Black History Month: It was Cleveland which re-integrated Pro Football – twice!

The NFL began in 1920 as the “American Professional Football Association.” In 1922, that name changed to the “National Football League.”

Not that the infant league was on a national scale. Not even close. This entity began as community football athletic clubs who played each other more regionally. The league was comprised mainly of teams from Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. Other states contributed squads such as neighboring Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kentucky. But the majority of teams were from the aforementioned states.

In 1922, the northernmost club were the Buffalo (New York) All-Americans and in the state of Minnesota with the Minneapolis Marines.