"1926 American Football League... Long Forgotten! Football Historian Although there have been four attempts to field American Football League, the first was a dismal failure and lasted only one season, 1926. The original AFL and the final standings: Philadelphia Quakers 7-2..... New York Yankees 9-5..... Cleveland Panthers 3-2..... Los Angeles Wildcats 6-6-2..... Chicago Bulls 5-6-3..... Boston Bulldogs 2-4..... Rock Island Independents 2-5-1.... Brooklyn Horsemen 1-3..... Newark Bears 0-4-2. Outside of New York area - attendance was low - and only three teams remained in business at the end of the season - the Quakers, Yankees and Wildcats, who played all its games on the road. Timothy J. Mara had just purchased a National Football League franchise the year before (1925-New York Giants), and was forced into head-to-head financial competition with the AFL 1926 New York Yankees, who played in Yankee Stadium. Mara had suffered financially during 1926 and at season's end challenged the Yankees to a game. Yanks' owner C. C. Pyle agreed to it at first, but on second thoughts backed down. So, Mara then approached the Philadelphia Quakers, champions of the new American League. The Quakers, anxious to face a NFL team, quickly agreed. The AFL had achieved in one year what other challengers to the NFL could not.
