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The Latrobe Athletic Association was a professional football team located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, from 1895 until 1909. A member of the unofficial Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit, the team is best known for being the first football club to play a full season while composed entirely of professional players. In 1895, team's quarterback, John Brallier, also became the first football player to openly turn professional, by accepting $10 and expenses to play for Latrobe against the Jeannette Athletic Club.
John Kinport "Sal" Brallier was one of the first professional American football players. He was nationally acknowledged as the first openly paid professional football player when he was given $10 to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association for a game against the Jeanette Athletic Association in 1895.
The Greensburg Athletic Association was an early organized football team, based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, that played in the unofficial Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit from 1890 until 1900. At times referred to as the Greensburg Athletic Club, the team began as an amateur football club in 1890 and was composed primarily of locals before several professional players were added for the 1895 season. In 1894 it was discovered that the team had secretly paid formerly Indiana Normal player, Lawson Fiscus, to play football and retained his services on salary. The team was the chief rival of another early professional football team, the Latrobe Athletic Association.
Harry Wilson "Cap" Ryan was an early professional football player for the Latrobe Athletic Association from 1895 until 1906. He was also selected to be the first captain in that team's history.
James Edward Blair was an American football player and coach and physician. He was early professional football player with the Latrobe Athletic Association. He later relocated to Burlington, New Jersey where he took a prominent part in the city council for a time and was a surgeon for the Third Battalion of the New Jersey National Guard. He was a charter member of the Burlington Elks Lodge and was a thirty-second degree Mason. He also was affiliated with the Sons of Veterans.
Albert Russell Aukerman was an early professional football player-coach for the Latrobe Athletic Association. Prior to that, he was a halfback at Gettysburg College.
The Jeannette Athletic Club, also referred to as the Jeannette Indians, was an early football team, based in Jeannette, Pennsylvania from 1894 until around 1906. The team is best known for its role in the Latrobe Athletic Association's hiring of John Brallier, who became the first player to openly turn professional. This event occurred in 1895, a few days before Latrobe's game against Jeannette. Latrobe starting quarterback, Eddie Blair, due to a scheduling conflict could not play in the game. This led Latrobe manager, Dave Berry to hire Brallier to play against Jeannette for $10, plus expenses. Latrobe would go on to win that game 12-0.
Stuart John "Jack" Gass was an early professional football player. He played mostly with the Latrobe Athletic Association from 1895 until 1899. In 1898, he was a member of the Western Pennsylvania All-Stars, which was a team put together by Latrobe manager Dave Berry for the purpose of challenging the star-filled Duquesne Country and Athletic Club to the first pro football all-star game held at Exposition Park in Pittsburgh. The All-Stars lost to Duquesne, 16–0. In 1897, Gass was a member of the very first all-professional football team, in Latrobe, to play a complete season together. In 1900, he played for Latrobe's rival, the Greensburg Athletic Association.
The 1898 Latrobe Athletic Association season was their fourth season in existence. The team finished 7–3. The team's colors this season were red and blue.
The 1899 Latrobe Athletic Association season was their fifth season in existence. The team played only four games this season and finished 4–0.
The 1900 Latrobe Athletic Association season was their seventh season in existence. It was a low profile season for Latrobe. The team played in only 3 games this season and finished 2-1.
The 1902 Latrobe Athletic Association season was their eighth season in existence. It was a low profile season for Latrobe. The team played in only 4 games this season and finished 2–0–2.
The 1903 Latrobe Athletic Association season was their eighth season in existence. It was a low profile season for Latrobe. The team finished 9–0. Latrobe laid claim to the western Pennsylvania championship after the undefeated season. However, the Franklin Athletic Club was generally considered the 1903 U.S. Pro Football Champions, even though they had refused to play Latrobe.
The 1904 Latrobe Athletic Association season was their tenth season in existence. The team finished 9-0 and were unscored upon. Latrobe laid claim to Pennsylvania's pro football title at the season's end.
The 1895 Greensburg Athletic Association season was their sixth season in existence. The team finished 9–1–1 or 8–2–1.
The 1896 Greensburg Athletic Association season was their seventh season in existence. The team finished 6–1–1. Alfred Sigman from Lafayette College was added as Greensburg's captain and coach and also played fullback.
The 1897 Greensburg Athletic Association season was their eighth season in existence. The team finished 10–1.
The 1898 Greensburg Athletic Association season was their ninth season in existence. The team finished 6–2–2. The team was managed by J. E. Mitinger, coached by George Barclay and captained by Joe Donohoe.
Arthur Lamont "Tiger" McFarland was an early professional American football player who played with the Greensburg Athletic Association as well as the Latrobe Athletic Association. He later played for the Philadelphia Athletics in the 1902 version of the National Football League and for the 1903 US Football Champions, the Franklin Athletic Club. Sweet also won, with Franklin, the 1903 World Series of Football, held that December at Madison Square Garden.
The Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit was a loose association of American football clubs that operated from 1890 to approximately 1940. Originally amateur, professionalism was introduced to the circuit in 1892; cost pressures pushed the circuit to semi-professional status from about 1920 through the rest of its existence. Existing in some form for 48 years, it was one of the longest-lived paying football loops to operate outside the auspices of the National Football League.
References
- Riffenburgh, Beau & Bob Carroll (1989). "The Birth of Pro Football" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 11 (Annual). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–30. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2010.
- Van Atta, Robert (1980). "Latrobe, PA: Cradle of Pro Football" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 2 (Annual). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2009.
- Van Atta, Robert (1981). "The Early Years of Pro Football in Southwestern Pennsylvania" (PDF). Coffin Corner. 3 (Annual). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2009.
- Charles Barney