A sports promoter at the time, O'Donnell and pro football player Stan Cofall established the Tigers in 1919, after obtaining a contract to use Cleveland's League Park for football games. He announced himself as the business manager of a new Cleveland Tigers and was backed by several substantial financial men of Cleveland. He stated that his ballclub could play up to the same level as the Canton Bulldogs, Massillon Tigers, and Akron Indians, if only he could schedule games with them.