Eastern League of Professional Football
| Sport | Football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1926 |
| Founder | James H. Gildea |
| Ceased | 1927 |
| Director | Herman Meyer |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country | United States |
| Last champion(s) |
All-Lancaster Red Roses |
| Most titles | All-Lancaster Red Roses |
The Eastern League of Professional Football was a football league formed in 1926 by independent clubs from Pennsylvania and New Jersey (separate from the "Eastern Pennsylvania Football League" which played in the late 1930s and early 1940s before World War II, along with the Middle Atlantic's Dixie League). The Eastern League was a regional minor league that never intended to challenge either the National Football League or even Red Grange's new American Football League's, dominance over the sport. In the league's only season the championship was awarded to All-Lancaster Red Roses over the Bethlehem Bears in a controversial move.
In January 1926, James H. Gildea, the owner/manager of the Coaldale Big Green football club, began pushing his idea for a football league in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Gildea's intention was to organize a circuit of teams that were well established and successful but unable to compete financially with the teams of the National Football League. As the core of the new circuit, Gildea sought out the membership of the old Anthracite League clubs. He also courted several other well established Pennsylvania and New Jersey clubs.
By the time the 1926 football season opened, ten teams were on board with the newly christened Eastern League of Professional Football. The league's first season had plenty of ups and downs, including financial difficulties that led one club to drop out of the circuit, and a controversy surrounding the championship. The game on the field, however, was very competitive. Five teams had league records of .500 or better. However the Eastern League's still remained organized until the next season.
The Bethlehem Bears and the All-Lancaster Red Roses were the top two teams in the league. On November 28, 1926 both teams meet for a game that would most likely determine the league champion. The Bears won the 3-0 due to a last minute field goal by Gyp Downey.
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