1940 American Football League season


The 1940 American Football League season was the first season of the third American Football League. The league was formed when the New York Yankees, Boston Bears, and Buffalo Indians were joined by the Cincinnati Bengals, Columbus Bullies, and Milwaukee Chiefs of the minor American Professional Football Association. After the announcement of the formation of the AFL, applications for membership by former APFA members St. Louis Gunners and Kenosha Cardinals were rejected by the upstart league, which started with six members.
The Columbus Bullies were declared league champions after compiling an 8-1-1 record, just edging the 7-2 of the Milwaukee Chiefs.

Final standings

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pct.= Winning Percentage, PF = Points for, PA = Points against

Final 1940 standings

Standings includes forfeits
Results of AFL games - 1940 season

WEEK ONE
15 September, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus, Ohio: Milwaukee Chiefs 14, Columbus Bullies 2
WEEK TWO
22 September, Civic Stadium, Buffalo, New York: Milwaukee Chiefs 23, Buffalo Tigers 0
WEEK THREE
29 September, Civic Stadium, Buffalo: Buffalo Tigers 17, Cincinnati Bengals 7
WEEK FOUR
6 October, Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts: Boston Bears 29, Cincinnati Bengals 7
6 October, Yankee Stadium, New York: Columbus Bullies 23. New York Yankees 13
9 October, Civic Stadium, Buffalo: Columbus Bullies 17, Buffalo Tigers 7
9 October, Yankee Stadium, New York: New York Yankees 40, Cincinnati Bengals 13
WEEK FIVE
13 October, Fenway Park, Boston: Boston Bears 28, New York Yankees 7
13 October, Dairy Bowl, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Milwaukee Chiefs 49, Cincinnati Bengals 0
16 October, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus: Columbus Bullies 7, Milwaukee Chiefs 3
16 October, Civic Stadium, Buffalo: Boston Bears 10, Buffalo Tigers 0
WEEK SIX
20 October, Fenway Park, Boston: Boston Bears 20, Buffalo Tigers 0
20 October, Yankee Stadium, New York: New York Yankees 30, Milwaukee Chiefs 7
WEEK SEVEN
27 October, Fenway Park, Boston: Milwaukee Chiefs 14, Boston Bears 0
27 October, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus: Columbus Bullies 17, Cincinnati Bengals 7
WEEK EIGHT
3 November, Crosley Field, Cincinnati: Columbus Bullies 21, Cincinnati Bengals 2
3 November, Dairy Bowl, Milwaukee: Milwaukee Chiefs 10, Boston Bears 0
3 November, Yankee Stadium, New York: New York Yankees 17, Buffalo Tigers 0
WEEK NINE
10 November, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus: Columbus Bullies 13. Buffalo Tigers 7
10 November, Dairy Bowl, Milwaukee: Milwaukee Chiefs 30, New York Yankees 7
11 November, Crosley Field, Cincinnati: Cincinnati Bengals 17, Boston Bears 13
WEEK TEN
17 November, Civic Stadium, Buffalo: New York Yankees 1, Buffalo Tigers 0
17 November, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus: Boston Bears 0, Columbus Bullies 0
21 November, Red Bird Stadium, Columbus: Columbus 17, New York Yankees 16
21 November, Dairy Bowl, Milwaukee: Milwaukee Chiefs 30, Buffalo Tigers 13
21 November, Yankee Stadium, New York: Boston Bears 20, New York Yankees 7
WEEK ELEVEN
24 November, Crosley Field, Cincinnati: Buffalo Tigers 1, Cincinnati Bengals 0
Note: Two scheduled games were cancelled: New York-Cincinnati and Milwaukee-Cincinnati

1940 All-League Team

The league's coaches selected the all-league team:
PositionFirst TeamSecond Team
EndSherman Barnes, MilwaukeeKeith Ranspot, Boston
EndHarlan Gustafson, New YorkJoel Mason, Boston
TackleEd Karpowich, BuffaloRalph Niehaus, Columbus
TackleBob Eckl, MilwaukeeAlec Shellogg, Buffalo
GuardJim Karcher, ColumbusVic Marino, Boston
GuardAlex Drobnitch, BuffaloLen Akin, Milwaukee
CenterJoe Alexus, ColumbusJoe Ratica, Boston
BackAndy Karpus, Boston, QBBob Davis, Columbus
BackBill Hutchinson, New York, HBRay Cole, Milwaukee
BackNelson Peterson, Columbus, HBLee Elkins, New York
BackAl Novakofski, Milwaukee, FBPaul Shu, Cincinnati