Duquesne Country & Athletic
History 1895-1900 (6 seasons)

Teams Pittsburgh Duquesne Country & Athletic

The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club was a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1895 until 1900. The team was considered one of the best, if not the best, professional football teams in the country from 1898 until 1900. However, the team is most famous for being the first football franchise to be owned by an individual, William Chase Temple. Duquesne fielded the best team in Pittsburgh since 1895. In 1898 the Duquesnes decided to build an even better team. After the 1897 season, the club had signed a number of good players to contracts for the next year. However at this time, many of the players went into the army in the spring to fight in the Spanish–American War. This led the Duquesnes to sign replacements for those players in the army. While this at first looked to be a bad sign for Duquesne for the 1898 season, it later became a blessing in disguise. Many of replacement player that were signed proved to perform better than the originals. Then when the war ended in just a few short months and the original players returned home, the Duquesnes suddenly found themselves with a load of expensive stars. In fact it became apparent that the bench-warmers for the Duquesnes would actually be star players on lesser teams. Those players; tight end Tommy Randolph, offensive tackle Otto Wagonhurst, offensive guard John Wienstein, and running back Don McNeil would have been regulars for the rival Pittsburgh Athletic Club.

The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club was a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1895 until 1900. The team was considered one of the best, if not the best, professional football teams in the country from 1898 until 1900. However, the team is most famous for being the first football franchise to be owned by an individual, William Chase Temple. Duquesne fielded the best team in Pittsburgh since 1895. In 1898 the Duquesnes decided to build an even better team. After the 1897 season, the club had signed a number of good players to contracts for the next year. However at this time, many of the players went into the army in the spring to fight in the Spanish–American War. This led the Duquesnes to sign replacements for those players in the army. While this at first looked to be a bad sign for Duquesne for the 1898 season, it later became a blessing in disguise. Many of replacement player that were signed proved to perform better than the originals. Then when the war ended in just a few short months and the original players returned home, the Duquesnes suddenly found themselves with a load of expensive stars. In fact it became apparent that the bench-warmers for the Duquesnes would actually be star players on lesser teams. Those players; tight end Tommy Randolph, offensive tackle Otto Wagonhurst, offensive guard John Wienstein, and running back Don McNeil would have been regulars for the rival Pittsburgh Athletic Club.

1897 Duquesne Country & Athletic

1895-1900 (6 seasons)

Duquesne Country & Athletic Team History

All-time franchise record

30-5 (.857)

3 championships in 3 appearances

Top Seasons

Year Record Result

1900 9-2 Missed Postseason

1899 8-0 WPPFC Champions

1898 9-0 Won Championship Game

1895 4-3 Won Championship Game

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Last 5 Seasons

Year Record Result

1900 9-2 Missed Postseason

1899 8-0 WPPFC Champions

1898 9-0 Won Championship Game

1897 Missed Postseason

1896 Missed Postseason

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Longest Serving GM's

Tenure Years General Manager

1895-00 6 William Chase Temple

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Team Owners

Tenure Years Owner

1898-00 3 William Chase Temple

1895-97 3 Duquesne C.A.C

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