Related Research Articles
The Continental Football League (COFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to become the major force in professional football outside the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). It owed its name, at least in part, to the Continental League, a proposed third Major League Baseball organization that influenced MLB significantly, although they never played a game.
The Chicago Owls were a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They were members of the Professional Football League of America (PFLA) in 1967 and, after the leagues merged, the Continental Football League (COFL) during the league's last two years (1968–1969). The club was owned by Marty O'Connor and initially coached by Don Branby.
The Orlando Panthers were a professional American football team based in Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1958 as the Franklin Miners, the team spent its first four years in the Eastern Football Conference, then three further years in the Atlantic Coast Football League before moving to the Continental Football League in 1965. The franchise moved from Newark, New Jersey to Orlando in 1966 and found success on the field as the Panthers. However, while the team won the COFL championship twice they were plagued by financial difficulties. The team jumped back to the ACFL in 1970 but were suspended by the league after the season.
The Portland Loggers were a professional American football team based in Portland, Oregon. They were members of the Continental Football League and only lasted one year. Featuring much of the roster of the defunct Orange County Ramblers, the team was originally known as the Hawaii Warriors, but were relocated from Honolulu to Portland just 18 days before the start of the 1969 season. The team played at Multnomah Stadium in the Goose Hollow neighborhood of Portland. They were coached by retired running back Chuck Fenenbock and their general manager was Al King.
The Indianapolis Capitols were a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They played in the Continental Football League from 1968 to 1969 and Midwest Football League from 1972 to 1974 and 1977 to 1978.
Disambiguation: For the roller hockey team of the same name (1994–1997) please see this page. For the rugby team now called the Philadelphia Fight, which used the Philadelphia Bulldogs name from 1998–2006, see this page.
The Wheeling Ironmen were a professional American football team based in Wheeling, West Virginia, and played their home games at Wheeling Island Stadium. The team began play in 1962 as a member of the United Football League, where they played for three seasons until that league dissolved. The Ironmen won the UFL championship during their first two seasons in the league.
The 1965 COFL season was the first season of the Continental Football League (COFL). The COFL entered its inaugural season with franchises in Philadelphia, Springfield, Massachusetts, Newark, New Jersey, Toronto, Wheeling, West Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia, Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The Orange County Ramblers were a professional football team that competed in the Continental Football League from 1967 to 1968. The Ramblers played their home games in Santa Ana, California and Anaheim, California. The team was coached both seasons by Homer Beatty, who had won a small college national title at Santa Ana College in 1962.
The Spokane Shockers were a professional American football team based in Spokane, Washington. The team was founded in 1967 as the Victoria Steelers of the Continental Football League but transferred to Spokane during the 1967–68 offseason. While in Spokane the team played its home games in Joe Albi Stadium. The Shockers had a farm team arrangement with the American Football League's Oakland Raiders, and their most notable player during their brief existence was future Hall of Fame quarterback Ken Stabler.
The Mexico Golden Aztecs were a professional American football team based in Monterrey, Mexico. During the team's brief existence it played in the Texas Division of the Continental Football League, and its home games were played at the Estadio Universitario. The team's only head coach was Duncan McCauley.
The Seattle Rangers were a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. The team was founded in 1967 as a member of the Continental Football League and played in the Western Division. The original franchise name of Jets was abandoned due to a lawsuit filed by the American Football League's New York Jets. The NHL's New York Rangers reportedly pressured the team to change their name from Rangers in 1969.
The Fort Worth Braves were a professional American football team based in Fort Worth, Texas. The team, first known as the Fort Worth Texans, was announced in 1967 as a member of the Texas Football League, and played their 1967 home games at Turnpike Stadium. The franchise was renamed as the Braves and moved its home games to Farrington Field for the 1968 season. In 1969 the Braves, along with the rest of the TFL, joined the Continental Football League as part of its new Texas Division.
The Texas Football League (TFL) was a low-level American football minor league that operated in primarily in the United States from 1966 through 1968, and again between 1970 and 1971 as a new incarnation called the Trans-American Football League (TAFL).
The West Texas Rufneks were a professional American football team based in Midland, Texas. They began play as the Odessa-Midland Comets in the Texas Football League in 1966. In September 1968 the franchise was purchased by Dallas investor Alton Fairchild, who changed the team's name to the West Texas Rufneks. When the Texas Football League merged with the Continental Football League for its 1969 season, the Rufneks became a member of the COFL's new Texas Division East. The team announced plans to relocate after the 1969 season, but the move never happened and the Rufneks dissolved before the 1970 Texas Football League season.
The Charleston Rockets were a professional American football team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They began play in 1964 as a member of the United Football League, and became a charter franchise in the Continental Football League in 1965. In their first season in the COFL, the Rockets finished with a perfect 14–0 record and won the league championship over the Toronto Rifles, 24–7. After an ownership change in 1968, the team announced that it was suspending operations in January 1969. Its place in the league's lineup was replaced by the Jersey Jays, returning the CFL to North Jersey after the departure of the Newark Bears to Orlando three seasons prior.
The Jersey Jays were a professional American football team based in Jersey City, New Jersey. They began play in 1969 as a member of the Continental Football League, and were a farm team of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. The Jays played their home games in Newark Schools Stadium in 1969.
The Long Beach Admirals were a professional American football team based in Long Beach, California.
The Omaha Mustangs were a professional American football team based in Omaha, Nebraska. They began as an independent, semi-pro team in the early 1960s before joining the Professional Football League of America, a newly formed league based on remnants of the United Football League, in 1965. The Mustangs won the PFLA championship in their second season by defeating the Des Moines Warriors in a playoff game in front of 4,530 spectators. The Mustangs were affiliated with the Kansas City Chiefs for the 1967 season.
References
- ↑ "Arrows Shift Site". The Holland Evening Sentinel. UPI. January 15, 1969.
- ↑ "Farm for Lions". Detroit Free Press. June 3, 1969.
- ↑ "Hawaii Enters Continental Loop". The Indianapolis Star. Associated Press. January 23, 1969.
- ↑ "Portland Obtains Football Ramblers". Tucson Daily Citizen. UPI. August 7, 1969.
- ↑ "Newark Gains CFL Franchise". The Arizona Republic. Associated Press. February 2, 1969.
- ↑ "Jays Join Browns". San Antonio Express. Associated Press. April 13, 1969.
- ↑ "Orange County Gridders Move". The Times. San Mateo, California. UPI. April 8, 1969.
- ↑ "CFL Team Inactive". Northwest Arkansas Times. Associated Press. May 19, 1969.
- ↑ Guys, Carl (September 23, 1969). "Inflation Deflates". Del Rio (Texas) News-Herald.
- ↑ "Raiders Make Ties with Spokane Club". The Daily Herald. UPI. June 10, 1969.
- ↑ "El Paso Is Retired For Season". The Galveston Daily News. Associated Press. August 5, 1969.
- ↑ "TFL Aligns With Huge Continental". The Odessa American. Associated Press. January 26, 1969.
- ↑ "Moves to Indiana". The Terre Haute Tribune. Associated Press. February 3, 1969.
- ↑ "Award Set Up in Memory of Player". Ironwood Daily Globe. Associated Press. May 21, 1969.