# 1921 Chicago Cardinals season

The 1921 Chicago Cardinals season was their second in the American Professional Football Association. The Cardinals failed to improve on their previous output of 6–2–2, winning only three APFA games. They finished eighth in the league.
Although a myth persists that the team billed itself as the "Racine Cardinals", by 1921, the press generally referred to the team as the "Chicago Cardinals" and references to Chris O'Brien's team with the Racine name were few. The team had no connection to Racine, Wisconsin, and played at Normal Park on Chicago's Racine Avenue.

## Schedule

| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
| – | September 25 | Racine Horlick-Legion | W 27–0 | — | Normal Park | | — |
| 1 | October 2 | Minneapolis Marines | W 20–0 | 1–0 | Normal Park | 4,000 | Recap |
| 2 | October 9 | Akron Pros | L 0–23 | 1–1 | Normal Park | 6,000 | Recap |
| 3 | October 16 | Rock Island Independents | L 7–14 | 1–2 | Normal Park | 4,000 | Recap |
| 4 | October 23 | Columbus Panhandles | W 17–6 | 2–2 | Normal Park | 6,000 | Recap |
| — | October 30 | Hammond Pros | postponed due to heavy rain | postponed due to heavy rain | postponed due to heavy rain | postponed due to heavy rain | postponed due to heavy rain |
| 5 | November 6 | Hammond Pros | W 7–0 | 3–2 | Normal Park | | Recap |
| — | November 11 | Canton Bulldogs | cancelled due to unplayable muddy field | cancelled due to unplayable muddy field | cancelled due to unplayable muddy field | cancelled due to unplayable muddy field | cancelled due to unplayable muddy field |
| 6 | November 20 | Green Bay Packers | T 3–3 | 3–2–1 | Normal Park | 2,000 | Recap |
| – | November 24 | Chicago Stayms-Catholic Foresters | W 27–0 | — | Pyott Park | | — |
| – | November 27 | Gary Elks | W 21–0 | — | Normal Park | 2,000 | — |
| 7 | December 4 | Akron Pros | L 0–7 | 3–3–1 | Normal Park | 3,500 | Recap |
| 8 | December 18 | at Chicago Staleys | T 0–0 | 3–3–2 | Cubs Park | 2,700 | Recap |
| — | January 9 | Chicago Stayms-Foresters | W 6–0 | — | Normal Park | 3,000 | — |
| Note: Games in italics are non-league opponents. Armistice Day: November 11. Thanksgiving: November 24. |||||||||

## Standings

APFA standings :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK |
| Chicago Staleys | 9 | 1 | 1 | .900 | 128 | 53 | T1 |
| Buffalo All-Americans | 9 | 1 | 2 | .900 | 211 | 29 | L1 |
| Akron Pros | 8 | 3 | 1 | .727 | 148 | 31 | W1 |
| Canton Bulldogs | 5 | 2 | 3 | .714 | 106 | 55 | W1 |
| Rock Island Independents | 4 | 2 | 1 | .667 | 65 | 30 | L1 |
| Evansville Crimson Giants | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 89 | 46 | W1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 3 | 2 | 1 | .600 | 70 | 55 | L1 |
| Dayton Triangles | 4 | 4 | 1 | .500 | 96 | 67 | L1 |
| Chicago Cardinals | 3 | 3 | 2 | .500 | 54 | 53 | T1 |
| Rochester Jeffersons | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 85 | 76 | W2 |
| Cleveland Tigers | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 95 | 58 | L1 |
| Washington Senators | 1 | 2 | 0 | .334 | 21 | 43 | L1 |
| Cincinnati Celts | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 14 | 117 | L2 |
| Hammond Pros | 1 | 3 | 1 | .250 | 17 | 45 | L2 |
| Minneapolis Marines | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 37 | 41 | L1 |
| Detroit Tigers | 1 | 5 | 1 | .167 | 19 | 109 | L5 |
| Columbus Panhandles | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 47 | 222 | W1 |
| Tonawanda Kardex | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 45 | L1 |
| Muncie Flyers | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 28 | L2 |
| Louisville Brecks | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 27 | L2 |
| New York Brickley Giants | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 72 | L2 |
    Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

## Roster

The 1921 Chicago Cardinals consisted the following players, with the number of league games played appended in parentheses. One member of the team, star quarterback Paddy Driscoll, was later inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame.
Linemen
* Willis Brennan (6)
* Garland Buckeye (5)
* Leo Chappell (1)
* Fred Gillies (8)
* Charlie Knight (4)
* Paul LaRoss (2)
* Rube Marquardt (3)
* Nick McInerney (6)
* Red O'Connor (5)
* Frank Rydzeski (8)
* Lenny Sachs (8)
* Walter Voight (1)
* Clyde Zoia (8)
Backs
* Norm Barry (3)
* Ping Bodie (1)
* Harry Curran (1)
* Paddy Driscoll (8)
* Dick Egan (1)
* Bernie Halstrom (5)
* Arnie Horween (3)
* Ralph Horween (2)
* Bob Koehler (4)
* Earl Potteiger (1)
* John Scanlon (4)
* Pete Steger (6)