Goodyear Silents

The Goodyear Silents were a semi-professional football team based in Akron, Ohio, composed of deaf players. Most, if not all, of the team worked for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.[1][2]

During World Wars I and II, many industrial companies hired deaf people, including Goodyear and Firestone in Akron. In existence from 1915–1927, the team played against local and regional semi-pro teams, and compiled an all-time record of 68–35–11. In the process, they won several league championships.

The most disappointing moments the successful team experienced was their failure to defeat cross-town archrivals Akron Pros, losing all four games to this team. The Akron Pros was one of the pioneering teams in the fledgling National Football League (NFL). The four losing scores were: 9–0, 20–7, 6–0 and 14–0.[3]

Joe Allen, one of the Goodyear Silents players, was the only one to continue his career in semi pro football after the team went out of business.

References
  1. Susan Burch, Signs Of Resistance: American Deaf Cultural History, 1900 to World War II (NYU Press, (2004), ISBN 978-0814798942, pp. 77-79. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  2. Robert M. Buchanan, Illusions of Equality: Deaf Americans in School and Factory, 1850-1950 (Gallaudet University Press, 1999), ISBN 978-1563680847, p. 79. Excerpts available at Google Books.
  3. Barry Strassler, "Deaf Jews in Sports: Louis Seinensohn; The Goodyear Silents Championship Football Team Had A Jewish Fullback", Los Angeles Jewish Deaf Community Center newsletter, September/October 1998.


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