The Badgers Milwaukee’s NFL Entry of 1922-1926 by Michael D. Benter

In his history of the Milwaukee Badgers, Michael Benter tells not only the complete story of the Milwaukee team but also the history of pro football as it developed in the Midwest. In 1924, Wisconsin had four teams in the National Football League: Green Bay, Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Racine. Only Green Bay survived to become a long-time member of the league. But during this early phase of pro football, many of the future greats of professional football, including outstanding black players, wore the Badger uniform.

Pro football then was far from the glory days of today’s Super Bowl extravaganza. An example is the signed contract (shown) of Clem Neacy which was originally written for $100 a game and changed to $110. All the problems of the early game, both on- and off-field, are depicted in this engrossing story of the early days of pro football in the Midwest.