Editing Bert Bell (section)

===Philadelphia Eagles (1933–1940)===
By early 1933, Bell's opinion on the NFL had changed, and he wanted to become an owner of a team based in Philadelphia.<ref name = "RPW56-95">Ruck; Patterson and Weber: 56, 95.</ref> After being advised by the NFL that a prerequisite to a franchise being rendered in Philadelphia was that the [[Blue law|Pennsylvania Blue Laws]] would have to be mollified,<ref name="WWARPW">Westcott: 101; cf. Willis: 303–304, Algeo: 13–15, Ruck; Patterson, and Weber: 95</ref> he was the ''force majeure'' in lobbying to getting the laws deprecated.<ref name="WWARPW"/> He borrowed funds from [[Frances Upton]],<ref name="LCMPW"/> partnered with Wray,<ref name = "LCMPW">Lyons: 46–47; cf. Claassen: 336, MacCambridge 2005: 42, Peterson: 112, Westcott: 101</ref> and he procured the rights to a franchise in Philadelphia,<ref name="LCMPW"/> purchasing the [[Frankford Yellow Jackets]] which he christened as the [[Philadelphia Eagles]], inspired by [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]'s use of the American eagle symbol in choosing that name.<ref>Lyons: 47; cf. MacCambridge 2005: 42</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Mary |date=2024-10-14 |title=Brown: Penn Athletics ‘sugar huddle’ statue dedication to Narberth’s Bert Bell, Eagles owner and entrepreneurial NFL Commissioner |url=https://www.mainlinemedianews.com/2024/10/14/brown-penn-athletics-sugar-huddle-statue-dedication-to-narberths-bert-bell-eagles-owner-and-entrepreneurial-nfl-commissioner/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Mainline Media News |language=en-US}}</ref>

After the inaugural [[1933 Philadelphia Eagles season]],<ref>Willis: 310–311; cf. Coenen: 237, Didinger with Lyons: 255</ref> Bell married Upton at St. Madeleine Sophie Roman Catholic Church in Philadelphia.<ref>Lyons: 33–38, 41.</ref> Days later, his suggestion to bestow the winner of the NFL championship game with the [[Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy]] was affirmed.<ref>Willis: 327–328</ref> In [[1934 NFL season|1934]], the Eagles finished with a 4–7 record,<ref>Didinger with Lyons: 255</ref> The Eagles' inability to seriously challenge other teams made it difficult to sell tickets,<ref>Lyons: 54</ref> and his failure to sign a talented college prospect<ref>Lyons: 56; cf. MacCambridge 2005: 43</ref> led him to adduce that the only way to bring stability to the league was to institute a draft to ensure the weakest teams had an advantage in signing the preeminent players.<ref>Peterson: 119; cf. Williams: 41</ref> In 1935, his proposal for a draft was accepted,<ref>Willis: 341–343; cf. Lyons: 57–58, DeVito: 84, Didinger with Lyons: 256</ref> and in February 1936, the [[1936 NFL draft|first draft]] kicked off, at which he acted as [[Master of Ceremonies]].<ref>Williams: 41–42; cf. Peterson: 119</ref> Later that month, his first child, Bert Jr., was born.<ref>Lyons: 60</ref>

In the Eagles' first three years, the partners exhausted $85,000 ({{Inflation|US|85000|1936|r=-4|fmt=eq}}),<ref>MacCambridge 2005: 43; cf. Lyons: 63</ref> and at a public auction, Bell became sole owner of the Eagles with a bid of $4,500 ({{Inflation|US|4500|1936|r=-3|fmt=eq}}).<ref>MacCambridge 2005: 43; cf. Claassen: 335, Lyons: 63</ref> Austerity measures forced him to supplant Wray as head coach of the Eagles,<ref>Lyons: 63; cf. Claassen: 342</ref> wherein Bell led the Eagles to a 1–11 finish, their worst record ever.<ref>;Didinger with Lyons: 256</ref> In December, an application for a franchise in Los Angeles was obstructed by Bell and [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] owner Rooney as they deemed it too far of a distance to travel for games.<ref>Willis: 355</ref> During the Eagles' 2–8–1 [[1937 Philadelphia Eagles season|1937 season]],<ref>Didinger with Lyons: 257</ref> his second child, [[Upton Bell|John "Upton"]], was born.<ref>Lyons: 70</ref> In the Eagles' first profitable season, [[1938 NFL season|1938]], they posted a 5–6 record.<ref>Lyons: 72–73.</ref> The Eagles finished 1–9–1 in [[1939 NFL season|1939]] and 1–10 in [[1940 NFL season|1940]].<ref>Didinger with Lyons: 258</ref>