Youngstown Patricians

As sports historian Vic Frolund observes, the Catholic lay organization was designed "to advance the moral, social, and physical welfare of its members.

"[2] Nevertheless, by 1914, the team associated with the Patricians Club had become a highly competitive enterprise that aggressively recruited some of the top athletic talent in the region.

[2] Faced with more experienced teams like the Canton Bulldogs, the McKeesport Olympics, the Pitcairn Quakers, and the Washington Vigilants, the Patricians increased their squad to 25 men and began to actively recruit well-established players.

[1] Led by manager Joseph Omlor and coach Thomas (fresh from the West Virginia University football team),[3] the Patricians entered the 1915 season with a confidence that was soon reflected in the local media.

With such a grand organization; one that so admirably combines weight speed, courage, and sheer ability, it is even to their discredit that do not go in quest of the titular honors of several states or the country at large.

[2] In a Youngstown Vindicator article from November 29, 1915, the Manager of the Vigilants, Joe Oliveri said "The Patricians defeated us fairly and squarely and we held the eastern title clearly beyond dispute.

Also from the article: "He declared football is no better supported in any city in the United States while in very few places are the fans as manifestly fair as they are right here in our own burg."

The following season, however, the Patricians faced predictably tough competition as other semi-professional teams sought to challenge their unofficial but widely acknowledged championship.

[2] The Patricians entered the 1917 season determined to win back the championship title and assembled a powerhouse team that appeared equal to the task.

"[5] McClellan adds that the game was characterized by "head-to-head competition" between the teams' two centers, Robert Peck (Youngstown) and Ralph "Fats" Waldsmith.

Sports historian McClellan observes that "a season that began with such high hopes ended with an unseasonable snowstorm and a modest 4–3 record.

"[8] Meanwhile, the wave of recruitment that came with America's entry into World War I, along with a flu pandemic that led to restrictions on travel and large gatherings, temporarily slashed the ranks of the nation's professional and semi-professional teams.

[2] On June 24, 1922, the Youngstown Patricians were granted an NFL franchise in the new league but were unable to raise the funds and never fielded a team.

[10] The Patricians' effort to regroup under coach-manager Thomas unraveled in the wake of a 27–0 defeat at the hands of the Massillon Tigers on October 5, 1919.

[2] As Frolund notes, a team that was to be managed by another Patricians alumnus, Elgie Tobin, received a National Football League franchise, which had a schedule laid out for the 1922 NFL season.

The event received extensive press coverage including the Youngstown Vindicator, Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Catholic Exponent and local TV stations.