Francis Bacon (American football)

Francis William Bacon (January 11, 1894 – August 31, 1977) was an American football, baseball, and basketball player. He played for the Dayton Triangles in the first official National Football League (NFL) game and was the first NFL player to return a punt for a touchdown. He played in the NFL from 1920 to 1925, appearing in 47 games and scoring 14 touchdowns.

For the 16th century English Philosopher, see Francis Bacon.
For other people called Francis Bacon, see Francis Bacon (disambiguation).
Francis Bacon
refer to caption
Francis Bacon, c. 1920
No. 11, 8, 7
Position:Halfback, end
Personal information
Born:(1894-01-11)January 11, 1894
South Bend, Indiana
Died:August 31, 1977(1977-08-31) (aged 83)
Sandusky, Ohio
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:182 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school:South Bend Central (IN)
College:Wabash
Career history

Early years and Wabash College

Bacon was born in South Bend, Indiana, in 1894. He attended South Bend High School and was described by the South Bend Tribune as "the greatest basketball player ever sent out by the local institution."[1] He then enrolled at Wabash College where he played college basketball (as a guard), football (as a halfback and fullback), and baseball (as a first baseman) from 1914 to 1916 and was captain of the basketball team.[2][3] He was also senior class president and rated as "one of the greatest athletes of the state."[4]

Military service

When the United States entered World War I, Bacon began studying wireless telegraphy and signalling in anticipation of joining the Aviation Corps. He was one of only two young men out of 500 who passed the eight-hour examination for the Aviation Corps.[4] He enlisted in March 1918,[5] and was ordered to report for active duty one week after graduating from Wabash.[6] The war ended before Bacon deployed to Europe.[7]

Professional baseball and football

Prior to the creation of the National Football League (NFL), he played professional football for the Pine Village Athletic Club in 1917 and the Hammond Clabbys in 1918.[2] He also played professional baseball in the Three-I and Central Leagues, probably in 1917,[5] and with Little Rock in the Southern Association in 1919.[8]

In 1919, he joined the Dayton Triangles professional football team.[2] He also worked for the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. (Delco) as the head of educational development.[7] When the NFL was formed in 1920, the Triangles were one of the original participants. On October 3, 1920, the Triangles defeated the Columbus Panhandles, 14-0, in the first official NFL game with Bacon as the starting right halfback.[9][10][11] Fullback Lou Partlow gained fame for scoring the first NFL touchdown in the third quarter, and Bacon followed in the fourth quarter with the first NFL punt return for a touchdown.[12][11][13][14]

Bacon continued with the club from 1920 to 1925.[2][15] He also played for the Akron Pros in 1923. He appeared in 47 NFL games, playing at halfback, fullback and end, scored 14 touchdowns, and kicked two extra points.[2][15]

Later years

Bacon was married in December 1920 to Ruth Weaver of Ponca City, Oklahoma.[7]

Bacon died in 1977 in Sandusky, Ohio.[2]

References
  1. "Varsity Is Crushed By Scarlet, 41–19". The South Bend Tribune. February 12, 1916. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Frank Bacon". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  3. "Bacon Is New Leader of Wabash Basketball". The South Bend Tribune. October 16, 1915. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "One of Two Passing". The South Bend Tribune. February 23, 1918. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Harl Rolsacker (March 24, 1918). "The Spring Fan". The South Bend News-Times. p. 8.
  6. "Reports to Dallas, Texas". The South Bend Tribune. June 3, 1918. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Weds Ponca, Okla. Girl: Francis W. Bacon United in Marriage to Miss Ruth Weaver". The South Bend Tribune. December 23, 1920. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Francis Bacon". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  9. Lisa Powell (September 28, 2020). "The story behind Dayton hosting the first-ever NFL game". Dayton Daily News.
  10. "NFL's First Game Remembered". Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  11. "Large Crowd Sees Local Team Humble Columbus Eleven". The Dayton Herald. October 4, 1920. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Bob Braunwart; Bob Carroll (1981). "The First NFL Game(s)" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. ProFootballResearchers.org.
  13. Marcus Hartman (October 3, 2017). "Flashback: The day Dayton became part of NFL history". Dayton Daily News.
  14. Leo Deluca (September 2014). "1st Down: Here's how America's fall obsession took its initial steps in Dayton during the autumn of 1920". Ohio Magazine.
  15. "Frank Bacon". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
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