Wilson Wright, a Penn graduate, was the team's manager and chief financial backer.
[3] Philadelphia opened its 1901 season with shut outs of the Conshohocken Tigers, the Orange Athletic Club, Susquehanna University and a tough squad from Lafayette College.
In an effort to get the upper hand in the battle for fans, Rogers took over the professional football club and renamed them the Phillies, after his baseball team.
[1] Both Rogers and Shibe knew that to lay claim to the "World Championship", they had to play a team from Pittsburgh, which was the focal point of football at the time.
They called on pro football promoter Dave Berry and a Pittsburgh team was soon formed.
The league played all of its games on Saturdays, since there were no Sunday sports events according to Pennsylvania blue laws in 1902.
[5] In late December the 1902 World Series of Football was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The New York team played in the first indoor football game against the Syracuse Athletic Club.