Cincinnati Bengals History - Paperback

by Christine Mersch Den Herder (Author)

There were three professional football teams in Cincinnati before the current Bengals became a permanent fixture in the city. The Cincinnati Celts, Reds, and an earlier Bengals team (formed in 1937) all had short appearances in leagues that soon folded. It was not until 1967 that the football gods again smiled on Cincinnati. Paul Brown, who founded the Cleveland Browns in 1942, sold the Browns in 1962 and went to work organizing a Cincinnati team that played its first game in 1968. While the Bengals may not own any Super Bowl rings, they have won two AFC championship games, in 1981 and 1988, and were AFC Central Division champions five times, 1970, 1973, 1981, 1988, and 1990, as well as topping the AFC North in 2005.

Author Biography

Christine Mersch uses more than 200 photographs to highlight both the old legends who played for the Bengals and the team's new stars just now making waves in the NFL. There is also a special section devoted to the fans, who have stuck with the Bengals through the best and the worst. Mersch, a native of Cincinnati and a local journalist, has cheered on her home team through the years and collected pictures, paraphernalia, and stories from others who have been a part of the Bengals fervor to write this book.