Union Club of Phoenixville
| Founded | 1907 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1921 |
| Based in | Phoenixville, Pennsylvania (1907-1921) |
| League | Independent (1907-1921) |
| Team history | Union Club (1907-1919) Phoenix Athletic Club (1919) Union Club of Phoenixville (1920-1921) |
| Team colors | Red, White |
| Nickname(s) | "Big Red" |
| Undefeated seasons | 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1915, 1918, 1920 |
| Home field(s) | Baker Bowl |
The Union Club of Phoenixville was a professional football team based in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. The team was the result of a 1919 merger between the Phoenixville Union Club and the upstart Phoenix Athletic Club. From 1907 until 1919, the Union Club was considered one of the best football teams in eastern Pennsylvania. However, in 1919 the upstart Phoenix Athletic Club signed many of the top players of the area, leaving the Union Club no choice but to merge with the Phoenix A.C. The team is best known for defeating the Canton Bulldogs 14-7, in 1920. The team however would fold in 1921.
In 1907 the Phoenixville Union Club fielded its first football team. The team frequently played rival clubs from Schuylkill County, as well as teams from Philadelphia and New Jersey. Within a few years, the Union Club became one of the strongest teams in the region. Several times they were declared the mythical "Champions of the Schuylkill Valley" and "Champions of Eastern Pennsylvania". However, the team experienced tragedy on occasion. In November 1913, George Gay, a star player for the Ursinus College football team, died from a neck injury three days after it was broken in a Phoenixille-Pottstown game. He broke his neck after being tackled from behind.
World War I and the 1918 flu pandemic had a severe impact on Phoenixville's 1917 football season. The team had only managed to schedule 5 games in 1917, while only one game was played in 1918. In 1919, the Union Club and the new Phoenix Athletic Club merged. The merger began when the Phoenix Athletic Club signed away many of the area's top football players. This left Union in a dilemma. In 1919, Union played what should have been an easy game against a local high school. However that game resulted in scoreless tie. As a result, the Union Club merged with the Phoenix A. C.
Meanwhile, the Union Club of Phoenixville ended their 1919 season with a 6-0-3 record. The final game of the season against the Conshohocken Athletic Club, ended in a scoreless tie. However Phoenixville, managed to sign many ex-college players to their roster including; Heinie Miller of Penn and Butch Spagna of Lehigh University.
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