Original Bengals Played Los Angeles Bulldogs Twice in 1937
Cincinnati Bengals Of Old AFL Played First Pro Football Team In LA
When the original 1937 Cincinnati Bengals released their inaugural schedule, Coach Hal Pennington joked with his team that they should invest in some quality luggage, considering they would be traveling 10,000 miles that season.
Their longest road trip would be a Dec. 12th adventure to Los Angeles to play the Bulldogs, thus making it the first time a Cincinnati pro football squad would play on the West Coast. It was also the final game of the AFL season.
But before that long trip, the LA Bulldogs would come into Cincinnati on Oct. 24, 1937 for a contest at Crosley Field. The game was much publicized, featuring the youngest (Pennington) and oldest (Henderson) head coaches in the league.
12,000 fans, the largest crowd to witness a Bengals game that season, packed into Crosley. Many of those fans were high schoolers, as it was High School Day at the ballpark. Students showing a special ticket were admitted for 25 cents at the York Street gate. An entertainment spectacular commenced during pregame festivities that included Smittie’s Bengals Band, a clown, and a special appearance from Hollywood actress and comedienne Fifi D’Orsay. The star of such films as Those Three French Girls and The Girl from Calgary made the “opening kick” (much like throwing the first pitch in baseball). D’Orsay was in town performing at The Beverly Hills Club.
Unfortunately for Bengals fans, the LA Bulldogs won the game 17-7.
On Dec. 12, the Bengals took on the Bulldogs at Gilmore Stadium in LA (The stadium opened in 1934 and was demolished in 1952 to make way for the new CBS Television City). Once again, the Bulldogs tamed the Bengals, this time by score of 14-3, finishing an undefeated season.
