The third team to be announced for the AAAFL’s second division, the National Association Football League, was the Detroit Longtails.  They will be operated by the same front-office as their sister squad, the American League Detroit Tigers baseball club.  Club owner James D. Burns announced that the Longtails would play at the newly-constructed Burns Park instead of the Tigers’ primary home, Bennett Park.  Burns explained, “Association football like beer with their football, and Detroit’s blue laws won’t allow us to sell beer to Sunday games at Bennett.  That’s why the Longtails will play at Burns Park.”  Frank McDonald was appointed Club President.

1901-1902 Season

The New York Fomorians began the 1901-1902 season with a bang, rattling off 6 six straight wins.  They finished off the fall portion of the season with 3 wins and draw.  Despite the blazing start, they couldn’t put much distance between them and the rest of the pack.  Pittsburgh dropped only 3 games in the fall, and so the Privateers trailed by only 3 points at the break.

Baltimore was 5 points back at the break, but they blasted out of the gate in the spring, winning 8 in a row.  Only a tie in Week 20 to Chicago kept them from having a perfect spring.  The Chimney Swifts claimed the top spot in Week 16 and never relinquished it.  Pittsburgh self-destructed in the second half of the season, claiming only a single victory over Boston.  The Privateers finished a whopping 14 points off the leader’s pace.  As a result, Coach Trevor Montgomery was fired.

New York collapsed down the stretch as well.  The Fomorians ended the season with four straight losses.  They ended the season without Coach Joseph Murray, who was sacked after Week 19’s loss to the Washington Insiders.

Philadelphia got on track in the second half of the season.  The Libbies vaulted all the way to second place by season’s end, albeit 8 points off the lead.  As the season closed, Coach Connie Mack was livid with the Philadelphia front office for not giving him the support that he wanted.  “I had lads hurt, and the bean counters wanted me to put them on the field.  They didn’t want to pay for treatment, they didn’t want to pay for replacements.  I can’t fault my boys, but this organization needs to commit to success, or else I’ll find some place that will do it.” 
The inaugural season for the second division National Association Football League featured 2 home games and 2 away games for each team in each half of the season.  The Milwaukee Brewmasters easily ran away with the title.In the American Football Association Cup, the top 12 seedings were established based on the AAAFL’s final standings.  The four NAFL squads were seeded in the 13th-16th spots.  The American Football Association set an entry fee of $200 which discouraged any amateur clubs from entering.  The tournament started with the top-seeded Chimney Swifts dismantling the lowest-seeded St. Louis Big Deals.  There were a number of upsets in the first round.  Cleveland topped the Privateers in Pittsburgh.  More surprisingly, the other three NAFL squads all scored upset victories.  New York continued its losiing ways as the Fomorians fell to Milwaukee Brewmasters.  The Detroit Longtails squeeked by the Insider in Washington.  The biggest upset story was in Philadelphia, where the NAFL’s Chicago Southsiders outplayed the Libbies, 2-0.  Coach Connie Mack was apopletic after the game.  “I never blamed the boys before for a loss, but today they played with no heart, no pride.  This entire organization is worthless.”  Mack stomped off and refused to answer any questions from reporters.

The quarterfinal round featured a Chicago Derby with the West Side Kickers traveling to the South Side Park to take on the Southsiders.  The NAFL’s squad’s luck ran out as the West Side Kicks emerged victorious.   In St. Louis, the Detroit Longtails fell at New Sportsman’s Park to the Mounds.  The Brewmasters, however, pulled off another upset by edging the Shipwrights 3-2 in Boston.  Baltimore had no trouble with Cleveland, trouncing the Longlegs 5-1.

The semifinals featured offensive fireworks in the Chimney Swifts – Brewmasters match.  The neophyte Brewmasters took an early 2-0, thanks to some great through balls served by Pat O’Dea to his forward Enoch Churm.    Baltimore finally woke up to slot 3 goals before halftime to take a 3-2 lead.  The Chimney Swifts lost their momentum after the halftime break, as the Brewmasters converted two free kicks into goals.  O’Dea struck from 35 and 40 yards out on shots that keeper/coach A.W. Stewart never had to chance to save.  While Milwaukee tried to retreat into a defensive shell, they couldn’t withstand the continued Chimney Swifts forays at goal.  In the dying minutes, an errant cross from Swift winger Alxander Marks slid through the hands of Brewmaster keeper Oskar Feil for the final goal of the match.

The American Football Association Cup final was held at Union Park in Baltimore.  The Chimney Swifts learned their lesson from the semi-final scare and began attacking with full steam.  The West Side Kicks’ goal was under assault from the first until the 90th minute.  Chicago defended valiantly but eventually a 75th minute through ball to James Holder allowed the Chimney Swift inside left to score.  The West Side Kicks were disorganized after the ensuing kickoff, as they tried to assume a more offensive posture.  Baltimore Inside Right Alexander Wallace found a hole in the Chicago defense in the penalty area during a throw-in.  Right halfback Fred Davies threw him the ball, Wallace turned and found the far post open.  In the waning moments, Chicago scored a consolation goal after the Chimney Swifts’ left fullback slipped trying to track down a through ball.  Chicago’s Chris Fry, Golden Ball and Boot winner, took advantage of the opportunity and beat Stewart on a one-on-one.  With the final whistle, Baltimore thus completed the double – taking both the AAAFL title and American Football Association Cup.


At the AAAFL Annual Meeting, President Irwin announced that the NAFL section would be expanding for the 1902-1903 season.  “A number of the American League baseball clubs have seen the success and will be fielding association football teams.  I can’t definitively say all of them will at this time, but rest assured most of them will.”

American Football Association President Turner also spoke at the banquet regarding the NAFL section.  “We were encouraged by the success of the NAFL teams in the American Football Association Cup against the AAAFL squads.  If we can have a successful season with a full slate of teams, and we can see continued competitiveness in the American Football Association Cup, I think we’ll be in a position to start having a relegation/promotion process.”

Also at the Annual Meeting, awards were given to the Top 11.

The next NAFL team to be unveiled was Cleveland Forest.  Operated by Charles Sommers of the Cleveland Broncos Baseball Club, the Forest will play in League Park.  Discussions are already underway to have a derby match with the AAAFL's Cleveland Longlegs.  The Team name comes from Cleveland's nickname of "The Forest City."

Charles Sommers, who is already the owner of Cleveland Forest, announced that the American League's Boston Americans would also be fielding an Association Football team.  Drawing on the city's Irish roots, the Boston Gaelics will play at the Huntington Avenue Grounds.

1902-1903

The AAAFL crowned a new champion in the 1902-1903 season.  The Pittsburgh Privateers climbed into the top spot in Week 9 and never relinquished it.

The Cleveland Longlegs had another dismal year, finishing 21 points behind with a -24 goal difference.  While the Longlegs defense was adequate, the offense was anemic, only scoring 24 goals over the entire campaign.  It wasn't until Week 15 that Cleveland gained a point in the spring season.  Just when things started to look better, they ended the season on a 5-game losing streak.