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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.
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.
St. Louis All-Stars was a professional football team that played in the National Football League during the 1923 season. The team played at St. Louis, Missouri's Sportsman's Park. Ollie Kraehe owned, managed, coached, and played guard for the team.
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.
Arrowhead was an American 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. Arrowhead was a member of the Chippewas.
Samuel Big Bear, mainly referred to as simply Big Bear in the record books, was a Native American professional football player during the early years of the National Football League. During his two-year career, Big Bear played in 6 games with the Oorang Indians. He played in 1 game for the 1922 season and in 5 games for the 1923 season. He ended his professional career after the Indians disbanded in 1923. According to NFL records, Big Bear did not attend college or play college football. However, the Pro Football Researchers Association states that he attended the Carlisle Indian School located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
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.
Reginald Edward Attache, aka Laughing Gas, was a professional American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1922 season for the Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans and coached by Jim Thorpe.
Joseph Pappio was a member of the Chippewa. Pappio attended and played college football at the Haskell Institute.
Napoleon Paul Barrel was a professional football player. He played seven games in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1923 season, at age 37, with the Oorang Indians. The Indians were a team based in LaRue, Ohio, composed only of Native Americans, and coached by Jim Thorpe. Barrel was a member of the Chippewas.
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.
Alvin Jay Jolley was a professional football player and coach. He played for the Cleveland Tigers, Akron Pros, Dayton Triangles, Oorang Indians, Buffalo Bisons, Brooklyn Dodgers and the Cleveland Indians. He was a coach for the Bisons and the Cincinnati Reds. He also played for the Ironton Tanks of the Ohio League.
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.
Robert Haskell Hill, aka War Horse, was a professional football player who played in the National Football League during the 1922 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. Hill was a member of the Mohawks.
Stancil Powell aka Wrinkle Meat 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. Powell was an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Horatio "White Cloud" Jones was an American professional football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1922 season.
References
- Whitman, Robert L. (1984). Jim Thorpe and the Oorang Indians: The N.F.L.'s Most Colorful Franchise. [Mount Gilead, OH]: Marion County Historical Society. OCLC 717439558.
- Uniform Numbers of the NFL
- Tales of Lac du Flambeau
