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465:. The efforts of Hay and the Bulldogs were offered as proof for the shrine to be located in Canton. While Hay has not yet been enshrined in the Hall, the city of Canton put up a plaque on the Bow Federal building in downtown Canton, the site where Ralph's automobile showroom once stood. The plaque recognizes Ralph Hay and
453:, the Bulldogs went undefeated and won the NFL championship. However, Hay continued to lose money with the Bulldogs. Before the 1923 season, he sold the team to a group of local businessmen. The Bulldogs went on to win the 1923 NFL Championship and became the first NFL team to win back-to-back league titles.
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Despite winning a championship, the
Bulldogs did not draw well. Not enough fans came to games to pay for the high-priced salaries owed to the players. Hay lost money. To combat the increasing salaries, as well as the issue of players jumping from team to team, Hay sought to form a league. The league
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Representatives from ten pro teams showed up. Because Hay's office was too small, the meeting was held in his automobile showroom. Some of the owners sat on car running boards due to a lack of seats. The resulting organization operated for two years as the
American Professional Football Association
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established the Ralph Hay Award which is awarded for "lifetime achievement in pro football research and historiography." In 2020, Hay was named a finalist for that year's class of the Pro
Football Hall of Fame as a contributor for the first time, but was not elected. He was named a semifinalist in
247:. Following graduation, at age 18, went to work as an automobile salesman for a local dealership. After several years selling cars, Hay went into the car business for himself. He set up the Ralph E. Hay Motor Company, and sold
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before its name was changed to the
National Football League in 1922. The ten original franchises were from four states. The Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Tigers, and Dayton Triangles from Ohio; the
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from 1918 through the 1922 season. However, he is mostly recognized for organizing the first meeting of teams that would later form the
American Professional Football Association, later called the
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Hay was married to Esther Becker, who had previously served as his secretary. They had one daughter. She lived to have multiple children. The family's generation is still going as of today.
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279:. Hay had planned to use the team to help promote his car business and pursue his love of football. At the time the Bulldogs were the top team in the unofficial "
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Dayton. At the meeting Hay was elected secretary of the league. He then wrote to every important pro team in the
Midwest, including
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would join the league later that year. Hay was asked to become the league's president, however he suggested that
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which honors those who have made innovative contributions throughout pro football history. In 1988, the
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to form the
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Hay built a strong team in Canton during the early 1920s, signing three future
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take the position on the belief that his fame would enhance the league.
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On Friday, August 20, 1920, Hay met in Canton with the managers of the
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227:(January 12, 1891 – July 29, 1944) was the owner of the
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On April 27, 1961, Canton was selected by the NFL as the site for the
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In 1918, at the age of 27, Hay acquired the Canton
Bulldogs from
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539:(4). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3.
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during a 1917 match between the
Bulldogs and the Jeffs.
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1081:Canton Bulldogs–Massillon Tigers betting scandal
43:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks
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483:Professional Football Researchers Association
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211:Co-founder of the National Football League (
177:Career highlights and awards
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74:Learn how and when to remove this message
445:. When Chamberlin took over as coach in
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295:idea came from Canton's star halfback,
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628:on September 17, 1920 at Ralph Hay's
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619:founded the National Football League
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271:, when Cusack decided to return to
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1330:National Football League founders
526:"Ralph Hay: A Forgotten Pioneer"
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1335:National Football League owners
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1345:Sportspeople from Canton, Ohio
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1017:Ohio League championships (3)
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1065:Latrobe Athletic Association
557:Owner of the Canton Bulldogs
395:. Four other franchises the
243:Hay attended high school in
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343:represented Cleveland, and
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1103:Pro Football Hall of Fame
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381:Rock Island Independents
233:National Football League
187:National Football League
29:This section includes a
1108:Ralph Hay Pioneer Award
566:Canton Athletic Company
479:Ralph Hay Pioneer Award
58:more precise citations.
524:Willis, Chris (2004).
1008:1923 NFL Championship
1003:1922 NFL Championship
996:NFL championships (2)
504:Carroll, Bob (1994).
397:Buffalo All-Americans
956:Canton Professionals
952:Canton Athletic Club
848:Rochester Jeffersons
506:"Mini-Bio:Ralph Hay"
373:Rochester Jeffersons
311:Formation of the NFL
301:Rochester Jeffersons
419:Bulldogs in the NFL
405:Columbus Panhandles
275:and compete in the
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1086:Cleveland Bulldogs
128:Career information
123:Canton, Ohio, U.S.
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31:list of references
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564:Succeeded by
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225:Ralph Edward Hay
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964:Canton, Ohio
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947:club 1905–27
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763:Hammond Pros
747:George Halas
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625:Canton, Ohio
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432:Wilbur Henry
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361:Hammond Pros
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349:George Halas
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277:oil industry
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245:Canton, Ohio
242:
239:Car salesman
224:
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204:" champion (
119:(1944-07-29)
107:Canton, Ohio
70:
64:January 2016
61:
50:Please help
42:
1325:1944 deaths
1320:1891 births
1141:Cap Edwards
1131:Jack Cusack
935:Ohio League
727:Carl Storck
702:Stan Cofall
550:Jack Cusack
451:Cap Edwards
345:Carl Storck
341:Stan Cofall
289:World War I
281:Ohio League
269:Jack Cusack
202:Ohio League
134:Position(s)
56:introducing
1314:Categories
1156:Pete Henry
1151:Harry Robb
1136:Jim Thorpe
1060:Akron Pros
682:Jim Thorpe
657:Art Ranney
652:Frank Nied
643:Akron Pros
634:dealership
616:Group who
498:References
467:Jim Thorpe
413:Jim Thorpe
379:; and the
333:Art Ranney
329:Frank Nied
317:Akron Pros
297:Jim Thorpe
189:champion (
1098:Ralph Hay
1043:Rivalries
960:Based in
857:Leo Lyons
812:Earl Ball
792:Ralph Hay
772:Doc Young
677:Ralph Hay
631:Hupmobile
434:, tackle
305:Leo Lyons
163:1918–1922
954:and the
931:Defunct
608:founders
393:Illinois
377:New York
335:. While
273:Oklahoma
158:As owner
1165:Seasons
987:Players
982:History
369:Indiana
235:(NFL).
144:College
52:improve
490:Family
486:2022.
457:Legacy
438:, and
429:tackle
407:, and
387:, and
371:; the
323:, and
303:owner
109:, U.S.
529:(PDF)
509:(PDF)
449:from
391:from
375:from
367:from
138:Owner
114:Died:
101:Born:
37:, or
1301:bold
1289:1926
1284:1925
1279:1924
1273:1923
1266:1922
1260:1921
1255:1920
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1217:1914
1212:1913
1207:1912
1202:1911
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1182:1907
1177:1906
1172:1905
1074:Lore
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1029:1917
1024:1916
939:and
447:1922
363:and
339:and
331:and
257:Ohio
251:and
213:1920
206:1919
195:1923
191:1922
148:None
622:in
471:NFL
440:end
427:in
185:2Ă—
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
