1952 Dallas Texans season

1952 Dallas Texans (NFL) season
OwnerGiles Miller and Connell Miller (first 7 games)
NFL (last 5 games)
Head coachJimmy Phelan
Home fieldCotton Bowl
Results
Record1–11
Division place6th NFL National
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 1952 Dallas Texans season was the franchise's only season in the league while in Dallas after moving from New York, where they were previously known as the Yanks, and the continuation of the Boston Yanks and New York Bulldogs. The franchise continued to struggle immensely and lost their first nine games, finishing 1–11,[1] the worst record in the 12-team league.

After its seventh game, the franchise was returned to the NFL on November 14.[2][3] The Texans' home game against the Chicago Bears was moved to Thanksgiving and to the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio, and was their only victory.[4] The final home game with the Lions was moved to Briggs Stadium in Detroit.[5]

Texans franchise was returned to the league Nov 14, 1952 and after they couldn't find a buyer for the team, the franchise was cancelled. The NFL had a hole in their calendar where the Texans were originally and awarded a brand new franchise to the Colts in January of 1953. NFL says that they consider the Colts as a 1953 expansion team; [6]it does not consider the Colts to be a continuation of the Yanks/Bulldogs/Yanks/Texans franchise. As the Colts were a new team with no players and the Texans players were available, many signed with the Colts although others signed with other NFL teams (see below) The physical assets were purchased by Carroll Rosenbloom in 1953, and became known as the Colts in Baltimore, Maryland, with Hall of Famers Gino Marchetti and Art Donovan amongst others signed with the Colts.

E Dick Wilkins went to the NY Giants, HB Bennie Aldridge finished the 1952 year in San Francisco, then went to Green Bay in 1953, DT Don Col went to Cleveland, DE Sonny Gandee went to Detroit, DE Keever Jankovich went to the Chicago Cardinals, HB Ray Pelfrey went to the NY Giants, DB Johnny Pettibon ended up in Cleveland after doing his military service and DB Will Sherman went to the Rams.

Professional football did not return to the "Big D" until 1960, with the addition of the Cowboys and the AFL's Texans (who relocated to Kansas City in 1963 and were rebranded as the Chiefs).

Regular season

Main article: 1952 NFL season

Schedule

Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources
1 September 28 New York Giants L 6–24 0–1 Cotton Bowl 17,499 Recap
2 October 5 San Francisco 49ers L 14–37 0–2 Cotton Bowl 12,566 Recap
3 October 12 at Chicago Bears L 20–38 0–3 Wrigley Field 35,429 Recap
4 October 18 Green Bay Packers L 14–24 0–4 Cotton Bowl 14,000 Recap
5 October 26 at San Francisco 49ers L 21–48 0–5 Kezar Stadium 26,887 Recap
6 November 2 at Los Angeles Rams L 20–42 0–6 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 30,702 Recap
7 November 9 Los Angeles Rams L 6–27 0–7 Cotton Bowl 10,000 Recap
8 November 16 at Detroit Lions L 13–43 0–8 Briggs Stadium 33,304 Recap
9 November 23 at Green Bay Packers L 14–42 0–9 City Stadium 16,340 Recap
10 November 27 Chicago Bears W 27–23 1–9 Rubber Bowl (Akron, OH) 3,000 Recap
11 December 7 at Philadelphia Eagles L 21–38 1–10 Shibe Park 18,376 Recap
12 December 13 Detroit Lions L 6–41 1–11 Briggs Stadium 12,252 Recap
Note: Intra-conference opponents are in bold text. ^ game moved from Dallas

Standings

Program for the Texans' October 26 visit to Kezar Stadium to meet the 49ers.
NFL National Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
Detroit Lions 9 3 0 .750 7–3 344 192 W3
Los Angeles Rams 9 3 0 .750 8–2 349 234 W8
San Francisco 49ers 7 5 0 .583 6–3 285 221 W1
Green Bay Packers 6 6 0 .500 3–6 295 312 L3
Chicago Bears 5 7 0 .417 4–6 245 326 W1
Dallas Texans 1 11 0 .083 1–9 182 427 L2
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
NFL American Conference
W L T PCT CONF PF PA STK
Cleveland Browns 8 4 0 .667 7–3 310 213 L1
Philadelphia Eagles 7 5 0 .583 6–4 252 271 L1
New York Giants 7 5 0 .583 5–4 234 231 W1
Pittsburgh Steelers 5 7 0 .417 4–5 300 273 L1
Chicago Cardinals 4 8 0 .333 3–7 172 221 L2
Washington Redskins 4 8 0 .333 4–6 240 287 W2
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

See also

References

  1. ^ 1952 Dallas Texans Archived October 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "NFL takes over Dallas Texans". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. November 15, 1952. p. 2, part 2.
  3. ^ "National Football League takes franchise back from Dallas club". New York Times. Associated Press. November 14, 1952. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  4. ^ "Texans' last-minute TD upsets Bears, 27-23". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. November 28, 1952. p. 2, part 2.
  5. ^ "Detroit wins, 41-6; gains share of title". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. December 14, 1952. p. 1B.
  6. ^ per conversation with NFL by historian Paul Heckmann