Down-the-River Eleven
The Pawtuxet Athletic Club was one of the earliest and longest running semi-professional football teams in Rhode Island. They began play in 1909 and would soon become the main rival of the Providence Steam Roller (who debuted in 1916). In the early 1900s football teams played an independent schedule of games against mostly in-state and nearby Massachusetts teams. Future Chicago Bear, Pard Pearce (Classical High and UPenn), quarterbacked the team in the 1914 season. Some of their opponents included Riverpoint, East Greenwich A.A., Elmwood A.C., Apponaug, and Conimicut A.C. teams in Rhode Island and Roslindale A.A., Orient Heights, Quincy A.A., Fitton A.C. and Neponset A.C. of the Bay State. They also competed against military outfits in Newport including Fort Greble, Newport Naval Training Station, Newport Naval Reserves and Seaman Gunners. They played their home games at Palace Gardens in Warwick.
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In 1917 Pawtucket A.C., with All-Stater Dan Mahoney (Technical High) at center, took on the Steam Roller for the state championship in front of 2000 fans at Melrose Park in Providence. Manager Lowes boys whipped the Roller 20-0 for the title avenging a 7-0 defeat earlier in the season. In 1918, after 9 seasons, the club took a pause and the Roller signed veteran star right tackle Boy Gore from the P.A.C. that season. The "Down-the-River" eleven returned in 1919 and were again led by Gore and Technical High stars; halfback Swede Vreeland, guard Firpo Avedisian and "Minnie" Silva at center. They played an exciting two-game series against the Roller at Melrose Park losing 6-0 and 17-0 and the state championship. Weather permitted the two rivals from meeting in 1920 but they added two-time All-State end Pinky Lester (East Providence High). In 1921 they were again defeated by the Roller 6-0 in their lone match-up. The team swung into action after a three year rest in 1924 but by this time their star players were signed by the highly competitive Steam Roller. Mahoney, Vreeland, Avedisian and Lester as well as stars from the 1910s teams; Technical High's Chisel Boyle and Logan Downey and Mark Farnum (Pawtucket High and Brown), helped the Roller become a regional power in independent professional football circles before gaining entry into the National Football League in 1925. Lester would become the second Pawtuxet A.C. player to play in the league when he suited up for the Steam Roller in 1926.
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