Pittsburgh Lyceum (American football)
The Pittsburgh Lyceum was a professional football team that was based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1906[2] until 1910.
| Founded | 1906 |
|---|---|
| Folded | c. 1910 |
| Based in | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| League | Western Pennsylvania Circuit |
| Team colors | Maroon, White[1] |
History
The team played against many of the top "Ohio League", the most notables being the Canton Bulldogs and the Massillon Tigers.[3] It was regarded as one of the top professional football teams in Pittsburgh from 1907 until 1909.
The Lyceum was also the last pro football championship team that Pittsburgh would produce until the 1970s. Many of its victories came against the strongest teams in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio; hence, it was given the moniker, the "Tri-State Champions," in 1909.
The team was finally defeated in 1909, an upset by the Dayton Oakwoods in its final game of 1909. The Lyceum then broke up after a disappointing 1910 season.[4]
The multi-sport Lyceum organization that the football team represented continued to exist, however, and a new football team was organized in 1924.[5][6] One of the players on this team was Art Rooney, who went on to establish the Pittsburgh Steelers and become enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[7]
References
- "Pittsburgh Lyceum Had Brilliant Season". The Pittsburgh Post. December 7, 1908. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- PFRA Research (1987). "When Did they Start?" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 9: 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27.
- "Blondy Wallace and the Biggest Football Scandal Ever" (PDF). PFRA Annual. Professional Football Researchers Association. 5: 1–16. 1984. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-18.
- PFRA Research. "Glamourless Gridirons: 1907-09" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-26.
- Adams, Jack (February 11, 1924). "Lyceum Smoker Well Attended". The Gazette Times. Pittsburgh. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
- Peet, William (September 14, 1924). "Watch the Lyceums". The Pittsburgh Sunday Post. Sec. 3, p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
- Lew Freedman; Dick Hoak (September 18, 2009). Pittsburgh Steelers: The Complete Illustrated History. MBI Publishing Company. p. 14. ISBN 0760336458.