 | |
| Founded | 1969 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1971 |
| League | Continental Football League, Atlantic Coast Football League |
| Based in | Jersey City, New Jersey |
| Arena | Roosevelt Stadium |
| Colors | |
| Championships | 0 |
| Division titles | 0 |
The Jersey Jays were a professional American football minor league 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. [1] The Jays played their home games in Newark Schools Stadium in 1969.
The Jays were the second team in the COFL to play in Newark. The Newark Bears were a charter member of the league when it debuted in 1965 before it relocated to become the Orlando Panthers in 1966. The Jays were established to take the place of the Charleston Rockets, who left the league following the 1968 season.
The Jays moved to the Atlantic Coast Football League in the 1969-70 offseason, just before the COFL folded. That season the team also moved to nearby Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City. [2] The Jays ceased operations after one year in the ACFL, and their players were distributed as part of a dispersal draft in May 1971. [3]
| Year | League | W | L | T | Finish | Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey Jays | 1969 | Continental Football League | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3rd, Atlantic Division | Nick Cutro |
| 1970 | Atlantic Coast Football League | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2nd, Northern Division | ||
The Orange Tornadoes and Newark Tornadoes were two manifestations of a long-lived professional American football franchise that existed in some form from 1887 to 1941 and from 1958 to 1970, having played in the American Amateur Football Union from 1888 to 1895, the National Football League from 1929 to 1930, the American Association from 1936 to 1941, the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1963 to 1964 and 1970, and the Continental Football League from 1965 to 1969. The team was based for most of its history in Orange, New Jersey, with many of its later years in Newark. Its last five seasons of existence were as the Orlando Panthers, when the team was based in Orlando, Florida. The NFL franchise was sold back to the league in October 1930. The team had four head coaches in its two years in the NFL – Jack Depler in Orange, and Jack Fish, Al McGall and Andy Salata in Newark.
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.
Roosevelt Stadium was a baseball stadium at Droyer's Point in Jersey City, New Jersey. It opened on April 23, 1937 and served as the home of the Jersey City Giants of the International League (1937–1950) and hosted other high-minor league baseball. It also hosted 15 Major League Baseball home games for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1956–1957), plus championship boxing matches, top-name musical acts, an annual championship drum and bugle corps competition known as "The Dream" (1946–1983), professional wrestling matches, important regional high school football games, college football games, minor league football games and even soccer matches. The stadium was demolished in 1985.
Throughout the years, a number of teams in the National Football League (NFL) have either moved or merged.
The Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated from 1962 to 1973. Until 1969, many of its franchises had working agreements with NFL and AFL teams to serve as farm clubs. The league paid a base salary of $100 per game and had 36 players on each active roster.
The American Association (AA) was a professional American football minor league based in New York City. Founded in 1936 with teams in New York and New Jersey, the AA extended its reach to Providence, Rhode Island prior to the onset of World War II. After a four-year hiatus, the league was renamed the American Football League as it expanded to include teams in Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1947, the Richmond Rebels of the Dixie League purchased the assets of the defunct AFL Long Island Indians and jumped leagues.
In the United States and Canada, the term professional football includes the professional forms of American and Canadian gridiron football. In common usage, it refers to former and existing major football leagues in either country. Currently, there are multiple professional football leagues in North America: the two longest-running leagues are the National Football League (NFL) in the U.S, and the Canadian Football League (CFL) in Canada. American football leagues have existed in Europe since the late 1970s, with competitive leagues all over Europe hiring American Imports to strengthen rosters. The Austrian Football League and German Football League top division are known as the best leagues in Europe. The Japan X-League is also a strong league that has a long history since 1971. The NFL has existed continuously since being so named in 1922.
Newark Schools Stadium is the name of two stadiums that were both located on Bloomfield Avenue between Abington and Roseville Avenues in the Roseville section of Newark, New Jersey.
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 (ACFL) before moving to the Continental Football League (COFL) 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 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.
The Philadelphia Bulldogs were a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that played in the Continental Football League beginning in 1965. Their regular season games were played at Temple Stadium and in December 1966 they won the league title there by a 20–17 score in overtime against the Orlando Panthers after finishing the regular season 9–5 and tied for the East Division lead with the Toronto Rifles. The winning field goal was kicked by former NFL/Canadian FL player Jamie Caleb. The team disbanded in 1967. The 1966 team was coached by Wayne Hardin, who also coached Temple University afterwards and had come to the Bulldogs from the Naval Academy. The starting quarterback throughout the team's tenure was Bob Brodhead, who was later athletic director at Louisiana State University. The Bulldogs were ranked 21st of the top 25 Philadelphia championship teams of all time in 2011.
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a football team that played one season in the minor Continental Football League in 1966. They were not related to the former National Football League or All-America Football Conference clubs of that name.
The 1969 COFL season was the fifth and final season of the Continental Football League (COFL). Following the season, nine of the league's remaining teams split from the league, with five forming the Trans-American Football League and four joining the Atlantic Coast Football League.
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 Hartford Charter Oaks were a professional American football team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They began play in 1964 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Football League, replacing the Ansonia Black Knights. In 1965 the Charter Oaks were one of several ACFL franchises to join the new Continental Football League, where they finished in last place in their division.
The Bridgeport Jets were a minor league American football team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They began play in the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1966 as the Waterbury Orbits. The Orbits, already officially affiliated with the New York Jets of the American Football League, became the Bridgeport Jets in 1968. After relocating from Waterbury, the Jets played their homes games in John F. Kennedy Stadium.
Richard Thomas Swatland was an American football guard who played one season in the American Football League (AFL) for the Houston Oilers. He played college football at Notre Dame and was selected in the 8th round of the 1968 NFL/AFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. Swatland also spent time with the Bridgeport Jets of the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL), the Washington Redskins and New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL), and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Claron Everett Bailey was an American football defensive back who played two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah. He was also a member of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), Bridgeport Jets and Long Island Bulls of the Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL), and the Jersey Jays of the Continental Football League (COFL).
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