Union Club of Phoenixville facts for kids
The Union Club of Phoenixville was a professional football team from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. This team was formed in 1919 when two local clubs, the Phoenixville Union Club and the Phoenix Athletic Club, joined together. Before the merger, the Union Club was known as one of the strongest football teams in eastern Pennsylvania from 1907 to 1919. The team is most famous for beating the powerful Canton Bulldogs 13–7 in 1920. The Union Club of Phoenixville stopped playing in 1921.
| Founded | 1907 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1921 |
| Based in | Phoenixville, Pennsylvania |
| League | Independent |
| Team history | Union Club (1907–1919) Phoenix Athletic Club (1919) Union Club of Phoenixville (1920–1921) |
| Team colors | Red, White |
| Nickname(s) | "Big Red" |
| Undefeated seasons | 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1915, 1918, 1920 |
| Home field(s) | Baker Bowl |
Contents
The Story of the Union Club
How the Team Started
The Phoenixville Union Club first played football in 1907. They often played against teams from Schuylkill County, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. In just a few years, the Union Club became one of the best teams in their area. They were even called the "Champions of the Schuylkill Valley" and "Champions of Eastern Pennsylvania" many times.
Sadly, the team also faced difficult times. In 1913, a player named George Gay from Ursinus College was hurt during a game. He passed away a few days later.
Joining Forces: The Merger
World War I and the 1918 flu pandemic made it hard for the team to play. In 1917, they only played five games. In 1918, they played just one game.
In 1919, the Union Club and a new team called the Phoenix Athletic Club decided to merge. This happened because the Phoenix Athletic Club had signed many of the best local players. This left the Union Club with a problem. They even had a game against a high school team that ended in a tie. So, the Union Club joined with the Phoenix A.C.
The new team, the Union Club of Phoenixville, finished their 1919 season with six wins, zero losses, and three ties. They signed many talented former college players. These included Heinie Miller from Penn and Butch Spagna from Lehigh University.
The Amazing 1920 Season
The 1920 Phoenixville Club had many top players of that time. Some of these players were Lou Little, Lud Wray, Fats Eyrich, Bodie Weldon, Heinie Miller, Earl Potteiger, Stan Cofall, and future Hall of Famer Fritz Pollard.
The team also had eight players from the Buffalo All-Americans of the National Football League (NFL). These included Ockie Anderson and Swede Youngstrom. Pollard and Cofall also played for NFL teams. They would play for Phoenixville on Saturdays, then travel to Buffalo or Ohio for their NFL games on Sundays. This helped them earn extra money.
The Phoenixville club had a perfect season in 1920, winning all 11 of their games. They beat many local teams and rivals. These included the Conshohocken Athletic Club, Holmesburg Athletic Club, and the pre-NFL Frankford Yellow Jackets. But their biggest game was still to come.
Facing the Canton Bulldogs
Before 1920, the Canton Bulldogs were thought to be the best professional football team in the world. Their team had famous players like Joe Guyon and the legendary Jim Thorpe. Both of these players later became Pro Football Hall of Famers. The Bulldogs had won championships in 1916, 1917, and 1919.
On December 11, 1920, about 17,000 fans came to watch the Union Club play the Canton Bulldogs at the Baker Bowl. The Bulldogs scored first with a Pete Calac touchdown. But Phoenixville quickly took control. Heinie Miller recovered a fumble, which led to a Stan Cofall touchdown pass to Lou Hayes.
Later in the game, Cofall blocked a punt by Guyon. Hayes returned this blocked punt for another touchdown. Canton tried to score late in the game, but Guyon fumbled the ball. Heinie Miller recovered it for Phoenixville. The Union Club won the game 13–7!
Even though Phoenixville won this big game, they could not claim a national championship. The 1920 Canton Bulldogs were not as strong as they had been in previous years. In the NFL, other teams like the Akron Pros, Decatur Staleys (who later became the Chicago Bears), and the Buffalo All-Americans finished higher than the Bulldogs. The NFL championship for 1920 was given to the Akron Pros.
The End of the Team in 1921
In 1921, the Union Club stopped being a top professional team. The team's leaders decided not to bring back the expensive 1920 lineup. Instead, they chose to use a team of mostly local players, which cost less money. The "Big Red" team finished their final season with five wins and two losses.
However, Heinie Miller kept most of the 1920 team together. They played in 1921 as the Union Quakers of Philadelphia.
