MILWAUKEE CASTS LOT WITH PYLE'S PRO GRID LEAGUE
FEB 18 (Chicago) - Four clubs, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Newark and New York, passed into the fold of Charles C. Pyle's American Professional Football league here yesterday. Two others, St. Louis and Cleveland, were accepted conditionally, which means that Mr. Pyle will take more time to study the checks submitted by their delegates. The traveling team of George Wilson of Washington was declared in the league, but allotted to no particular city. One interesting feature of the all-day meeting, which took place at the Morrison Hotel, was that the franchise seekers did not put up $5,000 each as it was reported they would be asked to do, but got by with $250 deposits. Pyle said that the remainder of the money would be posted by each franchise holder when the bylaws and constitution of the league is formally adopted...ECKIE TAKES RUNOUT: A committee to fix up this matter was appointed. It consists of Pyle, representing New York; Frank Mulkern, Milwaukee; W.J. Coughlin, Newark, and J.W. (Red) Yates, of St. Louis, who said he represented Rogers Hornsby. Walter Eckersall, who was the popular choice for the presidency of the league, and who was said to have agreed to terms, took a runout yesterday, and forwarded his regrets through his social secretary. Philadelphia was represented by Dr. J.G. Striegel. The Pottsville team, which was a member last season of the National League, is going into the Quaker City. Most of the day was spent in looking over the credentials of the franchise applicants, as well as observing the checks. A committee that looked after this was made up of Pyle, of course; Edwin A. Wetzel, of Milwaukee, and Dr. Striegel. It was announced that the clubs would play a schedule that would be drawn up before the season began, and would not permit of added games. Each team would meet every other team in the league. Games at Philadelphia will be played on Saturdays. The rest of the clubs will hold Sunday's game...DELEGATES AT MEETING: The delegates at the meeting were: New York - C.C. Pyle and Harold (Red) Grange; Philadelphia - Dr. J.G. Striegel; Milwaukee - John Bryan, Frank Mulkern; St. Louis - J.W. (Bud) Yates; Cleveland - G.T. Jones and F.B. Garden. Dave Driscoll of Brooklyn applied for a franchise, but action on his bid was deferred, as was that on bids from Detroit, by Walter Bloomberg, and Hammond, by Irving N. Chayken. Bryan, who bid in for the Milwaukee franchise, is the former University of Chicago player, who played professionally with the Bears and the Cardinals, after leaving school. The Chicago franchise seemed to be giving magnates the most concern. Five made applications. Among them were Billy Neisen, owner of the semi-pro baseball team which play at Pyott's park; Frank Sullivan, who was mysterious and lives in Oak Park; Joe Sternaman, who played with the Bears last year, backed by other Chicago men; and a couple of others who were not named. It seemed that Little Joe Sternaman had a strong following with the president of being able to put his team in Soldiers' field.
PYLE PRO LEAGUE, WITH FIVE CITIES LINED UP, ADJOURNS ITS SESSIONS UNTIL MARCH
FEB 19 (Chicago) - Two days old, the American league of the professional football clubs, has halted the work of organization and adjourned until March. Five teams are on the roster and C.C. Pyle, who promoted the new circuit and engineered its launching, says the proposed ten club membership is assured. New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Newark, N.J., were admitted first and Boston was added to the list Thursday. The committee on credentials has under advisement applications for franchises in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis and Brooklyn....WILL NAME OFFICIALS: The complete roster will be announced at the session in New York early next month. At that time plans call for the adoption of permanent rules, the naming of officials, and the compilation of a schedule for the 1926 season. Tentative regulations approved before adjournment included provision against tampering with high school or college athletes and for 18 men squads. No salary restrictions were made.
STRIEGEL QUITS PYLE
FEB 19 (Chicago) - After a second days of conferences and meetings in which high finance again played the leading role, Red Grange's new American professional football league adjourned last night with what C.C. Pyle declared a ten club circuit all but banded together. Representatives of eight of the cities had tossed individually $3,000 or thereabouts into the new league's strong box as evidence of good faith, five groups of promoters stood ready to establish credit or deliver the coin if granted the Chicago franchise, and Garry Herrmann at Cincinnati was studying the proposed constitution and bylaws of the circuit. He may buy the tenth franchise and place it in Cincinnati...TROUBLE IN AIR: Press dispatches from Columbus quoted Dr. J.E. Striegel of Pottsville, Pa., who has been granted the Philadelphia franchise in the new circuit, as saying he had withdrawn from the Chicago meeting and would not become affiliated with the proposed organization. "It can't be true," Mr. Pyle declared when informed of the Columbus dispatch. "Dr. Striegel has paid cash for his franchise and he has signed the papers to become one of us with a club in Philadelphia." Pyle admitted Striegel had left Chicago Wednesday night but said he was going direct to Philadelphia. He did not say it in so many words, but hinted he suspected the National league of attempting to spread propaganda that would ten to discredit his organization...EIGHT CITIES POST GUARANTEE: The eight cities which have convinced Pyle to the extent of putting up $3,000 for franchise rights are New York, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Newark, Boston, Cleveland, St. Louis and Brooklyn. But of those eight cities Pyle declared only five had been officially voted into the new circuit. It seems that Cleveland, St. Louis and Brooklyn, while willing to become members of the league, will not be voted in until other investigations are made. The business of picking a president or commissioner to rule the new organization was again deferred. Instead, temporary officers were elected. Pyle was picked as temporary chairmen, Edward Wetzel of Milwaukee as secretary, and W.J. Coughlin of Newark, treasurer. The league's next meeting will be held in New York next month.
MILWAUKEE TO REMAIN IN NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
MAR 18 (Chicago) - Milwaukee will remain in the NFL instead of joining the new organization sponsored by Red Grange and his manager, Charles C. Pyle. President Joe Carr of the National league closed negotiations here today for the sale of the Milwaukee franchise to Johnny Bryan, former University of Chicago star, and Frank Mulkern, a Milwaukee boxing promoter. Bryan was with Grange on the barnstorming trip of the Chicago Bears last fall. The Milwaukee franchise was owned by Al McGurk, who was found guilty of playing four Chicago high school boys against the Chicago Cardinals in a championship game last fall. The league punished McGurk by ordering him to dispose of his holdings before April.
BRYAN CONFIRMS STORY
MAR 18 (Milwaukee) - Upon his return from the conference in Chicago on Wednesday, Johnny (Red) Bryan, who is associated with Frank Mulkern in the Milwaukee Football club, confirmed the story that Milwaukee would continue to play in the NFL instead of being associated with the newly-formed "Pyle" loop. "Our conference in Chicago was very satisfactory," said Bryan, who is a former University of Chicago player. "President Joe Carr of he NFL was with us the entire afternoon and it didn't take him very long to smooth out the obstacles that had prevented us from getting possession of the National league franchise for Milwaukee, which had been held for McGurk."...SEALED AND DELIVERED: "The players are signed, sealed and delivered and we have notified Mr. Pyle that the Milwaukee club will sever all connections with his league immediately. Mr. Mulkern and myself are confident that we have made the right step. President Carr has assured us that us that we will get an even break on the schedule and we have already been promised two games with the Chicago Bears, Rock Island Independents and Green Bay Packers. Each one of these contests should be good drawing cards. The games with the Packers will have a state championship angle, which should be an extra gate attraction. For years, Green Bay has held this title but this fall we are going to put a team in the field that will make the great Packers hustle every minute to retain this championship."...EXPRESS HIS APPRECIATION: "I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for what the representatives of the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers did in their efforts to enable us to take over the Milwaukee franchise. Without their assistance, I am afraid we might have been forced to be a 'spoke' in the Pyle circuit. I certainly am very glad that conditions have righted themselves so nicely and the football fans of Milwaukee can rest assured that the Cream City will come back on the pro gridiron map in capital letters."
COLLAPSE IS SEEN
MAR 18 (Chicago) - Charles C. Pyle's personally conducted American Professional Football league gave further evidence of crumbling into insignificance yesterday, notwithstanding the recent appoint of "Big Bill" Edwards, the Princeton heavyweight, as president. It now appears as though all the weight Edwards added to the league, physically and otherwise, will be needed if the organization is ever to become a reality. "Silent Joe" Carr, president of the NFL, dropped off in Chicago yesterday long enough to fire a bombshell into the somewhat depleted ranks of the Pyle loop. When the smoke had cleared away, it was discovered that Cash and Carry's league had lost one more of its charter members - Milwaukee...MILWAUKEE GETS FRANCHISE: Carr engineered a deal yesterday whereby the Milwaukee franchise of the National league was sold to Frank Mulkern, Milwaukee fight promoter, and Johnny Bryan, former University of Chicago star and later a member of the Chicago Bears. It will be remembered that Mulkern and Bryan obtained a franchise in Pyle's league. This state of affairs leaves Pyle holding the well-known bag, as least as far as Milwaukee is concerned. Pyle now finds his dream league with but two charter members, Newark and New York, which Mr. Pyle planned to own and operate personally with Harold "Red" Grange. Chicago and many other cities in the United State are said to be clamoring for admittance into the American League, but Mr. Pyle apparently is having difficulty in getting the boys to place legal tender on the table...LEAGUE'S LIFE WANING: It would now appear that unless a number of butter and egg men come forward with a favorable substitute for money, and quickly, the life of the American Professional Football League will be short. It developed yesterday that the National League had offered Pyle numerous concessions to keep Grange within its jurisdiction, but that Cash and Carry had turned a deaf ear to any and all proposals. Carr said in the presence of Chris O'Brien, owner of the Chicago Cardinals, that Pyle and Grange had been offered the Brooklyn franchise, but refused to consider it. It was also suggested to him during the recent annual meeting of the parent league at Detroit that he might obtain the controlling interest in the Cleveland club if he, or rather Grange, the drawing card, would remain in the circuit. Pyle also refused to consider this proposition and set out to organize his own personally directed league. "I have no quarrel with Pyle," said Carr in speaking of the Grange pilot. "If he wants to organize and conduct a rival league, that is his own business. I have the utmost admiration for Grange. He is a marvelous player and a gentleman. His connection with our league was a credit to the organization. Naturally I would have liked to have seen him remain with us. He is the greatest drawing card in the game, and I believe had he remained in our league he would have continued to enjoy his unparalleled popularity." Both Grange and Pyle were out of the city last night. It is said they are in New York City on motion picture business.
RED BRYAN SAYS MILWAUKEE WILL HAVE STRONG ELEVEN ON PRO GRIDIRON THIS FALL
MAY 3 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - "Milwaukee is going to have a pro football team this fall that will hold its own with the best in the Pro league," said Red Bryan, new manager of the Milwaukee Badgers who was here Sunday to discuss football affairs with the Packer management. "We are going after the state pro title, if nothing else," continued Bryan. "Ever since 1917, Green Bay ruled supreme on the pro grid in the Badger state but this fall, I think the Packers will have to look to their laurels."...MUST HAVE WINNER: "Milwaukee is a funny sports town. The Cream City simply has to have a winner. They will support a team that is up near the top but turn thumbs down on any aggregation that can be viewed as a tail ender. When Mr. Mulkern and myself secured the Milwaukee franchise in the NFL, we decided that we would pull every string possible to give Milwaukee a winner. For the past six weeks, I have rounded up some good footballers and have my lines out for a number of other stars. I have always admired the spirit shown by the Packers on the gridiron and we intend to get together a team that will have just as much pep and fight as your Green Bay champs and, if possible, just a little bit more."...PLAY TWO GAMES: Byran made his pilgrimage here on Sunday to talk over dates for the state champion games and other league matter. As in past year, Milwaukee and Green Bay will clash twice on the gridiron. The Badgers are to come here in October, while the Big Bay Blues will invade Milwaukee early in November. Several player deals were discussed but nothing definite came out of it. There is some talk that Racine may reenter the league. Babe Reutz, who placed pro football on the map in Horclikville, is said to be interested again and he may be associated with Milt Romney, crack halfback, in the Racine club. Both Milwaukee and Green Bay are hoping that Racine comes back in the fold because a three cornered race for the state championship is sure to create a lot more interest...NEGOTIATING FOR PLAYERS: The Packer management hasn't been "asleep at the switch" since the curtain was pulled down on the 1925 season. Negotiations with a number of players are progressing nicely, and it is expected that some contracts will be signed just as soon as they graduate in June. Letters have been sent out to about 140 players who gained fame on the collegiate gridiron last fall. It is against the league rule to dicker with any collegians who do not graduate in June. Two players have already accepted teams of the Green Bay management...BUCK'S KNEE O.K.: It had been feared that Cub Buck's injured knee had closed the book on his football career but the big lineman wrote in from Neenah the other day that his injured member had mended nicely and that he was ready for another season on the gridiron. Captain Lambeau hears frequently from all members of the 1925 team and, it is understood, that the majority of them are looking forward to the call for practice early in September. As usual, the Packers will swing into action a week or two ahead of the majority of other clubs in the pro loop.