Franklin versus Oil City

Those of you that heard our Early Pro Football series on the original NFL and the Football World Series know that that story was inspired by a 1980 PFRA article in the organization's Coffin Corner, most likely at least partially written by a great pro football historian Bob Carroll. This article was so deep that it is the inspriation for this week's Scandals and Scoundrels post and even next weeks early football team story as we talk about Franklin and Oil City , Pennsylvania.

Franklin, Pennsylvania is located in Northwestern PA at the confluence of French Creek and the Allegheny River, a great spot to build a small city for trade for Native Americans long ago as well as in Colonial times and business during the industrial revolution. Franklin thrived in all of these eras. With any successful business and trade there comes affluence and wealth in the economy. Heck even John Wilkes Boothe, Lincoln's future assassin resided there just a year before shooting the President. In 1864, he formed an oil company in Franklin and lived there while performing at the Franklin Opera House. Other towns near Franklin saw similar success after Edwin Drake struck black gold in nearby Titusville in 1859 and another big town aptly called Oil City also arose to prominence in the region due to the rich oil reserves it sat upon.

As we have seen time and time again in the annals of the gridiron, the leisure time of the cities that had prosperity increased and with it recreational entertainment like baseball and football soon held a place there. Franklin and Oil City were no exception and they each had deep financial resources backing them. This fact and the towns sit about 7 miles apart from each other created a natural and heated pigskin rivalry when both suited up professional football teams in 1902.

The rivalry highpointed on Thanksgiving Day in 1902 as their schedules intersected to play each other for bragging rights. AS was common in the day it was more than bragging rights when the wealth of the towns was refocussed into wagers being placed from both sides. As we have seen before, when money is on the line, its sister from the shadows, scandal, sometimes rears her head from the darkness.

An article from the Professional Football Researchers Association's 1980 periodical, The Coffin Corner, posted an excerpt on the First Football World Series, and said this about the build up of the contest:

Franklin waited on its gridiron with its normal lineup of local athletes, plus a hired end named Hill to add a
measure of stardom to its group. Nothing unusual there. No one could complain about Hill. Undoubtedly,
Oil City would bring an import of its own.

Yes, that was him leading the team onto the field. But, who was that behind him? And behind HIM?

The Franklin players gaped as a truckload of towering strangers trooped onto the field. They were all
wearing Oil City uniforms!

Oil City had gone out and hired the entire team from the East End Athletic Association in Pittsburgh, plus
seven of the Philadelphia All-Stars, and also players from Steubenville, Grove City College, and just
about anyplace that had a football player who could pull on a knee pad without herniating himself. In all,
there were 28 football stars of various magnitudes assembled for the single purpose of thoroughly
thrashing the Franklin team in that single Thanksgiving game. Some of the Franklin people paid off their
bets before the opening kickoff, but the Franklin team had a go at it. Aided by a muddy field and the
inevitable lack of teamwork peculiar to hastily gathered all-star elevens, the regular Franklin team-plus one accomplished a minor miracle in losing by a mere 10-0.

The story goes that the Franklin bettors griped and complained as they paid off their losses. The Oil City collectors pointed to the hired hand in Hill that their rival suited up and basically told the losing gamblers that O.C. beat them at their own manipulation of the rules, only with more vigor. That was the first punch in this volley between the neighboring towns. Oil City won initial the battle, however Franklin was going into covert operations to win the war after the suprise attack.

Planning starts early

One Franklin supporter, a certain National Guard Major General Charles Miller, decidedly did not like having one put over on him! This was a proud military man who was trained how to strategise to win when in a good fight. General Miller was a local hero in town as he did everything from honoring the National Guard troops to traveling the New York City to help local industries and workers by securing capital from big Wall Street banks.

29 Sep 1903, Tue The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

The good General had a few greenbacks of his own, and thought is he probably lost a couple of them to an Oil City fan in 1902. Miller gracefully paid his bet and went silent on all things football, at least in public. The people in Oil City feeling gleeful about their recent victory had no problem in posting a bet on the next seasons game between the towns. It is esimated that nearly $20,000 was placed in escrow at a local bank by each group. There were of course probably many more dollars wagered outside of this too. The Oil City faithful figured they would out clever and play their neighbors once again, and the hook was set and General Miller went to work almost imediately secretly.

It was sometime in the spring of 1903 most likely that the Oil City gridders started writing and getting intouch with all the mercinary players from the year prior. However one by one those fellas turned down the invitation due to a prior commitment. Soon it was learned that every single one of them signed to play for major General Miller and Coach Dave Printz and the Franklin eleven. Printz started the recruitment just two days after the Thanksgiving Day embarassment of 1902, and now the shoe was on the other foot. He even recruited every other Western PA football player thought to be worth his salt, literally locking up any talent that Oil City could get to compete against their former hired guns.

 Oil City seeing their circumstance, soon announced that they would not be fielding a football team in 1903. Their opponents had no sympathy and cried forfeiture of the escrow money placed. It was a stalemate on the cash and eventually everyone took their own ante back without interest in October 1903 after months of squabbling. That was great for  Oil City but the Franklin benefactors now had a hired team they paid for and no opponent to play. Prinze and Miller placed ads in many local cities, including Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Youngstown, Ohio looking for opponents.

11 Nov 1903, Wed Buffalo Evening News (Buffalo, New York) Newspapers.com

The Printz eleven did land some contests, The All-Stars played the Youngstown Giants on October 21, 1903 winning 74-0, but his large payroll required more games that could provide good gate receipts.

22 Oct 1903, Thu Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

24 Oct 1903, Sat The News-Herald (Franklin, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

The following plaintive request found its way into the Pittsburgh Times: "Manager Prince thinks he has
the best team in the business in Western Pennsylvania and would like to hear from all strong teams."
Understandably, there was no stampede to communicate with Manager Prince. To any informed rival,
pitting his team against the Franklin All-Stars looked like a sure way to turn his players into emergency
room material.

Some of the Franklin players included Eddie Wood, who would become one of the first pros to catch
forward passes when the rules were changed three years later, and Clark Schrontz, who won the "N.F.L."
championship for Pittsburgh against Philadelphia in '02 with his handling of fumbles, at ends. Linemen
Jack Lang, Herman Kerchoff, Pop Sweet, Blondy Wallace, and a half dozen others could turn a rival
halfback into ground chuck. Backs like John Hayden, Twister Steinberg, Benjamin Franklin Roller, and
Curly Davidson were quick and deadly.

Yet, by hook and by crook and by offering hefty guarantees, Bill Prince convinced ten squads to come to
Franklin and be pounded into submission.

On October 21, Youngstown was edged 74 or 76 to 0. Understandably, they lost count.

The Primrose A.C. lost 28-0 as the All-Stars spent the second half punting every time they got the ball so
they could practice defense.

The previously unscored upon Jamestown, N.Y.ÿeleven was scored upon to the amount of 46-0 on
October 28.

On October 31, Wheeling, W.Va. rolled over, 56-0.

A week later, Ellwood City went down, 33-0. Four days after that, on November 11, the Buffalo
Niagaras fell, 74-0.

Sewickly, Pa. came north with the avowed purpose of "teaching Franklin how to play football." Apparently
the All-Stars were quick learners; they won the November 14 match, 45-0.

On the 18th, Syracuse was beaten, 12-0.

Allegheny College came up three days later and went home a 47-0 loser.
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THE COFFIN CORNER: Vol. 2, Annual (1980)

And finally, on Thanksgiving Day, Franklin got its shot at the East End A.A., the team that had formed the
backbone of the Oil City imports the year before. Sweet revenge: 23-0.

In about five weeks, Franklin had ten wins and 400-some points. The opposition had zero, negative
scores being impossible.
One More Step
The one victory that was not totally one-sided was the 12-0 besting of Syracuse in mid-November.
Actually, it was the most significant victory on the Franklin list. Although they were not the same players
who had won a so-called "World Series of Football" at Madison Square Garden the year before,
Syracuse was still a first-rate team. They'd kept the Watertown, N.Y. Red and Blacks from crossing their
goal line in two contests, and the Red and Blacks, for the third year in a row, claimed the pro football
championship of the country. Franklin pointed to its victory over Syracuse as proof that Watertown's
claims were as substantial as a chocolate malt diet. Watertown, however, was used to thinking of itself
as the champion, perhaps on the theory that you say it three times and its yours.

Actually, the claim wasn't all hot air. Watertown had played a tougher schedule than Franklin, and, even
though their fourteen-game slate showed a couple of ties, the only team to beat them was Bucknell. In a
return match, the Red and Blacks had slaughtered the college boys.

Most important, the majority of the prestigious eastern football experts recognized Watertown as the
champs and had done so for three years.

There had been a ruffle of criticism in 1902 when the Red and Blacks refused to risk their status in the
Madison Square Garden football "World Series." But, when three Watertown backs joined the all-star
team that Syracuse sent down and then helped them win handily, Watertown's honor was restored.

Instead of ignoring the 1903 "Series," Watertown jumped into it with both feet. They volunteered as
sponsors of the tournament and even put up $2,000 in prize money -- $1,250 for the winner and the
remainder for second place -- confidently expecting to carry the lion's share back home.

The Garden planned a bigger tournament than the year before. A second series of games was added,
with local teams playing for the championship of New York City. There would also be Gaelic football and
a high school all-star game. In all, fifteen games were scheduled over six days.

The main matches, those for the U.S. independent (non-college) championship, involved Watertown, the
Orange, (N.J.) A.C., the Oreos A.C. of Asbury Park, N.J., and Franklin. Syracuse was invited again but
begged off.

For General Miller, the tournament was a chance to recoup some of the dollars he'd invested in football
players. The prize money was small potatoes and would go to the players, but the General knew that
New York would be knee-deep in Watertown backers looking to bet on their favorites. He packed a
suitcase with greenbacks and headed for Gotham. Others who had seen the Franklin All-Stars in action
did the same.
A Wonderful Town
The '03 tournament was set for mid-December.

Preparing the Garden for football was a huge job. The six- day bicycle races closed on Saturday night.
Before the crowd was out of the arena, workmen began ripping up the track and floor. On Sunday, 500
loads of dirt were dumped and spread across the surface. The 1902 field, which had been laid out on the
earth under the floor, had been criticized as "sticky and holding." Then, on Monday morning, a huge
steamroller came in and packed everything down. During the afternoon, the yard lines were laid out and
the goal posts were set in place.

By Monday night, December 14, the field -- one-third smaller than a regular gridiron -- was open for
business.

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THE COFFIN CORNER: Vol. 2, Annual (1980)
Although a nice crowd of 2,000 showed up for the first night, the tournament was not a success. Greater
audiences than the year before had been expected, but the novelty had worn off. Significantly, the
largest audience was on Saturday afternoon for the high school all-stars.

Those fans who came saw some interesting football through the week.

The Olympic A.C. defeated two foes to win the New York City title. Ft. Hamilton and Ft. Totten battled
twice to scoreless ties, playing for the "championship of New York Harbor." The Gaelic football fans saw
two fine games and enjoyed explaining what was going on to the uninitiated.

However, the main issue to be settled was between Watertown and Franklin.

On opening night, Watertown had more trouble than expected with the Oreos before winning, 5-0.
Franklin was able to top Orange by only 12-0 the next evening. No one could prove that either team held
back so as to "sucker" rival bettors, but both sides were encouraged by the other's showing. All day
Wednesday and right up to game time on Thursday night, Watertown and Franklin supporters were
scurrying around Gotham to get down every last cent on their favorites.

The officials for the big game -- former Ivy League All- Americans Walter Booth, "Big Bill" Edwards, and
Frank Hinkey -- added a bizarre note by showing up in full evening dress: patent leather shoes, spotless
white gloves, and high top hats. More than one wag suggested that they looked ready to officiate a
funeral.

They did.

Watertown's championship claims were laid to rest as Franklin ran over the Red and Blacks the way the
steamroller ran over the Garden floor on Monday. The All-Stars gained almost at will. Without seeming
to extend themselves, they socked away two touchdowns and could have had more, but, with the game
safely in hand, they turned playful. As time ran out, they huddled and then aimed the last play of the
game at Frank Hinkey, dumping the former Yale great and his tuxedo on the fresh earth of the Garden
floor.

Bill Prince magnanimously paid the cleaning bill.

He could afford to. Everyone from Franklin was up to his money belt in winnings. The Wall Street News
sobbed: "On account of so much money being taken out of the city by the Franklin contingent, a financial
stringency is expected. We may have to look to Franklin for help."

Several Watertown men had to wire for money to get home. And, even though the Red and Blacks won
the runner-up game on Saturday night, they did no more talking about championships.

General Miller and Bill Prince went back to Franklin and announced that, despite their success, they
would not field an all-star squad in '04. There was no one left to bushwack, so the General unloaded his
hired guns. 

The picture in the banner above is from the Wikimedia Commons pages of Publc Doamian photos. It is of a football game between the Harvard Crimson and Dartmouth Big Green. Taken by P.E. Chickering and Company 1903.