Dayton Triangles
In 1908, a group of basketball players at St. Mary's College in Dayton began playing together before graduation. By 1912, these athletes had formed the St. Mary's Cadets, an alumni and local athlete team that claimed world basketball championships after defeating the Buffalo German Ramblers. The fall of 1913 marked their transition to football under coach Louis Clark. Al Mahrt served as team captain during this inaugural season. They finished with a perfect 7, 0 record and won the Dayton City Championship. A decisive 27, 0 victory over the Cincinnati Celts at Redland Park secured the Southern Ohio Championship. Injuries to key players like Mahrt and Babe Zimmerman did not stop them from winning a second city title in 1914. The squad changed its name to the Dayton Gym-Cadets in 1915 following sponsorship from the Dayton Gymnastic Club. Coach Al Marhrt led the team through a season where they lost only one game against the Columbus Panhandles. This third city championship solidified their local dominance.
Carl Storck co-sponsored the Dayton Cadets using players recruited from three downtown factories: Delco, Dayton Metal Products Company, and Domestic Engineering Company. He later became treasurer of the NFL and acting league president between 1939 and 1941. Bud Talbott, a Walter Camp All-American tackle from Yale University, was named head coach when the team reorganized in 1916. That year the squad adopted the name Dayton Triangles and played at Triangle Park located at the confluence of the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers. They finished 1916 with a 9, 1 record defeating teams from Cincinnati, Detroit, Toledo, and Pittsburgh. A scheduled the 10th of December 1916 match against Jim Thorpe's Canton Bulldogs never took place. Their 1917 campaign saw them go 6, 0, 2 while scoring 188 points and allowing just 13. On the 20th of August 1920, representatives met at Ralph Hay's Hupmobile dealership in Canton to form the American Professional Football Association. Carl Storck represented the Triangles as charter members that same month. Jim Thorpe was unanimously elected president during the September 17 meeting. A $100 membership fee was established though George Halas claimed no charter team ever paid it. The Triangles won what is considered the first APFA game on the 3rd of October 1920 by defeating Columbus Panhandles 14, 0.
Triangle Park held a seating capacity of only 5,000 fans yet rarely drew full crowds due to poor home performance. By 1922 other NFL teams were recruiting top college players nationwide while Dayton relied mainly on local talent. This shift caused their competitive edge to vanish quickly. Financial pressure mounted as the league offered $2,500 guarantees for games played at larger venues like Wrigley Field or Comiskey Park. These road trips became essential revenue streams for survival. From 1923 through 1929 the franchise won just five of its 51 contests. They became the longest-lasting traveling team in the league until the Dallas Texans appeared in 1952. Only revenues from playing away kept them afloat during these lean years. The team finished last in the standings multiple times between 1923 and 1929. Despite being one of three original franchises to survive the decade they could not sustain operations locally. Their status as a road team defined their existence throughout the 1920s.
On the 12th of July 1930, a Brooklyn-based syndicate led by Bill Dwyer and Jack Depler purchased the Triangles. They moved the franchise to Brooklyn and renamed it the Dodgers. Depler served as head coach and filled the roster with players from the NFL's Orange Tornadoes. Most of the 1929 Dayton squad were relegated to the bench while former Tornadoes dominated the new lineup. Although operating under the Triangles franchise name the Dodgers functioned essentially as an expansion team. Financial struggles continued into the mid-1940s when player shortages forced a merger with the Boston Yanks for the 1945 season. Brooklyn owner Dan Topping left for the AAFC in 1946 to own the New York Yankees. The NFL awarded the remaining Dodgers players to the Boston Yanks. These teams eventually evolved through various mergers and relocations including becoming the New York Bulldogs and later the New York Yanks before moving to Dallas in 1952.
The complex chain of ownership transfers connects the original Dayton Triangles to today's Indianapolis Colts. In 1952 the Texas group that bought the New York Yanks moved them to Dallas as the Texans. Midway through that season the Texans were sold back to the league. An ownership group in Baltimore received an expansion franchise called the Baltimore Colts in 1953. As part of the deal they inherited the remains of the Texans organization including all player contracts. The Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984 where they continue playing today. Despite unbroken continuity from 1913 to present, the NFL classifies the Colts as a 1953 expansion team rather than a continuation of earlier franchises. Neither the league nor the current franchise claims the legacy of the Triangles or their successors. If counted as descendants, the Colts would hold the record for longest postseason drought with zero appearances over 38 seasons.
Earle Greasy Neale served as both player and coach during the 1918 championship season after Bud Talbott joined the army. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969 while playing end position for the Triangles. Arthur Matsu played quarterback for Dayton between 1927 and 1928 though he was never inducted into the hall. Sneeze Achiu appeared as running back and defensive back from 1927 through 1928 without hall induction. The 1918 squad went 8, 0, 0 claiming an Ohio League Championship despite World War I disruptions. They defeated future NFL teams including the Toledo Maroons, Hammond Pros, Columbus Panhandles, and Detroit Heralds. Only the Buffalo Niagaras matched a perfect record that year with six wins against local opponents. The team's success relied heavily on players kept home due to essential war industry jobs rather than military service. This unique circumstance allowed them to dominate a weakened field of competition during wartime.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the Dayton Triangles football team begin playing?
The Dayton Triangles began playing in the fall of 1913 under coach Louis Clark. The squad transitioned from basketball to football and finished that inaugural season with a perfect 7, 0 record.
Who founded the Dayton Triangles and when was the name adopted?
Carl Storck co-sponsored the team using players recruited from three downtown factories before it became the Dayton Triangles in 1916. Bud Talbott served as head coach when the squad officially adopted the name and played at Triangle Park during that year.
What happened to the Dayton Triangles franchise after 1929?
A Brooklyn-based syndicate led by Bill Dwyer and Jack Depler purchased the Triangles on the 12th of July 1930 and renamed them the Dodgers. Financial struggles forced a merger with the Boston Yanks for the 1945 season before the franchise eventually evolved into the Indianapolis Colts.
How many games did the Dayton Triangles win between 1923 and 1929?
From 1923 through 1929 the franchise won just five of its 51 contests while finishing last in the standings multiple times. They became the longest-lasting traveling team in the league until the Dallas Texans appeared in 1952.
Which modern NFL team claims the legacy of the Dayton Triangles?
The complex chain of ownership transfers connects the original Dayton Triangles to today's Indianapolis Colts. The NFL classifies the Colts as a 1953 expansion team rather than a continuation of earlier franchises despite unbroken continuity from 1913 to present.