1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season: Difference between revisions

1933 Pittsburgh Pirates season
1933 Pittsburgh Pirates season
Owner	Art Rooney
Head coach	Forrest Douds
Home field	Forbes Field
Results
Record	3–6–2
Division place	5th Eastern Division
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
	Pirates seasons; 1934 →;

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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

Schedule

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

NFL Eastern Division
view talk edit	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
view talk edit	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

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

	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:

New York – Strong 33 interception (Strong kick)
Pittsburgh – Safety, Strong punt blocked out of end zone by Oehler
New York – Newman 5 run (Strong kick)
New York – FG Newman 39
New York – Burnett 37 pass from Newman (kick failed)

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

	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:

Chicago Cardinals – McNally 51 intercepted lateral (kick failed)
Chicago Cardinals – Moe 35 pass from Lillard (Lillard kick)
Pittsburgh – Kottler 99 interception (Kelsch kick)
Pittsburgh – Moss 11 pass from Tanguay (Kelsch kick)

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

	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:

Boston – Battles 70 punt return (Musick kick)
Boston – Musick 1 run (Musick kick)
Boston – Holmer 1 run (LaPresta kick)
Pittsburgh – Brovelli 1 run (kick failed)

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

	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:

Cincinnati – FG Clark 12
Pittsburgh – Westfall 2 run (Brovelli kick)
Pittsburgh – FG Kelsch 36
Pittsburgh – Vaughan 3 run (Westfall kick)

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

	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:

Green Bay – Hinkle 1 run (Monnett kick)
Green Bay – Monnett 7 run (kick failed)
Green Bay – Goldenberg 67 interception (Grove kick)
Green Bay – Goldenberg 3 run (Monnett kick)
Green Bay – Bruder 52 run (Herber kick)
Green Bay – Monnett 12 run (kick failed)
Green Bay – Englemann 40 lateral from Monnett after 9 pass from Herber (Monnett kick)

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

	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

	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:

Boston – Battles 5 run (Musick kick)
Pittsburgh – Moss 30 pass from Holm (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – FG Engebretsen 21
Pittsburgh – Westfall 60 pass from Holm (Brovelli kick)
Boston – Weller run (Musick kick)

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

	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:

Brooklyn – FG Hickman 30
Pittsburgh – FG Kelsch 15

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

	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

	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:

Philadelphia – Hanson run (kick failed)
Philadelphia – Carter pass from Kirkman (Kirkman kick)
Philadelphia – Carter pass from Kirkman (kick failed)
Pittsburgh – Brovelli run (kick failed)
Philadelphia – Woodruff run (kick failed)

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

	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:

Pittsburgh – FG Kelsch 14
New York – Krause 20 pass from Strong (Strong kick)
New York – Badgro 25 pass from Newman (kick failed)
New York – Richards 14 pass from Newman (Richards kick)
New York – Richards 22 run (Krause pass from Newman)

References

^ ^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.
^ 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.

[Bennett-1] 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.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{short description|Inaugural season of NFL team Pittsburgh Steelers}}
 {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2013}}
+[[File:1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL).jpg|thumb|right|400px|Pittsburgh Pirates 1933 team photo]]
 {{Infobox NFL season
 | team = Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL)
@@ Line 6: / Line 8: @@
 | record = 3–6–2
 | division_place = 5th [[Eastern Division (NFL) 1933–66|Eastern Division]]
-| coach = [[Forrest Douds]]
 | owner = [[Art Rooney]]
+| general manager =
+| coach = [[Forrest Douds]]
 | stadium = [[Forbes Field]]
 | playoffs = ''Did not qualify''
@@ Line 15: / Line 18: @@
 | shortnavlink = Pirates seasons
 }}
-The '''1933 Pittsburgh Pirates''' was the debut season of the team that eventually became the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]. The team was founded 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. The new squad was composed largely of local [[semi-professional|semi-pro]] players, many of whom played for sports promoter [[Art Rooney]]. Rooney became the Pirates owner, paying the NFL a $2,500 fee to join the league. Except for a brief period in [[History of the Pittsburgh Steelers#1940–41: A new name and a "new" team|1940 and '41]], Rooney would remain the franchise's principal owner until his death in 1988. The [[Rooney family]] has retained a controlling interest ever since.
+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>
-The team took the field for the first time on September 20 against the [[New York Giants]] at [[Forbes Field]], losing 2-23. The following week, the team got its first win, defeating the [[Chicago Cardinals (NFL, 1920–59)|Chicago Cardinals]] at home 14–13.
+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.
+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 />
+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.
+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.
 The team finished 3–6–2 for the season.
-[[File:1933 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL).jpg|thumb|right|300px|Pittsburgh Pirates 1933 team photo]]
 ==Regular season==
@@ Line 25: / Line 34: @@
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 |-
-! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Week
+! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Game
 ! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Date
 ! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Opponent
@@ Line 31: / Line 40: @@
 ! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Record
 ! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Venue
+! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Attendance
 ! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Recap
+! style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"| Sources
 |-style="background:#fcc"
 ! 1
@@ Line 39: / Line 50: @@
 | 0–1
 | [[Forbes Field]]
+| 20,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193309200pit.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#cfc"
 ! 2
@@ Line 47: / Line 60: @@
 | 1–1
 | Forbes Field
+| 5,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193309270pit.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#fcc"
 ! 3
@@ Line 55: / Line 70: @@
 | 1–2
 | Forbes Field
+| 15,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310040pit.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#cfc"
 ! 4
@@ Line 63: / Line 80: @@
 | 2–2
 | Forbes Field
+| 5,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310110pit.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#fcc"
 ! 5
@@ Line 71: / Line 90: @@
 | 2–3
 | [[City Stadium (Green Bay)|City Stadium]]
+| 4,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310150gnb.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#ffc"
 ! 6
@@ Line 78: / Line 99: @@
 | '''T''' 0–0
 | 2–3–1
-| [[Redland Field]]
+| [[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
@@ Line 87: / Line 110: @@
 | 3–3–1
 | [[Fenway Park]]
+| 7,500
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193310290was.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#ffc"
 ! 8
@@ Line 95: / Line 120: @@
 | 3–3–2
 | [[Ebbets Field]]
+| 15,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193311050bkn.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#fcc"
 ! 9
@@ Line 103: / Line 130: @@
 | 3–4–2
 | Forbes Field
+| 12,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193311050bkn.htm Recap]
+|
 |-style="background:#fcc"
 ! 10
@@ Line 111: / Line 140: @@
 | 3–5–2
 | [[Baker Bowl]]
+| 6,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193311190phi.htm Recap]
+|
 |-
-! 11
+! —
-| colspan="6" | ''[[Bye (sports)|Bye]]''
+| colspan="8" | ''[[Bye (sports)|Bye]]''
 |-style="background:#fcc"
-! 12
+! 11
 | December 3
 | at '''[[1933 New York Giants season|New York Giants]]'''
@@ Line 122: / Line 153: @@
 | 3–6–2
 | [[Polo Grounds]]
+| 10,000
 | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/193312030nyg.htm Recap]
+|
-|-style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Pirates|year=1933|border=2}}"
+|-
-|colspan="8"| '''Note:''' Intra-division opponents are in '''bold''' text.
+|colspan="10"| '''Note:''' Intra-division opponents are in '''bold''' text.
 |}
 ==Standings==
 {{1933 NFL Eastern standings}}
+{{1933 NFL Western standings}}
 ==Game summaries==
@@ Line 184: / Line 218: @@
 '''Scoring drives:'''
-* '''Chicago Cardinals''' – [[Frank McNally|McNally]] 51 intercepted lateral (kick failed)
+* '''Chicago Cardinals''' – [[Frank McNally (American football)|McNally]] 51 intercepted lateral (kick failed)
 * '''Chicago Cardinals''' – [[Hal Moe|Moe]] 35 pass from [[Joe Lillard|Lillard]] ([[Joe Lillard|Lillard]] kick)
 * '''Pittsburgh''' – [[Martin Kottler|Kottler]] 99 interception ([[Mose Kelsch|Kelsch]] kick)
@@ Line 293: / Line 327: @@
 * '''Game time:'''
 * '''Game weather:'''
-* '''Game attendance:'''
+* '''Game attendance:''' 900
 * '''Referee:'''
 * '''TV announcers:'''
@@ Line 444: / Line 478: @@
 ==References==
+{{reflist}}
 {{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
 {{Pittsburgh Steelers seasons}}
@@ Line 453: / Line 489: @@
 [[Category:1933 National Football League season by team|Pittsburgh]]
 [[Category:1933 in sports in Pennsylvania|Pittsburg Pir]]
+[[Category:1930s in Pittsburgh]]

v t e Pittsburgh Steelers
Founded in 1933 Formerly the Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1939) Based and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Franchise	History All-Time Team 50th Season Legends team Seasons Logos and uniforms Coaches All-time roster (A–K, L–Z) Starting quarterbacks First-round draft picks Records
Stadiums	Home fields: Forbes Field Pitt Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Acrisure Stadium Training facilities: Rooney Field Point Stadium UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Chuck Noll Field
Culture	Football in Western Pennsylvania Rooney family Myron Cope Steelmark Steeler Nation Terrible Towel Steel Curtain Black Sunday Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story Evening Shade The Chief "Pennsylvania Polka" (song) "Renegade" "Here We Go" "Black and Yellow" YinzCam This Is Us Steel Curtain Roller Coaster
Lore	Steelers lore J.P. Rooneys Pennsylvania Keystoners Pennsylvania Polka Steagles Card-Pitt Steelerettes Immaculate Reception 1975 AFC Championship Game Immaculate Deflection Jerome Bettis trade Immaculate Redemption/The Tackle 3:16 game Killer B's
Rivalries	Baltimore Ravens Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Las Vegas Raiders New England Patriots Philadelphia Eagles Tennessee Titans
Media	Broadcasters KDKA-TV WPKD-TV SportsNet Pittsburgh Charlie Batch Chris Hoke Radio Network WDVE-FM WBGG-AM Bill Hillgrove Tunch Ilkin Craig Wolfley Steelers figures in broadcasting
Division championships (24)	1972 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1983 1984 1992 1994 1995 1996 1997 2001 2002 2004 2007 2008 2010 2014 2016 2017 2020
Conference championships (8)	1974 1975 1978 1979 1995 2005 2008 2010
League championships (6)	1974 (IX) 1975 (X) 1978 (XIII) 1979 (XIV) 2005 (XL) 2008 (XLIII)
Retired numbers	32 70 75
Hall of Fame members	Players: Bettis Blount Bradshaw Butler Dawson Dudley Faneca Greene Ham Harris Johnson Lambert Layne Polamalu Shell Stallworth Stautner Swann Webster Woodson Coaches and administration: Bell Cowher Kiesling Noll Art Rooney Dan Rooney
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League Conference: American Football Conference Division: North Division

v t e Pittsburgh Steelers seasons
Formerly the Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1939)
1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Bold indicates Super Bowl victory Italics indicates Super Bowl appearance