The Cardinals NFL franchise is allegedly suffering a curse by the citizens of Pottsville, Pennsylvania for undeservedly claiming the 1925 NFL championship from the Pottsville Maroons who were stripped of their title by the NFL in one of the greatest controversies in sports history. The curse will supposedly only be lifted when the championship is returned to Pottsville and to the correct shade of red team. The Cardinals team currently holds the NFL record for the longest championship drought. The team did ends its conference championship drought in the 2008 season, however, by hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
Background
Under the league rules during that time, the NFL title was automatically given to the team with the best record at the end of the season instead of having the winner be determined by a playoff tournament. Also there was an open-ended schedule during that season; although the final listed league games ended on December 6, teams could still schedule contests against each other through December 20 so they could make more money.
On December 6, Pottsville defeated Chicago, 21-7, to establish the best record in the league and seemed to all but officially clinch the NFL championship.
Prior to the controversy, a non-league exhibition game was scheduled in which the Notre Dame All-Stars would face the best NFL team in the east.
Often overlooked by Pottsville supporters is the fact that the team did not complete its 1925 schedule. Earlier, the Maroons announced a game at Providence was scheduled for the day after the All-Star game. With the suspension, the Maroons were unable to fulfill their schedule. Ironically, Frankford was hurriedly substituted.
Chicago was declared the 1925 champions by default as the result of Pottsville's suspension.
Although the NFL attempted to officially award the 1925 NFL championship to the Cardinals, they refused the title.
Aftermath
For several decades, various fans and sportswriters continued to lobby the league to reverse the decision. Though it is sometimes stated that the largest obstacle facing the Pottsville supporters is that the NFL would have to strike two of the Cardinals' wins for the Maroons to have the best record in 1925, this is not so. Even if Carr disqualified only the Badgers-Cardinals game, while it would not be enough to give the Maroons sole possession of the best record in 1925 (because tie games were not officially counted in the standings under the rules during that time), the Maroons had beaten the Cardinals heads-up and would be ahead in the standings based on their win. Furthermore, fans of football who want to see the current situation changed generally only ask that Pottsville be given a share of the championship, accepting the reality that the NFL is unlikely to completely strip a team of a championship it has had for over 80 years.
It is sometimes stated that Pottsville played a fairly easy schedule prior to their suspension, often facing teams that were less than full strength from playing the day before in Frankford, making Pottsville's case less sympathetic. Furthermore, Pottsville beat both Chicago and the Notre Dame All-Stars (at a time when many considered college football superior to the emerging NFL), proving they were definitely a premier team.
By 1963, the NFL appointed a special commission to examine the case, but voted 12-2 in favor of continuing to recognize the Cardinals as champions. The lone supporters were Art Rooney and George Halas, the then-owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears, respectively. Ironically, Philadelphia's franchise is the direct successor to and is the same franchise (although, in league records, not the same team) as the Frankford Yellow Jackets, the very team that filed the protest that resulted in the ruling in the first place; the Eagles replaced the Yellow Jackets after the latter went bankrupt and ceased operations.
One of the strongest opponents of a reversal has been the family of Charles Bidwill and his son Bill Bidwill, who have controlled the Cardinals since 1933, and began to claim the 1925 title as their very own.
The controversy involving territorial rights also led to the founding of the first American Football League after New York Giants owner Tim Mara objected to the leasing of Yankee Stadium and the application of an NFL franchise by C. C. Pyle. When the NFL rejected Pyle's overture, he formed a competing league to showcase the talents of Red Grange and University of Washington All-American George "Wildcat" Wilson. The rival league folded after the 1926 season.
"Sports-related curses." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 17 Jan 2009, 03:07 UTC. 17 Jan 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sports-related_curses&oldid=264598455>.
"1925 NFL Championship controversy." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 12 Jan 2009, 01:33 UTC. 17 Jan 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1925_NFL_Championship_controversy&oldid=263496563>.
