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The Cleveland Tigers were the first Cleveland team franchise in what became the National Football League (NFL). The Tigers played in the "Ohio League" before joining the American Professional Football Association during the 1920 and 1921 seasons.
Louisville, Kentucky had two professional American football teams in the National Football League: the Louisville Breckenridges from 1921 to 1924 and the Louisville Colonels in 1926.
The Oorang Indians were a traveling team in the National Football League from LaRue, Ohio. The franchise was a novelty team put together by Walter Lingo to market his Oorang dog kennels. All of the Indians players were Native American, with Jim Thorpe serving as its leading player and coach. The team played in the National Football League in 1922 and 1923. Of the 20 games they played over two seasons, only one was played at "home" in nearby Marion. With a population well under a thousand people, LaRue remains the smallest town ever to have been the home of an NFL franchise, or probably any professional team in any league in the United States.
The 1922 NFL season was the third regular season of what was now called the National Football League (NFL); the league changed their name from American Professional Football Association (APFA) on June 24.
Joseph Napoleon "Big Chief" Guyon was an American Indian from the Ojibwa tribe (Chippewa) who was an American football and baseball player and coach. He played college football at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School from 1912 to 1913 and Georgia Tech from 1917 to 1918 and with a number of professional clubs from 1919 to 1927. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.
Nicholas Anthony Lassa, more popularly referred to as Long Time Sleep, was a professional American football player from the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana.
Pedro "Pete" Calac was a professional football player who played in the Ohio League and during the early years of the National Football League. Over the course of his 10-year career he played for the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, Oorang Indians and the Buffalo Bisons.
Joseph Little Twig (Johnson) was a professional football player, who played during the early years of the National Football League. For 1922 until 1926, he played in the league for the Oorang Indians, Rock Island Independents, Akron Indians and the Canton Bulldogs.
Ted Lone Wolf was a professional football player during the early years of the National Football League. He grew up and attended high school in his hometown of Flandreau, South Dakota. During his two-year career, Ted played in eleven games with the Oorang Indians. He played in seven games for the 1922 season and in four games for the 1923 season. Ted ended his professional career after the Indians disbanded in 1923.
William O. Newashe was a professional football player. He attended high school and college at the Carlisle Indian School, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Newashe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, played five games in the National Football League during the 1923 season with the Oorang Indians.
Philip J. "Woodchuck" Welmas was a Native American professional football player in the early National Football League. He was a member of the Cupeño people.
Chief Xavier Downwind a.k.a. Red Fang was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1922 and 1923 seasons. He played college football at the Carlisle Indian School, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, before joining the NFL's Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. Downwind was a Chippewa.
Beamus Pierce aka Eagle Feather was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1922 and 1923 seasons. He played college football at the Carlisle Indian School, located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, before joining the NFL's Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. Eagle Feather was a Mohican.
Thomas Leo "Ted" St. Germaine was an American football player, coach, and lawyer. He served as the head football coach at Villanova College—now known as Villanova University—for one season, in 1913, compiling a record of 4–2–1. Germaine played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1922 season. That season, he joined the NFL's Oorang Indians, a team based in LaRue, Ohio, which was composed solely of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. St, Germaine was qualified to play for the Indians since he was a Chippewa.
William "Ted" Francis Buffalo was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1923 season.
Leon A. Boutwell was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1922 and 1923 seasons. He joined the NFL's Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. Lo was a Chippewa and made his start with the team at age 29. He recorded an interception in 1923.
Coowee Scoorice Black Bear was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1923 season. That season, he joined the NFL's Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe.
Emmett "Red Fox" McLemore was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1923 season. That season, he joined the NFL's Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. Emmett was a Cherokee.
William Phineus Winneshiek, also spelled Winneshick and referred to as NahiSonwahika, was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1922 season, at age 25. That season, he joined the NFL's Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. Bill was a member of the Ho-Chunk or Winnebago tribe.
Arda "Ard" Crawford Bowser was a professional football player who spent two years of the National Football League with the Canton Bulldogs and the Cleveland Indians. Bowser won an NFL championship with the Bulldogs in 1922. In 1923, he played for the Indians. He was the first NFL player to use the kicking tee. Arda was considered the last surviving member of the 1922 Canton Bulldogs team, when he died in 1996.
