1936 was the first of seven seasons for the Dixie Football League, which ran from 1936-1947. The Dixie League began its existence in 1936 when six independent teams joined forces for the purposes of competition. Charter members included the Maryland Athletic Club (which moved to Washington, D.C. in 1936 to become the Washington Pros), the Baltimore Orioles (also known sometimes as the Baltimore Blue Jays, but no relation to the later major league "Orioles" baseball team in the American League, (1954 to present), Norfolk Clancys, Richmond
Arrows, Portsmouth Cubs, and the Alexandria Celtics (the last was a "traveling team" with no regular home city). Charles Hamilton became the new "Dixie League's" first president. Although the new League officially called itself at first, the "South Atlantic Football League" in its first year of existence, various sportswriters repeatedly unofficially called it the "Dixie League." The name was officially adopted for the second 1937 pro season. Like the New York Yankees pro football team of the first "American Football League", the Richmond Arrows provided the financial backbone of the Dixie League in its first year, averaging twice as many paying spectators per home game as the other league members. The Arrows played all their games at home, offering the visiting teams a five
percent bonus for the privilege. On November 15, 1936, Richmond's team coach (Dave Miller) and the players walked off the team in an effort for more pay. Richmond manager Blair Meaney, Jr. hired a new head coach (Bob Burdette) and new players (to join the five who didnt strike) to finish the season. On the field, it could not have been a more competitive league, as five of the six teams won 3 or 4 games. Only the Norfolk Clancys (2-5-2) would win less than three games. The top four teams would qualify for the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, it was Washington over Richmond 14-7, while Baltimore would whitewash Alexandria 19-0. Fourth-place finisher Portsmouth declined to participate in the playoffs, opting for a game against nearby rival Norfolk. Despite finishing in last place, Alexandria took Portsmouths place against Baltimore. This would set up the Championship game between the Washington Pros and the Baltimore Orioles. Washington beat Baltimore, 3-0, on a Willis Brenner field goal with 13 seconds left in regulation, to clinch the 1936 Dixie League Championship. In the first game of a series between the Dixie League champion and the winners of the American Association, the Washington Pros (Dixie League) defeated the Brooklyn Bay Parkways (American Association) 13-6 in Richmond, Virginia, January 1, 1937. While there would be more exhibition games involving members of the two leagues, this was the last time that an American Association team would lose to a team in the Dixie League on the gridiron.