The team played independently against other teams from Pennsylvania's "coal country". During the 1920s the teams based here paid large amounts of money to talented pro football players. Many players from the
National Football League came to play football in this region because of the amount of money paid out. In 1924 Gilberton, under the managership of Joe Keating and James Rafferty, Gilberton acquired three new star players just days before their season opener. The team signed
Ben Shaw,
Cecil Grigg, and
Lou Smyth. All three players were members of the
Canton Bulldogs of the NFL. Ironically in 1924 the team played in the
Anthracite League, which was formed to combat the out-of-control hiring of top professional football talent. It is no wonder that league folded after the 1924 season. The team later played in the
Eastern League of Professional Football from 1926 until the league folded in 1927. ==Fritz Pollard==