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As published in Coffin Corner, a publication of the Professional Football Researchers Association.

Before the 1924 season, Frank McNeil sold the team to Warren D. Patterson and player-coach Tommy Hughitt, who renamed the team the “Buffalo Bisons”. The team would play their games at the new Bison stadium, and practice at the Troop 1 Armory. Before the first game with the Columbus Tigers, Patterson was waiting for a ruling from League President, Joe Carr, on a contract dispute over Benny Boynton. Buffalo claimed that they had Boynton under contract, but Rochester Jeffersons manager Leo Lyons claimed that Boynton belonged to them. Carr demanded that Lyons prove “priority of contract” with Boynton, or else he would be awarded to Buffalo. Failing to prove their case, the Rochester lost Boynton to the Bisons after only one game with the Jeffersons.

The Bisons first test would be against the Columbus Tigers, with pre-game festivities including Buffalo Mayor Frank X. Schwab kicking off the first ball. The Bisons and Tigers were even throughout the first half, but the Bisons came on strong in the second. On the opening drive, Columbus’ Sonny Winters took Frank Morrissey’s kickoff back to the 30-yard line. Buddy Tynes and Bob Rapp combined for rushes of five yards and 40 yards respectively, with Tynes going through the line and Rapp going around left end. On the next play, Winters passed to Rapp for 22 yards (bringing the ball to Buffalo’s three-yard line), where Columbus fumbled and Eddie Kaw recovered. Jack Flavin immediately punted the ball away from the goal line. The first period would end on a Winters interception of a Buffalo forward pass.

In the second period, the Tiger’s first drive consisted of Herb Stock running for 25 yards and passing to Tynes for an extra 15 yards. Then Winters passed to Paul Goebel for 10 more yards. Buffalo held on the next three attempts, forcing Columbus to punt. Tommy Hughitt was inserted into the lineup for Mike Trainor.

In the third period, Andy Nemecek kicked to Benny Boynton, who ran the ball back five yards. Flavin’s punt was blocked, but Hughitt recovered. Both teams then traded interceptions, the first by Tynes and the second by Moose McCormick. After an exchange of punts, Boynton punted to Winters. Winters fumbled and Lou Feist recovered on the Tiger’s 11-yard line. Buffalo was stopped on the next three attempts when Morrissey was sent in to kick a field goal from the Tiger 20-yard line. Later, Nemecek kicked off to Flavin, who ran the ball back 25 yards. The Bisons made a first down on a six-yard pass from Boynton to Glen Carberry, followed by a run from Hughitt. The period ended with Flavin running for three more yards.

The fourth period started like the third period ended:  with a Flavin run, this time for four yards. The Orange and Black made it to the Columbus 22-yard line on a 15-yard run through the center of the Tiger line. Boynton followed with a 4-yard run, but the Tigers held on the next three plays. Morrissey kicked the field goal from the 30-yard line. After the kickoff, Chick Guarnieri replaced Pete Calac after Calac broke his nose. The Tigers were able to drive to the Bison 22-yard line, but Columbus was held on downs. Soon after, Boynton punted to Winters who was stopped at midfield. Guarnieri then intercepted a pass, returning it for five yards. The Bisons gained 20 yards on a pass from Kaw to Boynton. Morrissey positioned himself to kick the field goal from the 40-yard line, but Hughitt faked and passed to Boynton for 10 yards and the ball on the Tiger 20-yard line. Boynton then ran it in for the score. He also drop-kicked the extra point to end the game.

The game was not without controversy, however, when Columbus repeatedly grouped their players together before each play. Formal protests were made to League President Carr, and his ruling was that this system is used at many eastern colleges, and that pro teams could adopt this practice. However officials are to speed up the games by not allowing the players to group together for more time than it takes to call the signals.

Ex-Yale star Nelson Talbot brought his Dayton Triangles to Buffalo the following week. The Bisons had a tough time with the Triangles, although Dayton was not able to score until the final quarter. The game started with Lou Partlow kicking to Jack Flavin, who returned it for 30 yards. The only positive play of this possession was a pass from Eddie Kaw to Benny Boynton for 10 yards. Dayton then held the Bisons, and Flavin punted to Ray Keuhl. Neither team could sustain any offense the rest of the quarter, resolving in a punting duel to finish the first.

Ken Jones was replaced by Mike Trainor at the start of the second quarter.  Gus Redman punted to Boynton, but Benny fumbled at midfield with Dayton recovering. Mahrt then ran for 18 yards, and Redman connected with Waddy Kuehl on a forward pass to move the Triangles to the Buffalo 20-yard line. Flavin stopped the drive by intercepting a Dayton forward pass, but he fumbled and Boynton fell on the ball. Flavin then punted to Kuehl, who fumbled at midfield with Kaw falling on the ball. A five-yard forward pass from Kaw to Boynton put Buffalo in position for a field goal, but Kaw’s try went low. Later, Frank Morrissey tried a field goal from the 40-yard line, but he also missed. Near the end of the half, Moose McCormick fell on a blocked punt on the Triangle 20-yard line. This set up Morrissey for another field goal attempt; this time missing from 25 yards.

Neither team could score in the third quarter, but Dayton was able to score in the fourth. Soon after the start of the final period, Dayton blocked Boynton’s punt. The ball rolled to Buffalo’s 35-yard line where Bacon fell on it. An Al Mahrt-to-Frank Bacon forward pass gave the Triangles 10 yards, and a Mahrt-to-Lee Fenner pass put Dayton on the Bison two-yard line. Partlow ran through right guard for the touchdown, with Russ Hathoway kicking the extra point.

Buffalo’s next game was against the Rochester Jeffersons, with the Jeffersons still bitter over the Benny Boynton contract dispute at the beginning of the season. During the week before the game, Buffalo released Jack Flavin, Ken Jones, and Glen Carberry. Frank Simmons of Brown and Len Watters of Springfield were signed to replace them. Frank Morrissey twisted his knee in the game against the Triangles, and would be out approximately two weeks.

Buffalo started the game by putting the ball in the air. Their opening drive brought the Bisons to the Rochester 20-yard line; unfortunately for the Orange and Black, Calac fumbled the ball with John Dooley recovering. Both teams exchanged punts, then Leo Peyton intercepted Chick Guarnieri’s pass, returning it 15 yards. Rochester attempted a field goal from the Buffalo 40-yard line, but McCormick blocked the kick and Guarneiri fell on the ball.

The Bisons began to move the ball again toward the end of the first quarter (and into the second quarter). Boynton rushed for eight yards to open the second period, bringing the Bisons to the Rochester seven-yard line. Tommy Hughitt then rushed for five more, but that was the end of the Buffalo advance. Boynton kicked the field goal from the 15-yard line. Buffalo again drove deep into the Rochester end of the field, this time to the Jefferson two-yard line, but Buffalo was not able to cross the line. Rochester even pushed the Bisons back five yards, losing possession on downs. Shag Sheard punted away from the endzone, with Boynton returning it 10 yards. A Boynton-to-Guarnieri forward pass put the ball on the Jefferson 10-yard line. Eddie Kaw then tossed a pass to Boynton for the touchdown, and Boynton drop-kicked the extra point. Buffalo was able to finish one more drive before the end of the half, this one resulting in a Boynton field goal.

The third quarter started with a sustained Rochester drive, but the Jeffersons were not able to finish. Sheard punted to Boynton, who caught the ball on his own 20-yard line and ran it back 80 yards for the touchdown. Boynton later missed the extra point.

The Bisons scored again in the fourth quarter. Hughitt caught a Boynton forward pass for 25 yards, Guarnieri tossed another to Len Watters for 35 more, and Guarnieri was on the receiving end of a Boynton pass giving Buffalo the ball on the Rochester 20-yard line. Hughitt caught a Boynton pass for eight yards and Mike Trainor ran for 10 more yards. The drive finished with a Boynton forward pass to Guarnieri for the score. Boynton drop-kicked the point after touchdown.

The next game against the Akron Pros turned out to be a nasty one. At several points throughout the game, particularly in the second half, the teams did not just tackle players:  they threw them down with the intention of injuring the opposing player. Buffalo scored first in this hard fought contest when Benny Boynton drop-kicked a field goal from the 35-yard line in the first quarter. Boynon also tossed a forward pass to Chick Guarnieri, which went out of his arms, through an Akron player, and into the waiting arms of Mike Trainor, who ran 12 yards for the touchdown. Boynton drop-kicked the extra point.

After an exchange of punts in the second quarter, Akron started possession at midfield. Wayne Brenkert ran for 12 yards on the first play of the series. The next play was a long forward pass from Michaels to Red Daum. The pass was incomplete, but the referee allowed it because the Bisons interfered with the receiver. This put the ball on the Buffalo nine-yard line. A series of runs, including the last by Brenkert put Akron on the scoreboard. Midge Hogan drop-kicked the extra point. Akron mounted another drive before the end of the half. The second quarter ended with a pass from Michaels to Hogan for 30 yards.

Buffalo started another drive in the third quarter by running the ball. A short pass from Eddie Kaw to Boynton put the ball on the Akron one-yard line. Pete Calac ran for the touchdown and Boynton drop-kicked the field goal. Akron started another drive, moving to the Buffalo 15-yard line when the whistle blew, ending the period.

Akron started the fourth quarter with a touchdown on a forward pass from Michaels to Mills, with Mills leaning over the boxes in the grand stand. Referee J. C. Holderness ruled that the Akron forward pass that went over the goal-line was illegal. Holderness ruled that the ball was caught outside the field of play. This gave the ball to Buffalo on the 20-yard line, however only after protests by Akron. Guarnieri punted the ball to Michaels, who returned it to the Buffalo 40-yard line. Michaels then tossed a forward pass to Brenkert for 12 yards. Hogan continued the drive with a six-yard run. Tommy Hughitt replaced Mike Trainor after Michaels connected with Hogan for 17 yards. Runs by Jim Flower and Michaels put the ball on the Bison one-yard line. Michaels ran for the touchdown, but Hogan missed the extra point.

Akron mounted another drive bringing the ball to the Buffalo one-yard line. Brenkert then fumbled (with Kaw falling on the ball). Guarnieri punted away from the goal line, and Akron started another drive. Boynton intercepted a pass on his own five-yard line, returning it 10 yards and the Bisons stopped another Akron scoring chance. Buffalo punted again after a failed drive. On the final Akron drive, Michaels tossed a forward pass to Mills, but Boynton intercepted it as the whistle blew.

During the week before the game against the Frankford Yellowjackets- which would be the Yellowjacket’s first of the season- the Bisons signed Babe Kraus and former Ohio State captain Iolas Huffman (Huffman, the 6’1”, 235-pound tackle, was a member of the Chicago Bears the previous season). Buffalo did not have a good showing against the Yellowjackets. The Bisons could not stop the Frankford backfield due to the superior line play of the Yellowjacket front line. Frankford had 18 first downs, compared to the five of Buffalo, three coming at the end of the game.

The Bisons started the game with a sustained drive to the Frankford 30-yard line, however Kraus missed the field goal. Buffalo would not have another scoring chance until the fourth quarter. In the beginning of the second quarter, Frankford started a drive which took them to the Buffalo one-yard line. Jack Storer ran the ball in for the touchdown, with Jim Welsh scoring the extra point on a place kick. Frankford mounted another drive in the third quarter. On this drive, Les Haws ran it in for the score. Welsh again scored the extra point on a place kick.

In the fourth quarter, Charlie Way replaced Harry Dayhoff, and subsequently ran several plays for large gains. After an exchange of punts, and Chick Guarnieri kicked the ball out of bounds on the Buffalo 30-yard line, Frankford started another scoring drive, with a Storer-to-Haws forward pass to put the ball on the Bison one-yard line. Haws then ran it in for the score and Welsh again kicked the extra point. Frankford would have one more scoring drive in the game, which would result in a Welsh field goal from the 42-yard line. Buffalo mounted one more drive before the final whistle blew, but it ended with a forward pass over the goal line from Benny Boynton to Eddie Kaw.

After the total defeat of the Bison team at the hands of the Frankford Yellowjackets, the Bisons returned to their old winning ways against the Kenosha Maroons. This was Kenosha’s first year in the league, and they were sponsored by the Nash-Simmons Motor Corporation. The Bison lineup remained the same, with the exception of Guarnieri being replaced by Kraus for kicks (due to Guarnieri having a rough time the previous week against the Yellowjackets). Boynton had an outstanding game with quality runs, kicks and forward passes, scoring 15 of the Bison’s 27 points. He also contributed to the other 13 points with touchdown passes to Guarnieri and Kaw.

On the first drive of the game, the Bisons were able to work their way to the Kenosha 37-yard line before being stopped by the Maroons. Boynton attempted a drop-kick, but it went out of bounds at the five-yard line. Whitey Wolter immediately punted the ball, and Benny Boynton caught it on the Maroon 22-yard line. Lou Feist attempted a field goal and missed, with the ball rolling to the 12-yard line. Kenosha failed to pick up the ball and Eddie Kaw fell on it for the Bisons. Buffalo immediately capitalized on this with a Boynton-to-Chick Guarnieri pass for the score. Boynton drop-kicked the extra point.

In the second quarter, the Bisons mounted another drive, with Boynton tossing a forward pass to Len Watters for 25 yards. This was followed by a Boynton-to-Guarnieri forward pass to get Buffalo to the Kenosha 10-yard line. The Bisons scored on the next play as Kaw passed to Boynton for the touchdown, but Boynton missed the drop-kick for the extra point. With a few minutes left in the half, the Buffalo tried to score again. The Bisons started their drive from their own 35-yard line. A Guarnieri pass to Boynton brought the home team to midfield, where Pete Calac then ran for 15 yards and Kaw added 20 more. It was now Boynton’s turn to run. Benny attempted to go around left end, but blocking would not allow it. He then reversed his direction and ran down the sidelines. The Kenosha tacklers hit him at the two-yard line, but Boynton fell in for the score. Benny added the extra point on a placement kick.

Boynton and Frank Culver sat out the third quarter, and neither team could score. They both returned for the fourth quarter, and the Bisons took over where they left off before the half. After exchanging punts in the fourth quarter, Boynton caught a Kenosha punt on the Maroon 40-yard line and ran it back to the visitor eight-yard line. Mike Trainor ran for two yards and Calac ran for another five. A Boynton forward pass to Kaw gave the home team another touchdown, and then Boynton added the extra point on a drop kick for the final tally of the game.

Next up for the Bisons: a rematch with the Dayton Triangles. Dayton was one of only two teams to defeat the Bisons this year. The Bisons held close to the Triangles in the first meeting, only to lose in the final period on a blocked punt. This game was originally to be played in Dayton, but Buffalo offered a financial package that could not be refused. Since the first meeting, the Bisons have added Ionas Huffman, Babe Kraus and Len Watters, while the Triangles have added Emil Huffine of Purdue. In this meeting, the Bisons would fair better with touchdowns by Watters and Calac, thus leading to a 14-6 victory.

The game started with Abbott kicking off to Len Watters, who ran it back 20 yards. Benny Boynton added 30 yards on a double pass, and Tommy Hughitt and Pete Calac combined for another first down. Dayton held and Boynton missed a drop-kick from the Triangle 35-yard line. On the next series, a Bonowitz-to-Abbott pass was low, and the Bisons downed Abbott at his own one-yard line. Huffine punted to Hughitt, who called for a free catch. Unfortunately for the visitors, they roughed Hughitt and were penalized for their actions. This gave the Bisons the ball on the Triangles 15-yard line. A Boynton-to-Watters pass gave the Buffalo team the first score of the game, with Boynton adding the placement kick extra point. The Triangles retaliated with a quick score of their own. Faye Abbott intercepted a Boynton pass at midfield. Two runs by Al Mahrt gave the visitors a first down. Runs by Huffine, Walt Kinderdine and Mahrt added another first down. Mahrt then ran in for the touchdown. Bonowitz’s pass was low, and Hathaway was not able to kick the extra point.

There was no scoring in the second period, but after a punting duel in the third period, the Bisons were starting another drive toward the visitor goal line. Dayton had the ball on their own 40-yard line when Huffine fumbled and Swede Youngstrom picked it up and ran towards the goal. He was tackled as he crossed the goal line, but the referee brought the ball back to the eight-yard line where it was said that Youngstrom stepped out of bounds. The Buffalo drive ended on a forward pass that went over the goal line, giving the Triangles the ball on their own 20-yard line. Dayton fumbled again, this time with Huffman falling on the ball. A Boynton to Mike Trainor forward pass brought the ball to the visitor two-yard line. The first two attempts to score netted zero gain, but the third saw Pete Calac score the touchdown with Boynton drop-kicking the extra point.

Dayton had a chance to score late in the fourth quarter, when Huffine’s punt rolled to the Buffalo two-yard line. Boynton immediately punted, but his punt only went to the Buffalo 30-yard line. Dayton then attempted a forward pass, but it went over the goal line, giving Buffalo the ball on their own 20-yard line. Chick Guarnieri dropped back to punt, but Frank Culver’s pass was low and Guarnieri could not manage a clean kick. Ed Sauer broke through and covered the ball on the Buffalo eight-yard line. Watters then stopped Frank Bacon for a two-yard loss, but Bacon added five more on the next play. Huffine added three, but was injured and replaced by Lou Partlow. Partlow then fumbled, and the ball was covered by Huffman on the two-yard line as the final whistle blew.

The first road game of the season took the Bisons to Rochester to face Leo Lyons’ Jeffersons. The Buffalo passing game faired better than the Rochester running game, and the Bisons won 16-0 in front of a diminutive crowd.

The Buffalo Bisons scored early in the first quarter with a Benny Boynton drop-kick field goal from the 32-yard line. Soon after that, an Eddie Kaw-to-Boynton pass from the 40-yard line gave the Bisons a touchdown. Boynton, however, missed the extra point. There was no scoring in the second or third periods, but the fourth quarter saw the Bisons score another touchdown. This time, Boynton passed to Kaw for the score. Boynton added the extra point for the final tally of the game.

The very next day, the Bisons faced the Milwaukee Badgers in Buffalo. Playing two games in two days seemed too much for the Bisons, as the Badgers virtually scored at will, winning 23-0. Milwaukee’s Red Dunn was hitting wide-open receivers all day long. The Bisons were able to drive close to the goal line, but were not able to cross.

Early in the first quarter, Mike Trainor intercepted a forward pass on the Buffalo 40-yard line. A Benny Boynton-to-Eddie Kaw forward pass was good for nine yards. Kaw then ran for the first down. This was followed by a Boynton-to-Trainor forward pass to move the ball to the Badger 22-yard line. Boynton then threw the ball over the goal line, and Milwaukee had it on their own 20-yard line. Later in the first quarter, Evar Swanson intercepted a Buffalo pass and returned it to the 22-yard line. The Badgers were unable to score, and Red Dunn dropped back for the field goal attempt. Swede Youngstrom was able to break through the line for the block, but Bub Weller fell on it at the 35-yard line. Milwaukee started another drive with a Dunn-to-Jimmy Conzelman pass for a first down on the Buffalo 23-yard line. This was followed by a Dunn-to-Clem Neacy pass for another first down. Another pass, this time Dunn-to-Ben Winkelman, gave Milwaukee the score, but Dunn missed the extra point.

The third quarter included 10 visitor points, the first three on a Dunn field goal from the 18-yard line. Youngstrom blocked a second field goal attempt, this time from the 15-yard line. Feist kicked off to Dunn, who returned it 25 yards. Two runs from Dunn gave the Badgers a first down, where Dunn then passed to Swanson who took the ball to the eight-yard line. On the next play, Watters broke through the line to stop Dunn for an eight-yard loss. Dunn retaliated on the next play by throwing a forward pass to Swanson for the touchdown. Dunn scored the extra point on a placement kick.

Milwaukee scored again in the fourth quarter when Dunn threw a forward pass to Neacy for the touchdown. Dunn made the extra point on a placement kick. In the final minutes of the quarter, Guarnieri intercepted a Milwaukee pass and returned it to the visitor 35-yard line. Kaw passed to Boynton for six yards, and Boynton passed to Watters for a gain of 28 yards and the ball on the Badger one-yard line. The Bisons were stopped on four runs, and lost the ball to Milwaukee on downs. This was Buffalo’s last chance to score as the final whistle blew.

The Bisons’s next game was a rematch with the Akron Indians in Akron. Buffalo’s poor play of last week carried over in this game as Akron had an easy time winning 22-0. Buffalo failed to make a first down in the game and had several kicks blocked. The Bisons’ Len Watters received a wire before the game that his father was ill with double pneumonia. He played the game, but after the game, he received another wire stating that his father had just passed away.

Buffalo had a difficult time with the Akron team. Neither team could score in the first quarter, but Akron was able to register three points on a Curley Cramer placement kick from the 35-yard line in the second period. The third quarter saw Wayne Brenkert run for a touchdown, but Paul Hogan missed the drop-kick extra point. The fourth quarter saw Akron score twice, with the first on a Sol Butler run from the 15-yard line. Walt Sechrist kicked the extra point. The second touchdown was by Brenkert on a run from the 35-yard line. Hogan missed the extra point.

In what would turn out to be the last game of Buffalo’s season, the Bisons traveled to Philadelphia to face the Frankford Yellowjackets. The dismal performance of the Bisons continued as the Yellowjackets beat the Benny Boynton-less Bisons 45-7 (Boynton was not able to travel to Philadelphia due to commitments with his daytime employment. Without his skills, the Bisons were only able to manage three first downs for the entire game).

Several minutes into the first quarter, Frankford scored their first touchdown. Charlie Way broke free for a 38-yard run, with Jim Welsh kicking the extra point. Soon after this play, Way was injured and replaced by George Sullivan. Frankford scored two more times in the first quarter; the first by Tex Hamer on a one yard run, the other by Harry Dayhoff on a run from the three-yard line to cap off a drive started by a Russ Stein interception of a Buffalo pass. Frankford only scored one touchdown in the second quarter, as Sullivan ran it in. They were also able to add three points from a Welsh placement kick from the 40-yard line.

The Bisons were able to keep the Yellowjackets from scoring in the third period and actually scored one of their own. Mike Trainor passed twice to Peanuts Burt; the second ending with a run of 32 yards for the score. Burt kicked the extra point. Sullivan scored the final two touchdowns for the Yellowjackets; the first on an 18 yard run, the second on a 22 yard run.

The last scheduled game of the Bison season was in Cleveland against the Bulldogs. With an inch of snow and a forecast of more inclement weather, the game was called off. Benny Boynton was again not able to make the trip, and Len Watters was home attending his father’s funeral. Buffalo decided to end its season at this point. With this announcement, Ken Jones made his way to New York City to marry his fiancée Esther Jarecki, and Tommy Hughitt retired.

All text taken from the Development of Pro Football in Western New York by Ken Crippen

Copyright ©2002 WGBB