Minneapolis Marines The Minneapolis Marines were an early professional football team that existed from 1905 until 1924 . The team was later resurrected from 1929 - 1930 under the Minneapolis Red Jackets banner . The Marines were owned locally by Minneapolitans John Dunn and Val Ness , and composed primarily of working - class teenagers . Some of the first games were played at Camden Park , Parade Stadium , and Bottineau Field . Later games were played at larger stadiums such as Nicollet Park and Lexington Park . The Minneapolis Marines are of historical value to Minnesota , as they are the first Minnesota - based team to join the National Football League , pre - dating the Duluth Eskimos ( 1923 ) and Minnesota Vikings ( 1961 ) . History . Origins . The Marines , formed mostly in 1905 , were composed of working - class teenagers that came from the area that is located close to the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome at the junction between Cedar and Washington Avenues . The team began play in the 115 - pound weight class , and by 1907 had moved up to the 145 - pound weight class . The team ' s 1907 roster consisted of future professional stars Walt Buland , Sheepy Redeen , Dutch Gaustad and its star player Rube Ursella . In 1909 future boxer , Labe Safro , joined the team as a fullback . These players reperesented the core of the team until 1919 . The Marines would only have players on the team with no high school or college playing experience until 1913 . During the 1910s , the Minneapolis Marines became known as one of the best and dominant " independent " teams in the upper Midwest region . It is thought that the Minneapolis Marines defensive line brought the Marines most of their wins as the defense was extremely strong . Headed by Buland and Gaustad , this rock solid defense allowed the Marines to step it up to the next level . Hiring ex - college players . Between 1910 and 1914 , the year ' s biggest football game in Minneapolis independent football was between the Minneapolis Beavers and the Minneapolis Marines . In contrast to the Marines , most of the Beaver players had college experience playing at the University of St . Thomas . The Marines defeated the Beavers in 1910 to win the city title . However in 1911 and 1912 , the Beavers pulled off upsets against the Marines . This led to the team hiring an outside coach , Ossie Solem . He would stay with the team through the 1915 season . During his time with the Marines , Solem introduced the team to the single - wing formation , developed by the famed coach Pop Warner and used by the University of Minnesota at the time . In 1913 and 1914 , the Marines defeated the Beavers to reclaim the Minneapolis city championship . The Beavers disbanded after the 1914 season . By 1916 the Marines added several other ex - college players to their lineup . The most notable was Bobby Marshall , who was the first African - American player at the University of Minnesota , having played there from 1903 until 1906 . By 1916 Marshall was one of the best semi - pro players in the Twin Cities area . Dewey Lyle and Fred Chicken , who would later became a future pro star in the NFL , were also picked up around that time . Many players that made the Marines squad had previously played for big college teams such as the University of Minnesota , Hamline University , Augsburg College , Macalester College , and Carleton College . Peak of the team . The Marines initially won many of their games as they were participating in a semi - pro league . Dunn , who served the team as a player and manager , was extremely happy with the Marines ' initial performance and he wanted to move his team into the professional leagues . Dunn moved the Marines away from the teams they had already beaten and into the new Nicollet Park , which was also the home of the Minneapolis Millers baseball team , and was larger than the team ' s previous fields . Dunn scheduled games against out of town teams and the Marines went on to have a substantial winning streak of 34 games in a row . However with the team ' s former rivals , the Beavers , out of the picture , the Marines had no strong local opposition . This led Dunn to schedule an annual Thanksgiving game against a team of ex - Gophers all - stars from the University of Minnesota . From 1913 until 1917 , while the Marines posted a 34 - 0 regular season record , the team was 0 - 2 - 1 against the Gophers All - Stars . The NFL and first closure . Independent football shut down completely in 1918 , due to a combination of the flu pandemic and World War I . When the Marines were finally able to play again , in 1919 , they lost several of their key players who moved to the Rock Island Independents . With their core players ( Marshall , Ursella , Buland , Lyle , and Chicken ) gone , the Marines were unable to regain their pre - war form causing attendance to decline after 1919 . Dunn tried to find a way to keep the team solvent . In 1921 , the Minneapolis Marines joined the American Professional Football Association ( later renamed the National Football League in 1922 ) . Dunn hoped that if the Marines were playing professional football , there would be more fans and more money generated . The Marines had posted a 4 - 11 - 2 record against NFL teams from 1921 until 1923 . After posting an 0 - 6 record in 1924 , Dunn folded the team . The Red Jackets and second closure . Dunn and Val Ness attempted to resurrect their franchise in 1929 with a new version of the Marines . Though Ole Haugsrud had first rights to the next Minnesota - based franchise ( a deal resulting from his sale of the Duluth Eskimos back to the league in 1927 ) , he passed , letting Dunn and Val Ness have control over the new team . The pair decided to try one more time to produce an effective professional football team , as they became the new owners of the Minneapolis Red Jackets . The team was named for their red jerseys with red and white striped sleeves , like that which the Marines had worn years earlier . The team posted a dismal 1 - 9 record in 1929 . The Red Jackets finished in the " red " financially , but not far from breaking even , primarily because they played three games with the Chicago Bears that season . In 1930 , they planned to play their four home games in October in Minneapolis ' Nicollet Park . The franchise hoped for good weather , thus stimulating better attendance . However it rained on each scheduled date and the team went broke . After a 1 - 7 - 1 start in 1930 , the Red Jackets merged with the NFL ' s Frankford Yellow Jackets by selling the team ten of their players , and then went out of existence . Three other players were sold to the Green Bay Packers . Minneapolis would not hold another NFL franchise for the next three decades , before the Vikings debuted in 1961 ( Haugsrud would own a 10 % share of that franchise ) . First pro football training camp . The Minneapolis Marines are especially known for their lack of prior football experience and their outstanding ability to still remain one of the best " independent " teams in the upper midwest regions . They worked hard and did everything they could to gain an edge over the competition and be at the top of their game . They would hold pre - season training camps in order to get in shape and hone their skills , one of which was called Clef Camp located near Lake Pokegama in Grand Rapids , Minnesota .