1924 Akron Indians Professional Football Team Panorama TYPE I Original Photo

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 the Akron Pros in 1920 as the team set out to become a charter member of the American Professional Football Association, later renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1922.

Fritz Pollard, the first Black head coach in the NFL, co-coached the Akron Pros in 1921. Paul Robeson played for the team in 1921 as well. He was among the earliest stars of professional football before football became segregated from 1934 to 1946.

In 1926, the name was changed back to the Akron Indians, after the earlier semi-pro team. Due to financial problems, the team suspended operations in 1927 and surrendered its franchise the following year.

Suey Welch (D. 1974) played for the Akron Indians alongside his brothers from 1916-18. In 1921, Welch bought the Akron Indians name and fielded his own professional football team (this is the team pictured). Many of the players were loaned from other professional football teams or spent some time playing in the early NFL.

Welch was also well known in the boxing world, managing boxers such as Middleweight Champion Gorilla Jones.

Offered is this spectacular original TYPE One 1924 Akron Indians Pro Football Team Panoramic Photo that measures 38" x 8" and is in Excellent condition.

This photograph shows a tough-looking Akron Indians squad, and the bottom of the photo has the following marking: "Akron Indians Football Team 1924." The photo also has a photographer mark which reads, "Hart of Cuyahoga Falls Ohio."

The players are wearing an assortment of uniforms, and one of the players has a killer jersey with an elephant on his chest.

An African American player pictured with the team bears a possible resemblance to movie star and College Football Hall of Famer Paul Robeson. However, we have found no record of Robeson playing professional football in 1924. Historical records indicate that his professional career ended in 1922 with the Milwaukee Badgers, after previously playing for the Hammond Pros and Akron Pros in 1920-21. While it is intriguing to consider the possibility that Robeson attempted a brief comeback or otherwise appeared with the 1924 Akron Indians, we cannot definitively identify the player in this photograph as Robeson.

Elgie Tobin - All-American at West Virginia and Penn State. Played for the Akron Pros in 1920 and 1921 in the NFL. Also head coach of West Virginia and the Akron Pros. Played in the first NFL championship season in 1920.

Leo Tobin - Played at Grove City and played for the Akron Pros in 1920 during their championship season and again in 1921.

Carl Cardarelli - Played in 1924 with the Akron Pros and in 1925 with the Cleveland Bulldogs.

Walt Kreinheder - Played at the University of Michigan and then for the Akron Pros, St. Louis All-Stars, and Cleveland Bulldogs from 1922-25. In 1923, he was selected as a first-team All-NFL player by Collyer's Eye Magazine.

Scotty Bierce - Played college ball at Akron and played in the NFL from 1920-1925 for the Akron Pros, Cleveland Indians, Buffalo All-Americans, Cleveland Bulldogs, and Akron Indians. He was a two-time NFL champion.

Leo McClausland - Played college football at Mississippi State and Detroit Mercy. Played in the NFL for the Akron Pros in 1922.

John Barrett - Played at the University of Detroit and in the NFL from 1924-28 for the Akron Pros, Detroit Wolverines, Detroit Panthers, and Pottsville Maroons.

Marshall Jones - Played for North Dakota in college and from 1920-21 for the Hammond Pros, Detroit Heralds, and Akron Pros.

Martin Beck - Played in the NFL from 1921-1926 for the Akron Pros/Indians.

An incredible early professional football piece featuring numerous NFL pioneers.