Were the 1944 Card-Pitts were the worst team ever
This story is about the time when the Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers joined forces to become possibly the worst NFL team ever. — sportshistorynetwork.com
The World War II depletion of able-bodied young men to play football forced NFL teams to compromise and even merge franchises temporarily. In 1944 the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals merged and had a horrific experience of competition. A sample of the early Pittsburgh Steelers history.
The 1944 Card-Pitt season etched itself in NFL history, not for its triumphs, but for its unique circumstances and struggles. This temporary merger of the Chicago Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers, born out of World War II player shortages, became a fascinating, albeit winless, chapter in both teams' legacies.
A Patchwork Team:
With numerous players enlisted in the military, both the Cardinals and Steelers faced an uncertain future in 1944. To keep football alive, the league sanctioned temporary mergers, and thus, Card-Pitt was born. The hastily assembled roster reflected the realities of war, with players of varying ages and experiences thrown together with minimal time to gel.
Challenges from the Start:
Card-Pitt opened their season with high hopes, facing off against the Cleveland Rams at Forbes Field. Despite a valiant comeback that almost snatched victory, they ultimately fell short. This pattern would become a recurring theme, as despite showing flashes of offensive prowess and defensive grit, the team lacked the cohesion and consistency needed for sustained success.
Record-Breaking Inefficiency:
The statistics paint a bleak picture. Card-Pitt managed a pitiful 0-10 record, scoring a league-worst eight touchdowns and accumulating an NFL-record 41 interceptions. Their punting average, a measly 32.7 yards, continues to stand as a testament to their struggles.
NFLers Avoid Campus Women
I don’t know whether NFL players and prospects still receive a list of dos and don’ts upon arrival at training camp, but they did when the Chicago Cardinals arrived at Lake Forest College to prepare for the 1956 season. The Cardinals went 7-5 that year, good for second place in the league’s Eastern Conference, but they failed to attract much attention among Chicagoans, who trickled into Comiskey Park for Cardinals’ home games. Even after starting the season 4-0, only 30,553 bothered show — www.footballarchaeology.com
The Football Archaeology of the NFL's Chicago Cardinals visiting a training camp out of town.
Charley Trippi an NFL Goldmine
The pursuit of Charley Trippi to the Chicago Cardinals led to the NFL's first "bonus baby," a term first coined by the MLB. — sportshistorynetwork.com
Joe Ziemba, the foremost expert on Chicago Cardinals history goes all in on telling a story. When he gets a chance to chat about the memories of one of the Cardinals greats like Charley Trippi, this story teller shifts to a different gear.
Joe shares in this episode the story of the NFL and other pro teams that competed for the right to ink Trippi to a professional contract. It involves some of the biggest names in football at the time and is truly a podcast worth listening in on.
History of the 1944 Card-Pitt football team - Steel City Underground
Steel City Underground presents \"Steelers Throwback Thursday\" featuring plays, stories, and recaps from recent and past seasons which you may have forgotten about! Now we’re \"bringing them back!\" — www.steelcityunderground.com
A great write up with images of the 1944 merged team of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Cardinals
When Football Was Footaball the Birth of the Chicago Cardinals
When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL [Ziemba, Joe] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. When Football Was Football: The Chicago Cardinals and the Birth of the NFL — www.amazon.com
The early and complete history of the Chicago Cardinals franchise. Ziemba Written Book
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