League. The Pittsburgh Stars played against the Philadelphia Athletics. Right after that game, Bill Prince quickly signed all the important players he could find to join the Franklin team.
When Oil City saw that Franklin had signed so many top players, they decided not to play that season. They didn't have enough players left. All the money that people had planned to bet on the 1903 games between Franklin and Oil City was held in a special bank account. Later, it was given back to the people who had placed the bets.
An Undefeated Season: 1903
With almost every major football star on their team, Franklin was ready. Bill Prince challenged every other professional football club in Pennsylvania to play them. Many famous players from the first NFL joined Franklin. These included Blondy Wallace and Eddie Wood. Eddie Wood later became one of the first players to catch a forward pass when they became allowed in 1906.
The Franklin team had an amazing season. They won every single game, finishing with a 10-0 record. They then played the Pittsburgh Athletic Club. This was the same team that had many of the star players who beat Franklin the year before. Franklin won that game easily, with a score of 23-0.
Winning the World Series of Football
After their great season, Franklin played the Syracuse Athletic Club. Syracuse had won the 1902 World Series of Football. Franklin defeated them 12-0. This win meant Franklin would play in the 1903 Series, held at Madison Square Garden.
Franklin continued their winning streak. They defeated the Watertown Red & Black team 12-0 to win the Series Championship. After winning the championship, Bill Prince made an announcement. He said that Franklin would not put together an all-star team for the 1904 season.
