Sports fans in the city of Philadelphia have a well-deserved reputation for being boisterous and passionate. This passion extends back to when fans would pack Wistar Park, Brown’s Field and Yellow Jackets Stadium to watch the local team play. In the early days of the F.A.A., most players were born and raised in Frankford. This dynamic made fandom personal for the people of Frankford, and they responded with an unmatched fervor on game days. Even during the later years, Yellow Jackets players lived in local boarding houses and socialized with neighbors. The team did not just represent Frankford, it was Frankford.
The fans of the Frankford Yellow Jackets were among the most loyal in all of football, braving the bitter cold or blistering heat. No matter the weather or opponent, the “Frankfurters” would make their way into the stadium in a chorus of chants and songs. Fans would also regularly travel in groups by train for away games in Pottsville, Atlantic City and New York City, usually led by Bobby Calhoun’s megaphone and the nationally-recognized American Legion Post 211 band.
The Cheerleaders
The Yellow Jackets Cheerleaders became famous in 1926. After going into the half trailing the Chicago Cardinals 7-0, the ladies went on the field and played a quick game, showing the boys how to play the right way in the second half. It must have worked because the Yellow Jackets scored 33 unanswered points. The Yellow Jackets women continued to play games at halftime and serve as early evidence of women playing organized football.
The Band
Frankford American Legion Post 211 was a supporter of the F.A.A. since its inception and also sponsored a football team after the Yellow Jackets disbanded in 1931, which featured some former Yellow Jackets players and other locals on the roster. Most famously, the Legion Post’s championship drum and bugle corps often performed pregame and at halftime of Frankford home games, while also organizing fans on road trips.
Bobby Calhoun, announcer
Bobby Calhoun was the announcer for Yellow Jackets and was well-known coast-to-coast for working events with big crowds like prized boxer bouts, University of Pennsylvania games, Atlantic City pageants, and field masses at League Island during World War I. He also endorsed products in the Yellow Jacket programs.