The Boston Yankees were an NFL team who played from 1944-1948. The team played its home games at Fenway Park. Team owner Ted Collins picked the name Yankees because he originally wanted to run a team that played at New York City’s old Yankee Stadium.
After three continuous losing seasons, Collins finally was allowed to move to New York City. But instead of an official relocation, he asked the league to officially fold his Boston franchise and give him a new franchise, for a Federal tax write-off.
The Boston Yankees are the only officially defunct NFL team ever to have the first overall NFL draft pick. They had it twice, in 1944 and 1946.
