East Hartford Velodrome
| Founded | 1924 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1927 |
| Based in |
Hartford, Connecticut, USA (1925–1927) Waterbury, Connecticut (1924–1925) |
| League |
National Football League (1926) Independent (1924–1925, 1927) |
| Team history | Waterbury Blues (1924–25) Hartford Blues (1925–26) Hartford Giants (1927) |
| Team colors |
Blue, White (1924–1926) |
| Nickname(s) | "George Mulligan's Blues" |
| Head coaches |
Dick McGrath (1924–25) Jack Keogh (1926) Vincent Lacava (1927) |
| Owner(s) | George Mulligan |
| Other League Championship wins | 1924, 1925 (State Titles) |
| Home field(s) | Brassco Field (1924–25) Clarkin Field (1925) East Hartford Velodrome (1926–27) |
Blue, White (1924–1926)
Black, Orange (1927)
The Hartford Blues of the National Football League played only in the 1926 NFL season, with a record of 3–7. The team was based in Hartford, Connecticut but played at the East Hartford Velodrome.
The Blues began as the Waterbury Blues and were owned by George Mulligan, the leading sports promoter in Connecticut during the 1920s. He hired local men, both former college players and walk-ons, at a per game wage. The players practiced once a week, on Sunday morning, just before each game. In 1925 Mulligan set his sights on signing Harry Stuhldreher, the quarterback of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame. He immediately accepted Mulligan's offer to play for the Blues for $7,500, plus a $500 bonus. Waterbury's other top backs at the start of the 1925 season were Ken Simendinger, from Holy Cross, and Dutch Forst, from Villanova. The line featured two other Notre Dame alumni. Ed Hunsinger played with the Four Horsemen in 1924 and rejoined Stuhldreher as an end in Waterbury. Art Garvey, a brawny tackle, had played pro ball for several years since leaving Notre Dame in 1922. He had received some All-League mention as a Chicago Bear in 1923. Another lineman, Dick McGrath, doubled as captain and coach.
The Blues opened their season on September 27 by whipping a team from Yonkers, New York 32–0. Soon after, Mulligan signed Jim Crowley, another ex-Horseman, to join Stuhldreher in the backfield against Adams, Massachusetts. Crowley's regular job was assistant coach at the University of Georgia. The Blues put on a good show by driving to a 34–0 triumph, with Crowley scoring three touchdowns and Stuhldreher booting two field goals and three extra points. Crowley picked up his check after the game and left the team.
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