New York Yankees (AAFC)
The New York Yankees were an American football team that played in the All-America Football Conference .
founding
In 1944, the AAFC was launched as a competitive league for the National Football League (NFL). The league was founded by a sports journalist from Chicago , who was able to gather numerous investors interested in football. The league awarded eight franchises . A license to play was acquired by Dan Topping, who already held shares in the New York Yankees baseball team of the same name and the Brooklyn Dodgers NFL team . Former member of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame Jim Crowley was appointed executive director of the league . Each team was responsible for setting up its own squad. Topping brought numerous Dodgers players, who had to cease playing in 1945, to the team. He also hired Ray Flaherty , a former New York Giants player and later member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame , to coach the team. The AAFC began playing in 1946. The Yankees' venue was Yankee Stadium .
successes
Game year 1946
The Yankees should immediately establish themselves as one of the top teams in the AAFC. In 1946, the team was able to win ten of 14 games, which brought them into the AAFC championship game. There the Yankees met their toughest opponent in the league, the Cleveland Browns , whose successes they were never to match and who they were never able to defeat during their four-year existence. The Browns were looked after by Paul Brown and were able to prevail in the final 14: 9.
Game year 1947
In 1947, the two teams met again in the final. The Yankees had won eleven of 14 games in the regular season , but then had to admit defeat 14: 3 in the championship game.
Game year 1948
The 1948 season began with little success for the Yankees. They could only win one of four games and Flaherty had to give up his coaching post. The new coach of the Red Strader team had a balanced record, but he and his team did not qualify for the play-offs that were held for the first time .
Game year 1949
Before the season, the Yankees were reunited with the Brooklyn Dodgers (AAFC) . Strader remained the coach of the team. The team won eight of 14 games and moved with this record into the play-offs, where they met the San Francisco 49ers , who were able to prevail 17: 7.
The AAFC stopped playing after this season due to financial problems. The Yankees, unlike the Browns and 49ers, were not accepted into the NFL. The players of the team were divided among the NFL teams, a not insignificant part took over the New York Giants.
Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Other well-known players
Web links
- History of the New York Yankees
- History of the AAFC (PDF; 61 kB)