Timeline of the National Central Football League

This timeline of the National Central Football League (NCFL) tracks the history of each of the league's 36 current franchises from the early days of the league, through its merger with the National Football Association (NFA), and the International Football Association (IFA). The history of franchises that began as independent teams, other defunct leagues are shown as well.

1920-1933 Birth of the NCFL

1920

The National Central Football League is formed September 17, 1920, at Canton, Ohio. The fourteen teams were mainly drawn from the Ontario-Quebec State League, New York professional League, and other leagues. A $100 membership fee was charged. The Chicago Giants folded after the season.

Team folded this season ^

1920 NCFL

Albany All-Pros	0	Detroit Tigers
Boston Hammers	0	Montreal Blues
Brooklyn Steel	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Ontario Lakers
Chicago Giants^	0	Philadelphia Renegades
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Rochester Americans
Cleveland Lions	0	Toronto Wolves

1921

With the low entry barrier of a $100 membership fee, the number of teams balloons to 20. Four of these franchises would last only one season, with the Chicago Chippers only making it through a single game. Two other franchises folded mid-season.

1921 name changes

1920 team name	1921 team name
Brooklyn Steel	Brooklyn Steelers

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

Only season in the league *^

1921 NCFL

Albany All-Pros	0	Indianapolis Indians*
Baltimore Cannon*^	0	Louisville Reds*
Boston Hammers	0	Mississauga Millers*^
Brooklyn Steelers	0	Montreal Blues
Buffalo Warthogs	0	New York Dragons
Chicago Chippers*^	0	Ontario Lakers
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Philadelphia Renegades^
Cleveland Lions	0	Rochester Americans
Detroit Tigers	0	St. Louis Triangles*
Hartford Whaling Ships*^	0	Toronto Wolves^

1922

Two Franchises were awarded. While two disbanded.

1922 name changes

1921 team name	1922 team name
Indianapolis Indians	Indiana Indians

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

Only season in the league *^

1922 NCFL

Albany All-Pros	0	Louisville Reds^
Boston Hammers	0	Montreal Blues
Brooklyn Steelers^	0	New York Dragons
Chicago Centrals*^	0	Ontario Lakers
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Rochester Americans
Cleveland Lions	0	Rockford Rail Kings*
Detroit Tigers	0	St. Louis Triangles
Indiana Indians	0	Syracuse Spartans*

1923

Two new franchises were awarded

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

1923 NCFL

Albany All-Pros	0	Montreal Blues
Boston Hammers	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Ontario Lakers
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Rochester Americans
Cleveland Lions	0	Rockford Rail Kings^
Detroit Tigers	0	St. Louis Triangles
Indiana Indians	0	Syracuse Spartans
Massachusetts Meerkats*	0	Washington Presidents*

1924

Two new times were franchised, while the Cleveland Lions folded mid-season.

1924 name changes

1923 team name	1924 team name
St. Louis Triangles	Missouri Chiefs

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

1924 NCFL

Akron All-Stars*	0	Missouri Chiefs
Albany All-Pros	0	Montreal Blues
Boston Hammers	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Ontario Lakers
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Providence Minutemen*
Cleveland Lions^	0	Rochester Americans
Detroit Tigers	0	Syracuse Spartans
Indiana Indians	0	Washington Presidents
Massachusetts Meerkats	0

1925

The Boston Hammers relocated from Boston to Chicago, to become the Chicago Hammers. The Rochester Americans and the Albany All-Pros merged into the Albany Americans, at the end of the season.

1925 name changes

1924 team name	1925 team name
Boston Hammers	Chicago Hammers

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

Team merged into another ^^

1924 NCFL

Akron All-Stars	0	Missouri Chiefs
Albany All-Pros	0	Montreal Blues^
Baltimore Braves*	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Ontario Lakers
Chicago Hammers	0	Pittsburgh Hawks*
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Portland Islanders*
Detroit Tigers	0	Providence Minutemen
Indiana Indians	0	Rochester Americans^^
Massachusetts Meerkats	0	Syracuse Spartans
Milwaukee Redskins	0	Washington Presidents

1926

One team was franchised, while the Milwaukee Redskins folded.

1926 name changes

1925 team name	1926 team name
Albany All-Pros	Albany Americans

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

1926 NCFL

Akron All-Stars	0	Milwaukee Redskins^
Albany Americans	0	Missouri Chiefs
Baltimore Braves	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Ontario Lakers
Chicago Hammers	0	Pittsburgh Hawks
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Portland Islanders
Detroit Tigers	0	Providence Minutemen
Indiana Indians	0	Syracuse Spartans
Kalamazoo Kangaroos*	0	Washington Presidents
Massachusetts Meerkats	0

1927

Two franchises the Brooklyn Rangers and the Philadelphia Phillies were franchised, while the Washington Presidents folded.

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

1927 NCFL

Akron All-Stars	0	Massachusetts Meerkats
Albany Americans	0	Missouri Chiefs
Baltimore Braves	0	New York Dragons
Brooklyn Rangers*	0	Ontario Lakers
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Philadelphia Phillies*
Chicago Hammers	0	Pittsburgh Hawks
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Portland Islanders
Detroit Tigers	0	Providence Minutemen
Indiana Indians	0	Syracuse Spartans
Kalamazoo Kangaroos	0	Washington Presidents^

1928

Two teams were added to the league, the Lancaster Lancers, and the New York Giants. This was the first year that no team folded. The Ontario Lakers changed their name to the Toronto Lakers.

1928 name changes

1927 team name	1928 team name
Ontario Lakers	Toronto Lakers

First season in NCFL *

1928 NCFL

Akron All-Stars	0	Lancaster Lancers*
Albany Americans	0	Massachusetts Meerkats
Baltimore Braves	0	Missouri Chiefs
Brooklyn Rangers	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Philadelphia Phillies
Chicago Giants*	0	Pittsburgh Hawks
Chicago Hammers	0	Portland Islanders
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Providence Minutemen
Detroit Tigers	0	Syracuse Spartans
Indiana Indians	0	Toronto Lakers
Kalamazoo Kangaroos	0

1929

A team was franchised, and another folded. The 22 team high of the NCFL would not be matched until 1970.

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

1929 NCFL

Akron All-Stars	0	Lancaster Lancers
Albany Americans	0	Massachusetts Meerkats
Baltimore Braves	0	Missouri Chiefs
Brooklyn Rangers	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Philadelphia Phillies
Chicago Giants	0	Pittsburgh Hawks
Chicago Hammers	0	Portland Islanders^
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Providence Minutemen
Detroit Tigers	0	Syracuse Spartans
Indiana Indians	0	Toronto Lakers
Kalamazoo Kangaroos	0	Washington Elephants*

1930

The Great Depression resulted in the folding of 8 teams, including two during the season, the Providence Minutemen and Syracuse Spartans. The Kalamazoo Kangaroos moved to Milwaukee, as the Greens.

1929 name changes

1929 team name	1930 team name
Kalamazoo Kangaroos	Milwaukee Greens

Team folded this season ^

1930 NCFL

Akron All-Stars^	0	Massachusetts Meerkats
Albany Americans	0	Milwaukee Greens
Baltimore Braves^	0	Missouri Chiefs
Brooklyn Rangers^	0	New York Dragons
Buffalo Warthogs	0	Philadelphia Phillies
Chicago Giants	0	Pittsburgh Hawks^
Chicago Hammers	0	Providence Minutemen^
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Syracuse Spartans^
Detroit Tigers	0	Toronto Lakers
Indiana Indians^	0	Washington Elephants
Lancaster Lancers^	0

1931

The Great Depression resulted in the folding of 8 teams, including two during the season, the Providence Minutemen and Syracuse Spartans. The Kalamazoo Kangaroos moved to Milwaukee, as the Greens.

1931 name changes

1930 team name	1931 team name
Massachusetts Meerkats	Boston Meerkats

Team folded this season ^

1930 NCFL

Albany Americans	0	Milwaukee Greens^
Boston Meerkats	0	Missouri Chiefs^
Buffalo Warthogs^	0	New York Dragons
Chicago Giants	0	Philadelphia Phillies^
Chicago Hammers	0	Toronto Lakers
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles	0	Washington Elephants
Detroit Tigers	0

1932

Last new team in the NCFL until XXXXXX. NCFL reduced to its 8 team configuration.

1932 name changes

1931 team name	1932 team name
Chicago Hammers	Philadelphia Hammers

First season in NCFL *

Team folded this season ^

1932 NCFL

Albany Americans^	0	New York Dragons
Boston Meerkats	0	Philadelphia Hammers
Chicago Giants	0	Pittsburgh Falcons*
Cincinnati Fighting Eagles^	0	Toronto Lakers
Detroit Tigers	0	Washington Elephants

1933–1947: Start of Championship Game and Original 7 era

1933-1937

The league split into Eastern and Western Divisions with the winner of each division playing in the Championship Game.

1933-1937 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
New York Dragons	Detroit Tigers
Philadelphia Hammers	Pittsburgh Falcons
Toronto Lakers	Washington Elephants

1937-1941

The Detroit Tigers folded at the end of the 1937 season, leaving only 7 teams. The demise of the Tigers led to financial restructuring throughout the NCFL, and its teams. Beginning of the Original 7 era.

Team folded this season ^

1937-1941 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
New York Dragons	Detroit Tigers^
Philadelphia Hammers	Pittsburgh Falcons
Toronto Lakers	Washington Elephants

1941-1947

The Original 7 remained mostly unchanged between 1937 until 1947, bar the change in the Elephants name. Financial and roster concerns due to World War II, ensured the league remain committed to 7 teams in uneven divisions. Only after the end of the war, did the NCFL seriously consider expansion again.

1941 name changes

1940 team name	1941 team name
Washington Elephants	DC Elephants

1941-1947 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
New York Dragons	DC Elephants
Philadelphia Hammers	Pittsburgh Falcons
Toronto Lakers

End of the Original 7 era (1947-1960)

1947-1949

The NCFL expanded for the first time since 1929, ending the original 7 era, and growing to 10 teams, with 5 in each division.

First season in NCFL *

1947-1949 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
Detroit Raptors*	DC Elephants
New York Dragons	Detroit Warriors*
Philadelphia Hammers	Pittsburgh Falcons
Toronto Lakers	Texas Horses*

1949

The Detroit Warriors moved to St. Louis following two seasons in Detroit. The NCFL favored relocation over folding, moving foward.

1949 name changes

1948 team name	1949 team name
Detroit Warriors	St. Louis Warriors

1949 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
Detroit Raptors	DC Elephants
New York Dragons	Pittsburgh Falcons
Philadelphia Hammers	St. Louis Warriors
Toronto Lakers	Texas Horses

1950-1954

The NCFL expanded to the west, with the establishment of the Los Angeles Armored Lizards. The NCFL returned to Montreal after close to 30 years, with the Montreal Tigers. Although the team was plagued with economical difficulties.

First season in NCFL *

1950-1954 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
Detroit Raptors	DC Elephants
Montreal Tigers*	Los Angeles Armored Lizards*
New York Dragons	Pittsburgh Falcons
Philadelphia Hammers	St. Louis Warriors
Toronto Lakers	Texas Horses

1955-1956

The financially struggling Tigers moved in 1955 from Montreal to San Francisco, after being invited by the mayor of San Francisco Elmer Robinson. The Pittsburg Falcons were moved from Western to the Eastern division.

1955 name changes

1954 team name	1955 team name
Montreal Tigers	San Francisco Tigers

1955-1956 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
Detroit Raptors	DC Elephants
New York Dragons	Los Angeles Armored Lizards
Philadelphia Hammers	San Francisco Tigers
Pittsburgh Falcons	St. Louis Warriors
Toronto Lakers	Texas Horses

1957-1960

The NCFL successfully expanded to Mexico City and New Orleans, leading to a further realignment in the divisions to maintain them even. The league settled into 14 teams

First season in NCFL *

1957-1960 NCFL

Eastern Division	Western Division
Boston Meerkats	Chicago Giants
DC Elephants	Los Angeles Armored Lizards
Detroit Raptors	Mexico City Aztecs*
New York Dragons	New Orleans Knights*
Philadelphia Hammers	San Francisco Tigers
Pittsburgh Falcons	St. Louis Warriors
Toronto Lakers	Texas Horses

The 2000's

2014-Present

2014–present NCFL teams

NAFA	North	Central	South
	Boston Meerkats	Cincinnati Bears	Chicago Giants
	New York Eagles	Philadelphia Penguins	Indianapolis Phantoms
	Quebec Sharks	Detroit Raptors	Nashville Elephants
	Toronto Lancers	Pittsburgh Falcons	St. Louis Warriors
NFA	North	Central	West
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IFA	North	Central	West
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