The Shelby Blues were an
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
team based in
Shelby, Ohio
Shelby is a city in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio, northwest of the city of Mansfield. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 9,317 as of the 2010 census.
History
Shelby was originally c ...
. The team played in the
Ohio League
The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1902 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship (OIC). As the name implied, its teams were mostly based in Ohio. It is the direct pr ...
from 1900 to 1919. In 1920, when the Ohio League became the APFA (now known as the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
), the Blues did not join but continued to play against APFA teams, only to later suspend operations. The Blues returned to play as an independent between 1926 and 1928.
The team was named for their blue uniforms, that were worn in their first year. In 1905, the Blues replaced the
Shelby Athletic Club as the top football team in town. A year later the team was the runner-up for the Ohio League title, behind only the
Akron Indians
The Akron Pros were a professional football team that played in Akron, Ohio from 1908 to 1926. The team originated in 1908 as a semi-pro team named the Akron Indians, but later became Akron Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter mem ...
. The Blues won Ohio League championships in 1910 and 1911, with
Peggy Parratt
George Watson "Peggy" Parratt (March 21, 1883 – January 3, 1959) was a professional football player who played in the "Ohio League" prior to it becoming a part of the National Football League. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Parratt played quarterb ...
, an early pioneer and master of the
forward pass
In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
, at quarterback. In 1904, the Blues are credited with signing the first
black player in American professional football, halfback
Charles Follis
Charles W. Follis, also known as "The Black Cyclone," (February 3, 1879 – April 5, 1910) was the first Black professional American football player. He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. On September 16, 1904, Foll ...
br>
Notable Players/Alumni
*
Peggy Parratt
George Watson "Peggy" Parratt (March 21, 1883 – January 3, 1959) was a professional football player who played in the "Ohio League" prior to it becoming a part of the National Football League. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Parratt played quarterb ...
(BB/QB) - Early pioneer of the
forward pass
In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The forward pass is one of the main distinguishers between gridiron ...
.
*
Charles Follis
Charles W. Follis, also known as "The Black Cyclone," (February 3, 1879 – April 5, 1910) was the first Black professional American football player. He played for the Shelby Blues of the "Ohio League" from 1902 to 1906. On September 16, 1904, Foll ...
(HB) - First black professional player in American football.
*
Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...
- Baseball pioneer, was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier.
* John Miller (HB) - First year captain, would later managed and coached the team.
*
Homer Davidson
Homer Hurd Davidson (October 14, 1884 – July 26, 1948) was a professional Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Naps (later renamed the Cleveland Indians in 1914). Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he played only 6 games for the Naps during th ...
(BB/K) - Considered to be the best kicker of the era.
* Frank C. Schiffer (Manager) - Signed the first black professional player in American football (Charles Follis).
*
Guy Schulz
Guy or GUY may refer to:
Personal names
* Guy (given name)
* Guy (surname)
* That Guy (...), the New Zealand street performer Leigh Hart
Places
* Guy, Alberta, a Canadian hamlet
* Guy, Arkansas, US, a city
* Guy, Indiana, US, an unincorp ...
(C) - Brother of
Germany Schulz
Adolph George "Germany" Schulz (April 19, 1883 – April 14, 1951) was an All-American American football center for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1904 to 1905 and from 1907 to 1908. While playing at Michigan, Schulz is credited with ...
.
References
*
*
Ohio League teams
Defunct American football teams in Ohio
American football teams established in 1902
American football teams disestablished in 1928
1902 establishments in Ohio
1928 disestablishments in Ohio
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