NFL Countdown: The mighty Giants get competition from the Bulldogs
Most know of the NFL to have two teams in New York, the Giants and the Jets (founded in 1959). However, back in 1949, there was a different one, called the New York Bulldogs.
Back then, Thed Collins, the Yankees owner, wanted a team in New York, but the Giants did not allow him to have another team in the same area.
Two NFL teams in New York?
The All-America Football Conference was thought to be on the verge of collapse in 1949, so Collins decided to try and make his team move to New York. He eventually got the green light and got rid of his Boston team. He started up the New York Bulldogs in the same area as the Giants. Now there were two New York teams in the same league, but their fortunes could not have been more different.
Baseball/Football Stadiums
Polo Grounds 1890-1963
Home to the New York Giants (MLB) 1891-1957, New York Yankees (MLB) 1913-22, New York Giants (NFL) 1925-55, New York Bulldogs (NFL) 1949), New York Titans/Jets (AFL) 1960-63 https://t.co/S4fpQOHLFO
The Bulldogs finished the 1949 season winning just one game and had a record of 1-10-1. In contrast, the Giants finished that season with a 6-6 record and third in the NFC Eastern division. The gap between the Bulldogs and the Giants continued to grow.
Although the Bulldogs did manage to beat their New York counterparts in Week 7 31-24, the Bulldog's name only lasted a single season. It was then changed back to the New York Yanks in 1950. The Yankees in the AAFC basically merged with the Bulldogs and moved to Yankee Stadium. With a lack of talent on the Bulldogs team, just four players managed to stay on the roster as they merged with the Yankees.
It was a tumultious time for the Bulldogs and the Yankees as they tried to match it with the New York Giants and they simply couldn't.
The team would go on to last until 1951 before they were essentially let go by the NFL.
#OTD in 1952 the NFL took control of the short-lived New York Bulldogs/New York Yanks franchise. buff.ly/2W21vA3 https://t.co/ELORZminPG
In 1949, they finished with a 1-10-1 record. They followed that up with a bounce-back year of sorts in 1950, winning seven games and losing five. However, the next season it all came apart again, as the team went 1-9-2 before they were ultimately let go by the NFL.
For most of us, the Giants and Jets are the only two teams we know in New York. However, years ago, there was a real power struggle in the state as the two teams tried their best to outdo each other.
The Giants merged victorious after three seasons as the Yanks folded, while the Giants continue to grow in the NFL today.