The Shelby Blues were an

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

team based in

Shelby, Ohio Shelby is a city in Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located northwest of the city of Mansfield, Ohio, Mansfield, it is part of the Mansfield metropolitan area. The population was 9,282 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. His ...

. The team played in the

Ohio League The Ohio League was an informal and loose association of American football clubs active between 1902 and 1919 that competed for the Ohio Independent Championship (OIC). As the name implied, its teams were mostly based in Ohio. It is the direct p ...

from 1900 to 1919. In 1920, when the Ohio League became the APFA (now known as the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

), the Blues did not join but continued to play against APFA teams, only to later suspend operations. The Blues returned to play as an independent between 1926 and 1928. The team was named for their blue uniforms that were worn in their first year. In 1905, the Blues replaced the Shelby Athletic Club as the top football team in town. A year later the team was the runner-up for the Ohio League title, behind only the Akron Indians. The Blues won Ohio League championships in 1910 and 1911, with Peggy Parratt, an early pioneer and master of the

forward pass In several forms of football, a forward pass is the throwing of the ball in the direction in which the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line. The legal and widespread use of the forward pass distinguishes grid ...

, at quarterback. In 1904, the Blues are credited with signing the first black player in American professional football, halfback Charles Follis.

Notable players and alumni

* Peggy Parratt (BB/QB) - Early pioneer of the

. * Milton C. Portmann (OL/DL) Decorated US Army Officer of WWI and professional football player. * Charles Follis (HB) - First black professional player in American football. *

Branch Rickey Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...

- Baseball pioneer, was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier. * John Miller (HB) - First year captain, would later managed and coached the team. * Homer Davidson (BB/K) - Considered to be the best kicker of the era. * Frank C. Schiffer (Manager) - Signed the first black professional player in American football (Charles Follis). * Guy Schulz (C) - Brother of

Germany Schulz Adolph George "Germany" Schulz (April 19, 1883 – April 14, 1951) was an All-American American football center for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1904 to 1905 and from 1907 to 1908. While playing at Michigan, Schulz is credited wit ...

References

* * Ohio League teams Defunct American football teams in Ohio American football teams established in 1902 American football teams disestablished in 1928 1902 establishments in Ohio 1928 disestablishments in Ohio {{Ohio-sport-team-stub