The Cardinals roots stretch back to 1898 when a neighborhood group that gathered to play football in a predominantly Irish area of Chicago's South Side, playing under the name Morgan Athletic Club. Chris O'Brien, a painting and decorating contractor acquired the team later, and soon its playing site changed to nearby Normal Field, prompting the new name Normals.

In 1901, the team gained longstanding identification when O'Brien, finding a bargain, bought used jerseys from the nearby University of Chicago. The jerseys were faded maroon in color, prompting O'Brien to declare, "That's not maroon, it's Cardinal red!

" The club's permanent nickname had been born! In Chicago at the time, football competition was exclusively amateur, but such opposition became increasingly hard to find, so in 1906, the team disbanded.

In 1913, O'Brien reorganized the Cardinals. By 1917 they were able to buy new uniforms and hire a coach, Marshall Smith.

That year they lost only two games and were champions of the Chicago Football League. The war in Europe and a flu epidemic in the United States forced the team to suspend operations once again in 1918.

Following Armistice Day, O'Brien organized the Cardinals for a third time. From that day forward, the Cardinals have been a permanent part of the professional football scene in America.