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Lima News Oh. S 19, 1920  P10

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Meeting minutes, League creation. Pro Football HOF, Canton, Ohio 

Letter from Ralph Hay to Leo Lyons from 1920, c/o Leo's collection.

Jeffersons-Scalpers Bay Street Ballpark 1920

Coaches board and stop watch belonging to Leo Lyons used from 1917-1925. Watch helped keep time at NFL games and also used in 1917 to record hangtime of Jim Thorpe's punts.  

George Eastman
Not a fan of pro football

Created on chatGBT  2025

The NFL is born on September 17. 1920 in Canton, Ohio. Leo Lyons, along with the other team owners listed on the plaque to the left, attend the organizational meeting held in Ralph Hays dealership, to create a new pro football league. The name "APFA" or American Professional Football Association was a temporary name until 2 years later when the league renamed itself the "NFL", the National Football League. Those owners and their 10 teams became the original charter member teams of the NFL, which included the Rochester Jeffersons. All explained on the plaque "The Founders" located at the Pro Football Hall Of Fame and over there. 

The Founders Exhibit, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton. Ohio

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Buffalo Times Sep 19,1920 Pg 49

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell with plaque showing teams that started the league. It is mounted on the Bow Federal building, downtown Canton, Ohio where Ralph Hay's Hupmobile showroom once stood, where the organizational meeting was held  

Leo's APFA card 1921
 

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program from Rochester-Staleys 1921
 

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Football Card idea of Leo Lyons before they existed

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Streamlined football idea of Leo Lyons

Play sheet
Akron v. Roch. 

S: Spalding
W: Wilson

Items from 1921 Chicago Staleys (Bears) v. Rochester Jeffs game at Cubs Park (Wrigley Field) Helmet and pants belonged to Howard Nig Berry and football is a 1920 Thomas E. Wilson football complete with Wilson stamp (barely) 

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Ben Lee Boynton, Williams College

Joe Alexander,
Syracuse U.

George Halas,
 U. of Illinois 
 
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Chicago Tribune Oct 17, 1921  Pg 18

Buffalo Times Oct 24,1921  Pg 10

Akron Beacon Journal May 2, 1921  Page 14

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The Akron Beacon Journal, Oct 13, 1922 ·Page 26

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Leo note about Jim Thorpe

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Chicago Tribune, Oct 16, 1922 ·Page 23

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The Rock Island Argus  Oct 21, 1922 P 14

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Leo's original NFL franchise certificate

Joe McShea's NFL contract

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Democrat and Chronicle Nov 24, 1923 P25

Edgerton Park, Rochester NY
Field for horse shows and football

Chicago Tribune

 Oct 08, 1923 ·Page 27

Letter to Leo from the Oorang Indians

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The Buffalo News

Sat, Oct 18, 1924 ·Page 8

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Democrat and Chronicle

Sat, Oct 04, 1924 ·Page 25

Democrat and Chronicle

Sat, Oct 11, 1924 ·Page 25

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League letter to Leo 1924

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Notes from Owners Meeting

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Democrat and Chronicle
 Sep 30, 1924 ·Page 29

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Decatur Herald, October 19, 1924 p.22

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Green Bay Press-Gazette
Oct 23, 1925 ·Page 24

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Green Bay Press-Gazette

Mon, Oct 26, 1925 ·Page 14

Rochester Jeffersons letterhead 1925

Rochester Jeffersons at NY Giants, Polo Grounds
Armistice Day
Wednesday, November 11, 1925. NY Giants first NFL season

Jeffersons have 2 stripes on sleeve

1925 Rochester Jeffersons, Leo Lyons at far left 

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