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{{Short description|American professional football team, 1926}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Pre-modern NFL team
| name = Bethlehem Bears
| bgcolor = #3E220C
| fontcolor = white
| helmet =
| logo =
| founded = 1926
| suspended =
| folded = 1926
| relocated =
| location = [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania|Bethlehem]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[United States]]
| field = [[Fabricators Field]]
| league = Independent (-1925)<br>[[Eastern League of Professional Football]] (1926)
| conference =
| division =
| colors = Brown, White
{{Color box|#3E220C|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|white|border=darkgray}}
| history = Bethlehem Bears (1926)
| nickname =
| coach = [[Michael "Gyp" Downey]]
| manager = Michael "Gyp" Downey
| owner =
| Other League championships =
| Undefeated seasons =
| named for =
| mascot =
}}

The '''Bethlehem Bears''' were an early professional [[American football|football]] team from [[Bethlehem, Pennsylvania]]. The team was initiated and formed by [[Michael "Gyp" Downey]] who served as [[player-coach]] and the team's manager. The Bears competed in the [[Eastern League of Professional Football]] in 1926.

==Carl Beck==
The best known member of the team's line-up was [[Carl Beck]], who won the 1924 [[Anthracite League]] championship with the [[Pottsville Maroons]]. He also won the 1925 NFL Championship with the Maroons [[1925 NFL Championship controversy|before it was stripped from the team due to a disputed rules violation]].

==1926 season==
The Bears began their 1926 league season against the [[Coaldale Big Green]], was widely expected to contend for the new league's championship. Beck suffered an injury in the second half of the game and Bethlehem was defeated in a 16-0 shut-out. However, the Bears later rebounded in a 10-0 victory against the [[Clifton Heights Black & Orange]]. A few weeks later the Bears defeated the [[Gilberton Catamounts]], featuring future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]], [[Fritz Pollard]], 9-0. This win set up a championship scenario for a game between the Bears and the [[All-Lancaster Red Roses]].

===1926 Championship controversy===
The Bears and the Red Roses were the top two teams in the league. On November 28, 1926 both teams meet for a game that would most likely determine the league champion. The Bears won the 3-0 due to a last minute [[field goal (American football)|field goal]] by Downey.

The Bears ended the season with 6-2-2 record against league opponents and a post-season victory over All-Lancaster. Bethlehem felt that these actions were enough to legitimize their claim to an Eastern League championship. However, there was some question regarding Bethlehem's claim to the championship. These questions may have been related to the introduction of several "ringers" into the Bears line-up for the team's final four games against Eastern League opponents. Local newspapers soon reported that the league awarded the title to the 5-2-3 All-Lancaster Red Roses. Presumably on the basis of that team's October victory over the second-place [[Gilberton Catamounts]]. After the season, Bethlehem offered the [[Pottsville Maroons]] of the National Football League $4,000 to play them at home. The Bears then lost to Pottsville in a lopsided defeat.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.comcast.net/~ghostsofthegridiron/Bethlehem.htm |title=Bethlehem Bears |access-date=2009-01-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511164834/http://home.comcast.net/~ghostsofthegridiron/Bethlehem.htm |archive-date=2009-05-11 }}</ref>

==1926 All-Eastern League Selections==
The Bears players elected to be 1926 "All-Eastern League" selections, as announced by league president Herman Meyer.

*[[Carl Beck]] 1st Team [[Halfback (American football)|Right Halfback]]
*[[Mike Gaffney]] 2nd Team [[End (American football)|Left End]]
*[[Charlie Eastman]] 2nd Team [[Guard (American football)|Left Guard]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{Early PA football}}
{{Defunct Pennsylvania sports teams}}

[[Category:American football teams established in 1926]]
[[Category:Defunct American football teams in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American football teams disestablished in 1926]]
[[Category:1926 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1926 disestablishments in Pennsylvania]]

Bethlehem Bears - Revision history

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