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The Newark Bears were a professional American football team that competed in the first American Football League in 1926 AFL season. Owned by the New Jersey Athletic Association (headed by NJAA president William Coughlin),〔“Bill Edwards Named President of A.F.L.", ''New York Times'', March 8, 1926〕 the Bears played their home games in Davids' Stadium. Coached by player-coach Hal Hansen, the majority of the team played their college football in Georgia and Florida.〔David S. Neft, Richard M. Cohen, and Rick Korch, ''The Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of Professional Football, From 1892 to the Present'' (St. Martin’s Press 1994), ISBN 0-312-11435-4 〕 Tailback Doug Wycoff scored the club’s only points in its existence, having a touchdown run and kicking the extra point to tie the Chicago Bulls in both teams’ opening game of the season.〔( 1926 American Football League from Elias Sports Bureau and Pro Football Research Association Linescore Committee )〕 While the Bears’ defense was respectable (yielding only five points per game), the lack of offensive production resulted in a record of no wins, three losses, and two ties. While the Bears played in front of (an announced total of) 40,000 spectators in Philadelphia (a 9-0 loss to the Quakers on October 16), the total attendance for three home games in Newark was less than 5000. After only 400 fans attended a scoreless game (with the Rock Island Independents) in Davids’ Stadium on October 24, 1926, the Bears withdrew from the AFL… the first team to call it quits in the American Football League. The exodus from the league continued through the month of November, until there were only four teams left, dooming the league. For the team's last league game, the name of the team was changed to the Newark Demons.〔David S. Neft, Richard M. Cohen, and Rick Korch, ''The Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of Professional Football, From 1892 to the Present'' (St. Martin’s Press 1994), ISBN 0-312-11435-4〕 ==Takeover by the Staten Island Stapletons== After its withdrawal from the AFL, the Bears became an independent team. During a November 14, 1926 game against the Staten Island Stapletons, the Bears defeated the Stapes, 33-0. Unhappy with the defeat of his Staten Island team, owner Dan Blaine promptly hired most of the Newark players, including star rookie Doug Wycoff, who were still owed money because of Newark's financial problems. As a result, the Bears went out of business while the Stapletons benefited from Newark's folding. In 1928, Blaine further upgraded the team by signing some players from New York University. The Stapletons had a 10-1-1 record that season and were 3-1 against NFL teams. The Stapletons then joined the NFL in 1929 and would play there until 1932.〔 *〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Newark Bears (AFL)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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