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{{short description|Inaugural season of NFL team Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Infobox NFL_season
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
| team = Pittsburgh Pirates

| year = 1933
[[File:1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL).jpg|thumb|right|400px|Pittsburgh Pirates 1933 team photo]]
| record = 3-6-2
{{Infobox NFL season
| division_place = '''5th Eastern Division'''
| team = Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL)
| coach = [[Forrest Douds]]
| year = 1933
| stadium = [[Forbes Field]]
| record = 3–6–2
| playoffs = none
| division_place = 5th [[Eastern Division (NFL) 1933–66|Eastern Division]]
| previous = none
| owner = [[Art Rooney]]
| next = [[1934 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season|1934]]
| general manager =
| coach = [[Forrest Douds]]
| stadium = [[Forbes Field]]
| playoffs = ''Did not qualify''
| previous = ''none''
| no_prevseason = true
| teamdisplay = Pittsburgh Pirates
| shortnavlink = Pirates seasons
}}
}}
The '''1933 Pittsburgh Pirates''' was the first season of the team that would eventually become the '''[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]'''. The team was founded in the offseason after [[Pennsylvania]] relaxed its [[blue laws]] that prior to 1933 prohibited sporting events from taking place on Sundays, when most [[National Football League|NFL]] games took place. [[Art Rooney]] used his [[horse racing]] winnings to pay the NFL a $2,500 fee to join the league. Except for a brief period in 1940, Rooney would remain owner until his death in 1988; his family remains the owners of the team today.
The '''1933 Pittsburgh Pirates season''' marked the debut of the team known today as the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. The team was established by [[Art Rooney|Arthur Rooney Sr.]], a former [[boxing|boxer]] and semi-pro football player, who paid the [[National Football League]] (NFL) its $2,500 expansion fee with winnings from successful weekend gambling at the [[Saratoga Race Course|Saratoga Race Track]] in New York.<ref name=Bennett>Tom Bennett et al. (eds.), ''The NFL's Official Encyclopedic History of Professional Football.'' New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977; p. 200.</ref>


Rooney named the team "Pirates" and made use of black-and-gold team colors as a means of attaching his fledgling team to the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] of baseball's [[National League (baseball)|National League]].<ref name=Bennett /> Home games were scheduled for [[Forbes Field]], stadium used by the baseball Pirates.<ref name=Bennett /> The new squad was composed largely of local [[semi-professional|semi-pro]] players.
The team would take the field for the first time on [[September 20]] against the [[New York Giants]] at [[Forbes Field]], losing 23-2. The following week, the team would get its first win, defeating the [[Arizona Cardinals|Chicago Cardinals]] at home 14-13.


Rooney quickly ran into [[Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania's]] [[blue laws]], which prohibited professional sports from taking place on Sundays, when most NFL games took place.<ref name=Bennett /> Rooney slyly circumvented the law by providing the superintendent of police with free box seats.<ref name=Bennett />
The team would finish 3-6-2 for the season.


Except for a brief period in [[History of the Pittsburgh Steelers#1940–41: A new name and a "new" team|1940 and 1941]], Rooney would remain the franchise's principal owner until his death in 1988. The [[Rooney family]] has retained a controlling interest ever since.
=Regular Season=


The Pirates took the field for the first time on September 20 against the [[New York Giants]] at [[Forbes Field]], losing 23–2. The following week, the team got its first win, defeating the [[Chicago Cardinals (NFL, 1920–59)|Chicago Cardinals]] at home 14–13.
==Schedule==

{| class="wikitable" align="center"
The team finished 3–6–2 for the season.
! Week || Date || Opponent || Result || Game Site

|-style="background:pink;"
==Regular season==
|align="center"| 2 || [[September 20]], [[1933]] || [[New York Giants]] || '''L''' 23-2 || [[Forbes Field]]
===Schedule===
|-style="background: #ddffdd;"
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|align="center"| 3 || [[September 27]], [[1933]] || [[Chicago Cardinals]] || '''W''' 14-13 || [[Forbes Field]]
|-
|-style="background:pink;"
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Game
|align="center"| 4 || [[October 4]], [[1933]] || [[Boston Redskins]] || '''L''' 21-6 || [[Forbes Field]]
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Date
|-style="background: #ddffdd;"
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Opponent
|align="center"| 5 || [[October 11]], [[1933]] || [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|Cincinnati Reds]] || '''W''' 17-3 || [[Forbes Field]]
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Result
|-style="background:pink;"
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Record
|align="center"| 5 || [[October 15]], [[1933]] || [[Green Bay Packers]] || '''L''' 47-0 || [[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]]
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Venue
|-style="background:orange;"
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Attendance
|align="center"| 6 || [[October 22]], [[1933]] || [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|Cincinnati Reds]] || '''T''' 0-0 || [[Redland Field]]
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Recap
|-style="background: #ddffdd;"
! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Sources
|align="center"| 7 || [[October 29]], [[1933]] || [[Boston Redskins]] || '''W''' 16-14 || [[Fenway Park]]
|-style="background:orange;"
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 1
|align="center"| 8 || [[November 5]], [[1933]] || [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] || '''T''' 3-3 || [[Ebbets Field]]
| {{dow tooltip|September 20, 1933}}
|-style="background:pink;"
| '''[[1933 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]'''
|align="center"| 9 || [[November 12]], [[1933]] || [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] || '''L''' 32-0 || [[Forbes Field]]
| '''L''' 2–23
|-style="background:pink;"
| 0–1
|align="center"| 10 || [[November 19]], [[1933]] || [[Philadelphia Eagles]] || '''L''' 25-6 || [[Baker Bowl]]
| [[Forbes Field]]
|-style="background:pink;"
| 20,000
|align="center"| 12 || [[December 3]], [[1933]] || [[New York Giants]] || '''L''' 27-3 || [[Polo Grounds]]
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193309200pit.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#cfc"
! 2
| {{dow tooltip|September 27, 1933}}
| [[1933 Chicago Cardinals season|Chicago Cardinals]]
| '''W''' 14–13
| 1–1
| Forbes Field
| 5,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193309270pit.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 3
| {{dow tooltip|October 4, 1933}}
| '''[[1933 Boston Redskins season|Boston Redskins]]'''
| '''L''' 6–21
| 1–2
| Forbes Field
| 15,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310040pit.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#cfc"
! 4
| {{dow tooltip|October 11, 1933}}
| [[1933 Cincinnati Reds (NFL) season|Cincinnati Reds]]
| '''W''' 17–3
| 2–2
| Forbes Field
| 5,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310110pit.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 5
| October 15
| at [[1933 Green Bay Packers season|Green Bay Packers]]
| '''L''' 0–47
| 2–3
| [[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]]
| 4,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310150gnb.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#ffc"
! 6
| October 22
| at [[1933 Cincinnati Reds (NFL) season|Cincinnati Reds]]
| '''T''' 0–0
| 2–3–1
| [[Crosley Field|Redland Field]]
| 900
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310220red.htm Recap]
| <ref>Lou Smith, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-reds-in-scoreles/161116285/ "Reds in Scoreless Tie in Game With Pirates: Wet Field Slows Up Pro Contest: Only Handful of Fans at Redland Field,"] ''Cincinnati Enquirer,'' Oct. 23, 1933, pp. 13–[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-wet-field-detrac/161116323/ 14].</ref>
|-style="background:#cfc"
! 7
| October 29
| at '''[[1933 Boston Redskins season|Boston Redskins]]'''
| '''W''' 16–14
| 3–3–1
| [[Fenway Park]]
| 7,500
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310290was.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#ffc"
! 8
| November 5
| at '''[[1933 Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) season|Brooklyn Dodgers]]'''
| '''T''' 3–3
| 3–3–2
| [[Ebbets Field]]
| 15,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193311050bkn.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 9
| November 12
| '''[[1933 Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL) season|Brooklyn Dodgers]]'''
| '''L''' 0–32
| 3–4–2
| Forbes Field
| 12,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193311050bkn.htm Recap]
|
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 10
| November 19
| at '''[[1933 Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]]'''
| '''L''' 6–25
| 3–5–2
| [[Baker Bowl]]
| 6,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193311190phi.htm Recap]
|
|-
! —
| colspan="8" | ''[[Bye (sports)|Bye]]''
|-style="background:#fcc"
! 11
| December 3
| at '''[[1933 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]'''
| '''L''' 3-27
| 3–6–2
| [[Polo Grounds]]
| 10,000
| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193312030nyg.htm Recap]
|
|-
|colspan="10"| '''Note:''' Intra-division opponents are in '''bold''' text.
|}
|}


==Game Summaries==
==Standings==
{{1933 NFL Eastern standings}}
=== Week 2 (Wednesday September 20, 1933): [[New York Giants]] ===
{{1933 NFL Western standings}}

==Game summaries==

=== Week 1 (Wednesday September 20, 1933): [[New York Giants]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Giants
|Road='''Giants'''
|R1=0
|R1=0
|R2=7
|R2=7
Line 65: Line 185:
* '''Game attendance:''' 20,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 20,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''New York''' - [[Ken Strong|Strong]] 33 interception ([[Ken Strong|Strong]] kick)
* '''New York''' – [[Ken Strong|Strong]] 33 interception ([[Ken Strong|Strong]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - Safety, [[Ken Strong|Strong]] punt blocked out of end zone by [[Cap Oehler|Oehler]]
* '''Pittsburgh''' – Safety, [[Ken Strong|Strong]] punt blocked out of end zone by [[John Oehler|Oehler]]
* '''New York''' - [[Harry Newman|Newman]] 5 run ([[Ken Strong|Strong]] kick)
* '''New York''' – [[Harry Newman (American football)|Newman]] 5 run ([[Ken Strong|Strong]] kick)
* '''New York''' - FG [[Harry Newman|Newman]] 39
* '''New York''' – FG [[Harry Newman (American football)|Newman]] 39
* '''New York''' - [[Dale Burnett|Burnett]] 37 pass from [[Harry Newman|Newman]] (kick failed)
* '''New York''' – [[Dale Burnett|Burnett]] 37 pass from [[Harry Newman (American football)|Newman]] (kick failed)


=== Week 3 (Wednesday September 27, 1933): [[Chicago Cardinals]] ===
=== Week 2 (Wednesday September 27, 1933): [[Chicago Cardinals]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Cardinals
|Road=Cardinals
Line 82: Line 202:
|R3=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|R4=0
|Home=Pirates
|Home='''Pirates'''
|H1=0
|H1=0
|H2=7
|H2=7
Line 94: Line 214:
* '''Game attendance:''' 5,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 5,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Chicago Cardinals''' - McNally 51 intercepted lateral (kick failed)
* '''Chicago Cardinals''' – [[Frank McNally (American football)|McNally]] 51 intercepted lateral (kick failed)
* '''Chicago Cardinals''' - Moe 35 pass from Lillard (Lillard kick)
* '''Chicago Cardinals''' – [[Hal Moe|Moe]] 35 pass from [[Joe Lillard|Lillard]] ([[Joe Lillard|Lillard]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Marty Kottler|Kottler]] 99 interception ([[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Martin Kottler|Kottler]] 99 interception ([[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Paul Moss (American football)|Moss]] 11 pass from [[Bill Tanguay|Tanguay]] ([[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Paul Moss (American football)|Moss]] 11 pass from [[Bill Tanguay|Tanguay]] ([[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] kick)


=== Week 4 (Wednesday October 4, 1933): [[Boston Redskins]] ===
=== Week 3 (Wednesday October 4, 1933): [[Boston Redskins]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Redskins
|Road='''Redskins'''
|R1=7
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R2=0
Line 122: Line 242:
* '''Game attendance:''' 15,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 15,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Boston''' - Battles 70 punt return (Musick kick)
* '''Boston''' – [[Cliff Battles|Battles]] 70 punt return ([[Jim Musick|Musick]] kick)
* '''Boston''' - Musick 1 run (Musick kick)
* '''Boston''' – [[Jim Musick|Musick]] 1 run ([[Jim Musick|Musick]] kick)
* '''Boston''' - [[Tony Holm|Holm]]er 1 run (LaPresta kick)
* '''Boston''' – [[Tony Holm|Holm]]er 1 run ([[Benny LaPresta|LaPresta]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Angie Brovelli|Brovelli]] 1 run (kick failed)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Angelo Brovelli|Brovelli]] 1 run (kick failed)


=== Week 5 (Wednesday October 11, 1933): [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|CIncinnati Reds]] ===
=== Week 4 (Wednesday October 11, 1933): [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|Cincinnati Reds]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Reds
|Road=Reds
Line 138: Line 258:
|R3=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|R4=0
|Home=Pirates
|Home='''Pirates'''
|H1=7
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H2=0
Line 150: Line 270:
* '''Game attendance:''' 5,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 5,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Cincinnati''' - FG Clark 12
* '''Cincinnati''' – FG [[Algy Clark|Clark]] 12
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Ed Westfall (American football)|Westfall]] 2 run ([[Angie Brovelli|Brovelli]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Ed Westfall (American football)|Westfall]] 2 run ([[Angelo Brovelli|Brovelli]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - FG [[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] 36
* '''Pittsburgh''' – FG [[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] 36
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Harp Vaughn|Vaughn]] 3 run ([[Ed Westfall (American football)|Westfall]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Harp Vaughan|Vaughan]] 3 run ([[Ed Westfall (American football)|Westfall]] kick)


=== Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1933): [[Green Bay Packers]] ===
=== Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1933): at [[Green Bay Packers]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Pirates
|Road=Pirates
Line 166: Line 286:
|R3=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|R4=0
|Home=Packers
|Home='''Packers'''
|H1=7
|H1=7
|H2=20
|H2=20
Line 172: Line 292:
|H4=7
|H4=7
}}
}}
[[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]], [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]
''at [[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]], [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]]''


* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game time:'''
Line 178: Line 298:
* '''Game attendance:''' 4,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 4,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Green Bay''' - Hinkle 1 run (Monnett kick)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Clarke Hinkle|Hinkle]] 1 run ([[Bob Monnett|Monnett]] kick)
* '''Green Bay''' - Monnett 7 run (kick failed)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Bob Monnett|Monnett]] 7 run (kick failed)
* '''Green Bay''' - Goldenberg 67 interception (Grove kick)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Buckets Goldenberg|Goldenberg]] 67 interception ([[Roger Grove|Grove]] kick)
* '''Green Bay''' - Goldenberg 3 run (Monnett kick)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Buckets Goldenberg|Goldenberg]] 3 run ([[Bob Monnett|Monnett]] kick)
* '''Green Bay''' - Bruder 52 run (Herber kick)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Hank Bruder|Bruder]] 52 run ([[Arnie Herber|Herber]] kick)
* '''Green Bay''' - Monnett 12 run (kick failed)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Bob Monnett|Monnett]] 12 run (kick failed)
* '''Green Bay''' - Englemann 40 lateral from Monnett after 9 pass from Herber (Monnett kick)
* '''Green Bay''' – [[Wuert Engelmann|Englemann]] 40 lateral from [[Bob Monnett|Monnett]] after 9 pass from [[Arnie Herber|Herber]] ([[Bob Monnett|Monnett]] kick)


=== Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1933): [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|CIncinnati Reds]] ===
=== Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1933): at [[Cincinnati Reds (NFL)|Cincinnati Reds]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Pirates
|Road=Pirates
Line 203: Line 323:
|H4=0
|H4=0
}}
}}
''at [[Redland Field]], [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]''
''at [[Redland Field]], [[Cincinnati|Cincinnati, Ohio]]''


* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game weather:'''
* '''Game attendance:'''
* '''Game attendance:''' 900
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''
Line 215: Line 335:
* none
* none


=== Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1933): [[Boston Redskins]] ===
=== Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1933): at [[Boston Redskins]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Pirates
|Road='''Pirates'''
|R1=0
|R1=0
|R2=9
|R2=9
Line 234: Line 354:
* '''Game attendance:''' 7,500
* '''Game attendance:''' 7,500
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Boston''' - Battles 5 run (Musick kick)
* '''Boston''' – [[Cliff Battles|Battles]] 5 run ([[Jim Musick|Musick]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Paul Moss (American football)|Moss]] 30 pass from [[Tony Holm|Holm]] (kick failed)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Paul Moss (American football)|Moss]] 30 pass from [[Tony Holm|Holm]] (kick failed)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - FG [[Tiny Engebretsen|Engebretsen]] 21
* '''Pittsburgh''' – FG [[Tiny Engebretsen|Engebretsen]] 21
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Ed Westfall (American football)|Westfall]] 60 pass from [[Tony Holm|Holm]] ([[Angie Brovelli|Brovelli]] kick)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Ed Westfall (American football)|Westfall]] 60 pass from [[Tony Holm|Holm]] ([[Angelo Brovelli|Brovelli]] kick)
* '''Boston''' - Weller run (Musick kick)
* '''Boston''' – [[Louis Weller|Weller]] run ([[Jim Musick|Musick]] kick)


=== Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1933): [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] ===
=== Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1933): at [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Pirates
|Road=Pirates
Line 263: Line 383:
* '''Game attendance:''' 15,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 15,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Brooklyn''' - FG Hickman 30
* '''Brooklyn''' – FG [[Herman Hickman|Hickman]] 30
* '''Pittsburgh''' - FG [[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] 15
* '''Pittsburgh''' – FG [[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] 15


=== Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1933): [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] ===
=== Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1933): [[Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)|Brooklyn Dodgers]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Dodgers
|Road='''Dodgers'''
|R1=6
|R1=6
|R2=7
|R2=7
Line 289: Line 409:
* '''Game attendance:''' 12,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 12,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Brooklyn''' - Kelly 15 run (kick failed)
* '''Brooklyn''' – [[Shipwreck Kelly (American football)|Kelly]] 15 run (kick failed)
* '''Brooklyn''' - Kelly 70 punt return (Hickman kick)
* '''Brooklyn''' – [[Shipwreck Kelly (American football)|Kelly]] 70 punt return ([[Herman Hickman|Hickman]] kick)
* '''Brooklyn''' - Nash 61 pass from Cagle (kick failed)
* '''Brooklyn''' – [[Tom Nash (American football)|Nash]] 61 pass from [[Chris Cagle (American football)|Cagle]] (kick failed)
* '''Brooklyn''' - Kelly 2 run (Kelly kick)
* '''Brooklyn''' – [[Shipwreck Kelly (American football)|Kelly]] 2 run ([[Shipwreck Kelly (American football)|Kelly]] kick)
* '''Brooklyn''' - Fishel 7 run (kick failed)
* '''Brooklyn''' – [[Dick Fishel|Fishel]] 7 run (kick failed)


=== Week 10 (Sunday November 19, 1933): [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ===
=== Week 10 (Sunday November 19, 1933): at [[Philadelphia Eagles]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Pirates
|Road=Pirates
Line 306: Line 426:
|R3=0
|R3=0
|R4=6
|R4=6
|Home=Eagles
|Home='''Eagles'''
|H1=6
|H1=6
|H2=0
|H2=0
Line 312: Line 432:
|H4=6
|H4=6
}}
}}
''at [[Baker Bowl]], [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]''
''at [[Baker Bowl]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]''


* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game time:'''
Line 318: Line 438:
* '''Game attendance:''' 6,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 6,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Philadelphia''' - Hanson run (kick failed)
* '''Philadelphia''' – [[Tom Hanson (American football)|Hanson]] run (kick failed)
* '''Philadelphia''' - Carter pass from Kirkman (Kirkman kick)
* '''Philadelphia''' – [[Joe Carter (end)|Carter]] pass from [[Red Kirkman|Kirkman]] ([[Red Kirkman|Kirkman]] kick)
* '''Philadelphia''' - Carter pass from Davis (kick failed)
* '''Philadelphia''' – [[Joe Carter (end)|Carter]] pass from [[Red Kirkman|Kirkman]] (kick failed)
* '''Pittsburgh''' - [[Angie Brovelli|Brovelli]] run (kick failed)
* '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Angelo Brovelli|Brovelli]] run (kick failed)
* '''Philadelphia''' - Woodruff run (kick failed)
* '''Philadelphia''' – [[Lee Woodruff|Woodruff]] run (kick failed)


=== Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1933): [[New York Giants]] ===
=== Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1933): at [[New York Giants]] ===
{{Linescore Amfootball|
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Pirates
|Road=Pirates
Line 335: Line 455:
|R3=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|R4=0
|Home=Giants
|Home='''Giants'''
|H1=0
|H1=0
|H2=0
|H2=0
Line 341: Line 461:
|H4=20
|H4=20
}}
}}
''at [[Polo Grounds]], [[New York, New York]]''
''at [[Polo Grounds]], New York City''


* '''Game time:'''
* '''Game time:'''
Line 347: Line 467:
* '''Game attendance:''' 10,000
* '''Game attendance:''' 10,000
* '''Referee:'''
* '''Referee:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''
* '''TV announcers:'''


'''Scoring drives:'''
'''Scoring drives:'''


* '''Pittsburgh''' - FG [[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] 14
* '''Pittsburgh''' – FG [[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] 14
* '''New York''' - Krause 20 pass from Strong (Strong kick)
* '''New York''' – [[Max Krause|Krause]] 20 pass from [[Ken Strong|Strong]] ([[Ken Strong|Strong]] kick)
* '''New York''' - Badgro 25 pass from Newman (kick failed)
* '''New York''' – [[Red Badgro|Badgro]] 25 pass from [[Harry Newman (American football)|Newman]] (kick failed)
* '''New York''' - Richards 14 pass from Newman (Richards kick)
* '''New York''' – [[Kink Richards|Richards]] 14 pass from [[Harry Newman (American football)|Newman]] ([[Kink Richards|Richards]] kick)
* '''New York''' - Richards 22 run (Krause pass from Newman)
* '''New York''' – [[Kink Richards|Richards]] 22 run ([[Max Krause|Krause]] pass from [[Harry Newman (American football)|Newman]])


=References=
==References==
{{reflist}}


{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers seasons}}
{{1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL)}}
{{1933 NFL season by team}}
{{1933 NFL season by team}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (Nfl) Season}}
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers seasons]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers seasons]]
[[Category:1933 National Football League season by team|Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:1933 National Football League season by team|Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:1933 in sports in Pennsylvania|Pittsburg Pir]]
[[Category:1930s in Pittsburgh]]

Latest revision as of 08:00, 18 December 2024

Pittsburgh Pirates 1933 team photo
1933 Pittsburgh Pirates season
OwnerArt Rooney
Head coachForrest Douds
Home fieldForbes Field
Results
Record3–6–2
Division place5th Eastern Division
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 1933 Pittsburgh Pirates season marked the debut of the team known today as the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team was established by Arthur Rooney Sr., a former boxer and semi-pro football player, who paid the National Football League (NFL) its $2,500 expansion fee with winnings from successful weekend gambling at the Saratoga Race Track in New York.[1]

Rooney named the team "Pirates" and made use of black-and-gold team colors as a means of attaching his fledgling team to the Pittsburgh Pirates of baseball's National League.[1] Home games were scheduled for Forbes Field, stadium used by the baseball Pirates.[1] The new squad was composed largely of local semi-pro players.

Rooney quickly ran into Pennsylvania's blue laws, which prohibited professional sports from taking place on Sundays, when most NFL games took place.[1] Rooney slyly circumvented the law by providing the superintendent of police with free box seats.[1]

Except for a brief period in 1940 and 1941, Rooney would remain the franchise's principal owner until his death in 1988. The Rooney family has retained a controlling interest ever since.

The Pirates took the field for the first time on September 20 against the New York Giants at Forbes Field, losing 23–2. The following week, the team got its first win, defeating the Chicago Cardinals at home 14–13.

The team finished 3–6–2 for the season.

Regular season

[edit]

Schedule

[edit]
Game Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap Sources
1 September 20 New York Giants L 2–23 0–1 Forbes Field 20,000 Recap
2 September 27 Chicago Cardinals W 14–13 1–1 Forbes Field 5,000 Recap
3 October 4 Boston Redskins L 6–21 1–2 Forbes Field 15,000 Recap
4 October 11 Cincinnati Reds W 17–3 2–2 Forbes Field 5,000 Recap
5 October 15 at Green Bay Packers L 0–47 2–3 City Stadium 4,000 Recap
6 October 22 at Cincinnati Reds T 0–0 2–3–1 Redland Field 900 Recap [2]
7 October 29 at Boston Redskins W 16–14 3–3–1 Fenway Park 7,500 Recap
8 November 5 at Brooklyn Dodgers T 3–3 3–3–2 Ebbets Field 15,000 Recap
9 November 12 Brooklyn Dodgers L 0–32 3–4–2 Forbes Field 12,000 Recap
10 November 19 at Philadelphia Eagles L 6–25 3–5–2 Baker Bowl 6,000 Recap
— Bye
11 December 3 at New York Giants L 3-27 3–6–2 Polo Grounds 10,000 Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings

[edit]
NFL Eastern Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
New York Giants 11 3 0 .786 7–1 244 101 W7
Brooklyn Dodgers 5 4 1 .556 2–2–1 93 54 L2
Boston Redskins 5 5 2 .500 2–3 103 97 T1
Philadelphia Eagles 3 5 1 .375 1–2 77 158 L2
Pittsburgh Pirates 3 6 2 .333 1–5–1 67 208 L3
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
NFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
Chicago Bears 10 2 1 .833 7–0 133 82 W4
Portsmouth Spartans 6 5 0 .545 3–4 128 87 L3
Green Bay Packers 5 7 1 .417 2–4 170 107 L1
Cincinnati Reds 3 6 1 .333 2–2 38 110 W1
Chicago Cardinals 1 9 1 .100 1–5 52 101 T1
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Game summaries

[edit]

Week 1 (Wednesday September 20, 1933): New York Giants

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Giants 0 7 0 16 23
Pirates 0 0 0 2 2

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 20,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 2 (Wednesday September 27, 1933): Chicago Cardinals

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Cardinals 6 7 0 0 13
Pirates 0 7 0 7 14

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 5,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 3 (Wednesday October 4, 1933): Boston Redskins

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 7 0 7 7 21
Pirates 0 0 0 6 6

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 15,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 4 (Wednesday October 11, 1933): Cincinnati Reds

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Reds 3 0 0 0 3
Pirates 7 0 0 10 17

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 5,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 5 (Sunday October 15, 1933): at Green Bay Packers

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 0 0
Packers 7 20 13 7 47

at City Stadium, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 4,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 6 (Sunday October 22, 1933): at Cincinnati Reds

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 0 0
Reds 0 0 0 0 0

at Redland Field, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 900
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • none

Week 7 (Sunday October 29, 1933): at Boston Redskins

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 9 7 0 16
Redskins 7 0 0 7 14

at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 7,500
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 8 (Sunday November 5, 1933): at Brooklyn Dodgers

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 3 3
Dodgers 3 0 0 0 3

at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 15,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 9 (Sunday November 12, 1933): Brooklyn Dodgers

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Dodgers 6 7 13 6 32
Pirates 0 0 0 0 0

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 12,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Brooklyn – Kelly 15 run (kick failed)
  • Brooklyn – Kelly 70 punt return (Hickman kick)
  • Brooklyn – Nash 61 pass from Cagle (kick failed)
  • Brooklyn – Kelly 2 run (Kelly kick)
  • Brooklyn – Fishel 7 run (kick failed)

Week 10 (Sunday November 19, 1933): at Philadelphia Eagles

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 6 6
Eagles 6 0 13 6 25

at Baker Bowl, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 6,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

Week 12 (Sunday December 3, 1933): at New York Giants

[edit]
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 3 0 0 3
Giants 0 0 7 20 27

at Polo Grounds, New York City

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 10,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Tom Bennett et al. (eds.), The NFL's Official Encyclopedic History of Professional Football. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977; p. 200.
  2. ^ Lou Smith, "Reds in Scoreless Tie in Game With Pirates: Wet Field Slows Up Pro Contest: Only Handful of Fans at Redland Field," Cincinnati Enquirer, Oct. 23, 1933, pp. 13–14.
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