Dan Blaine

Daniel Blaine (1891–1958) was an professional football player for the Staten Island Stapletons from 1915 until 1924. In 1915 he, along with three other players, formed the team to play other semi-pro teams from New York and New Jersey. He suspended his football career in 1918 to serve in the United States military during World War I. Once the war ended, Blaine took over sole ownership of the Stapletons. He stayed in the Stapleton lineup at halfback until endeding his playing career in 1924 at age 33. After his retirement from football, Blaine focuses solely on owning and managing the team.

After a November 14, 1926 33-0 loss to the Newark Bears, Blaine promptly hired most of the Newark players, including star rookie Doug Wycoff, who were still owed money because the Newark owner was having financial problems. As a result, the Bears went out of business while the Stapletons benefited from Newark's folding. By 1929, the Stapletons became engulfed in a rivialry with the New York Giants. That same year saw the team became members of the National Football League after the New York Yankees folded. While the Stapletons never had a winning season in the NFL, they did manage to defeat (or tie) some of the teams that are still in existence today.

Blaine went through the formality of getting NFL permission to suspend league operations for the 1934 season. The team played one more season of semi-pro football in 1934 before quietly folding. In June 1935, Blaine's franchise was finally declared forfeit. A combination of the Great Depression and having too small of a stadium that could have never accommodated enough fans to make the team profitable. Stapes fans couldn't afford enough tickets to make a team possible.

Restaurants

He also owned several restaurants in Staten Island. However it is rumoured that these restuarnts were really speakeasies, that served alcohol during the period of United States history known as Prohibition in the United States. Blaine owned a restaurant next to the Stapletons home field Thompson Stadium.

References

• Hogrogian, John (1985). "The Staten Island Stapletons". Coffin Corner (Professional Football Researchers Association) 7 (6): 1–9. http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/07-06-241.pdf. 
• Gill, Bob (1994). "Just Staten Out On The Island". Coffin Corner (Professional Football Researchers Association) 16 (3): 1–11. http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/16-03-564.pdf.