NIL 1974

	P	W	L	T	bPct
*Geronimos Vicenza	3	3	0	0	1.000
Blue Knights Vicenza
Bosco Rocks Verona
Missile Support Command Vicenza

Reference: [4]

NIL 1975

	P	W	L	T	bPct
*Geronimos Vicenza	3	3	0	0	1.000
Blue Knights Vicenza
Bosco Rocks Verona
Missile Support Command Vicenza

Reference: [4]

About

The first Leagues in Europe from 1945 to the mid-1980s were US Armed Forces Personnel playing at Air Force Bases in the United Kingdom, Germany & the Mediterranean.

The USAFE Northern Italian League followed on from the Intercontinental Football League which was a failed attempt at starting a Professional American Football League in Europe following the success of the American film M*A*S*H with its climactic end sequence at an American Football game. The game featured fictional teams of American soldiers playing American Football, and reflected the true life Leagues in Europe and around the World where US Soldiers were stationed. (See Intercontinental Football League 1970-1975 ). Gernimos from Vicenza won the League with a 3-0 record both seasons.

The Northern Italian Football League followed on from the USAFE League in 1976, featuring the Bosco Rocks, Blue Knights & Geronimos, as well as Italian teams made up of local players and soldiers. (See Northern Italian Football League 1976-1986 )

The Italian League which followed was the first National League in Europe featuring homegrown players. (see Federazione Italiana Football Americano 1977 & Lega Italiana Football Americano 1980-1981 )

References

_________________________________________________________

Websites

[1] Enciclopedia del Football Italiano (2018) United States Army Europe Football Tournament 1974 http://www.warriorsbologna.it/public/Enciclopedia/PDF/1974_USArEurFT.pdf [Accessed 15 October 2019]

[2] Enciclopedia del Football Italiano (2018) United States Army Europe Football Tournament 1975 http://www.warriorsbologna.it/public/Enciclopedia/PDF/1975_USArEurFT.pdf[Accessed 15 October 2019]

[3] USAFE Football (2019) USAFE Football Home [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/ [Accessed 27 October 2019

[4] Massimo Foglio (2017) “Touchdown in Europe: How American Football Came to the Old Continent”. Pg. 228. Second Edition, 2017. Published by the Author

Sources

[3] Magee, Damian. “English Beer and American Football: Exporting American Football as a Cultural Commodity to the British Isles.” Irish Journal of American Studies, vol. 7, 1998, pp. 121–148. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/30002410.

[4] Britball Now (2016) US Miltary Football in the UK [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/us-military-football-in-the.html [Accessed 22 March 2018]

 

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Tim Leadingham & Liam Mulcahy.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 29 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and World Gridiron Archive 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Resereved.

AFA 1936

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
New York Division
*Brooklyn Bay Parkways	8	4	2	2	86	32	.667
New Rochelle Bulldogs	6	3	2	1	30	40	.600
Mt. Vernon Cardinals	5	3	2	0	37	42	.600
White Plains Bears	6	2	4	0	27	40	.333
New Jersey Division
*Paterson Panthers	5	4	1	0	59	13	.800
Orange Tornadoes	8	4	4	0	54	55	.500
Passaic Red Devils	8	3	5	0	33	76	.375

Reference: [2][7]

Championship
Brooklyn Bay Parkways	w/o	Paterson Panthers	scr.

Reference: [2][7]

Dixie-AFA Championship
Washington Pros	13	Brooklyn Bay Parkways	6

Reference: [2][7]

AFA 1937

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Northern Division
*White Plains Bears	6	3	2	1	19	49	.600
Danbury Trojans	4	3	1	0	58	0	.750
New Rochelle Bulldogs	9	3	6	0	62	65	.333
Brooklyn Bushwicks	6	1	4	1	17	74	.200
Mt. Vernon Cardinals	8	1	6	1	14	88	.143
Southern Division
*Newark Tornadoes	10	6	1	3	96	31	.857
Paterson Panthers	6	4	1	1	95	7	.800
Brooklyn Eagles	8	4	3	1	35	62	.571
New York Tigers	0	1	0	0	0	20	.000

Reference: [2][7]

Championship
White Plains Bears	3	Newark Tornadoes	3

Note: Co-Champions – Newark proposed a fifth period of 15 minutes to decide a winner, which the League comissioner approved as long as White Plains agreed, however, they declined the proposal, and the two teams were declared Co-Champions.

Reference: [2][7]

AFA 1938

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Jersey City Giants	8	7	1	0	133	7	.875
Danbury Trojans	6	4	1	1	67	26	.800
*Paterson Panthers	9	6	3	0	114	60	.667
Brooklyn Eagles	9	3	5	1	81	70	.375
Union City Rams	8	2	5	1	52	121	.286
Newark Tornadoes	7	2	5	0	28	119	.286
Clifton Wessingtons	7	1	5	1	27	99	.167

Reference: [3][7]

Championship
Jersey City Giants	17	Paterson Panthers	0

Reference: [3][7]

AFA 1939

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Northern Division
*Paterson Panthers	12	7	5	0	145	115	.583
Providence Steamroller	7	3	4	0	53	89	.429
Danbury Trojans	6	0	5	1	26	114	.000
Brooklyn Eagles	8	0	7	1	26	140	.000
Southern Division
*Newark Bears	9	6	2	1	122	71	.750
Wilmington Clippers	13	9	3	1	158	66	.750
Jersey City Giants	11	7	3	1	148	52	.700
Union City Rams	9	2	5	2	82	113	.286

Reference: [4][7]

Championship
Newark Bears	27	Paterson Panthers	7

Reference: [4][7]

AFA 1940

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Jersey City Giants	10	6	3	1	104	46	.667
*Paterson Panthers	10	6	4	0	106	133	.600
*Wilmington Clippers	10	5	4	1	139	64	.556
*Newark Bears	11	5	5	1	136	121	.500
Long Island Indians	11	5	5	1	88	123	.500
Providence Steamroller	10	2	8	0	41	127	.200

Reference: [5][7]

Playoffs
Jersey City Giants	7	Newark Bears	6
Paterson Panthers	8	Wilmington Clippers	11
Championship
Jersey City Giants	17	Wilmington Clippers	7

Reference: [5][7]

AFA 1941

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Long Island Indians	10	8	2	0	176	45	.800
*Paterson Panthers	10	6	2	2	142	72	.750
*Wilmington Clippers	9	4	3	2	120	77	.571
*Jersey City Giants	10	4	4	2	47	99	.500
Newark Bears	9	3	6	0	62	105	.333
Providence Steamroller	2	0	2	0	7	24	.000
New York Yankees	6	0	6	0	13	145	.000

Reference: [6][7]

Playoffs
Paterson Panthers	0	Wilmington Clippers	33
Long Island Indians	7	Jersey City Giants	6
Championship
Wilmington Clippers	21	Long Island Indians	13

Reference: [6][7]

Report

The American Football Association of 1936-1941 was an AA Professional American Football League in the Eastern States, predominantly New York & New Jersey.

Brrooklyn Bay Parkways won the first championship after Paterson Panthers declined to compete in the Championship Game. Brooklyn went on to play the Washington Pros, winners of the Dixie League in an unofficial Minor League Super Bowl, which Washington won. The second championship ended in a tie, with the almost-historic decision to play an unprecedented fifth period (Overtime) declined by White Plains, and they shared the title with Newark.

Jersey City Giants won two of the next three titles, with Newark Bears winning the 1939 title in between. Wilmington Clippers won the 1941 title, the last.

The League is notable for the appearance of Vince Lombardi, legendary Head Coach of the winners of the first two Super Bowls, Green Bay Packers, and whom the Super Bowl Trophy is named after. Lombardi played Guard for the Brooklyn Eagles in 1938.

Also notable is the 1938 Danbury Trojans, who defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers of the NFL 13-0 in their opening game – the first time an AFA team beat an NFL team. [7]

References

[1]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1936 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1936.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[2]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1937 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1937.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[3]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1938 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1938.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[4]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1939 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1939.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[5]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1940 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1940.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[6]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1941 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1941.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[7]  Nothing Minor About It: The American Association/AFL of 1936-1950  – Bob Gill, Pro Football Researchers Association (1990) [Internet] Available from: March 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine: . https://web.archive.org/web/20120326042625/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/12-02-398.pdf [Accessed 19 January 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 13 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

AFL 1946

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Eastern Division
*Jersey City Giants	10	9	1	0	204	86	.900
Long Island Indians	10	5	5	0	104	124	.500
Newark Bombers	10	2	7	1	99	166	.222
Paterson Panthers	10	2	8	0	102	195	.200
Western Division
*Akron Bears	10	8	2	0	263	122	.800
Scranton Miners	10	5	3	2	160	143	.625
Bethehem Bulldogs	10	5	4	1	203	172	.556
Wilmington Clippers	10	1	7	2	57	184	.125

Reference: [1]

Championship
Jersey City Giants	14	Akron Bears	13

Reference: [1]

AFL 1947

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Eastern Division
*Paterson Panthers	10	8	2	0	152	111	.800
Bloomfield Cardinals	10	6	4	0	184	134	.600
Jersey City Giants	10	5	5	0	139	128	.500
Richmond Rebels	7	3	3	1	112	105	.500
Long Island Indians	3	0	3	0	19	72	.000
Western Division
*Bethehem Bulldogs	9	8	1	0	264	73	.889
Wilmington Clippers	8	2	5	1	74	147	.286
Wilkes-Barre Barons	9	0	9	0	77	251	.000

Reference: [1]

Championship
Bethehem Bulldogs	23	Paterson Panthers	7

Reference: [1]

AFL 1948

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Paterson Panthers	10	7	1	2	224	103	.875
*Richmond Rebels	10	6	4	0	164	142	.600
*Wilmington Clippers	10	5	4	1	148	137	.556
*Jersey City Giants	10	5	5	0	154	168	.500
Bethehem Bulldogs	10	4	5	1	158	155	.455
Wilkes-Barre Bullets	10	1	9	0	57	200	.1000

Reference: [1]

Playoffs
Richmond Rebels	L	Wilminton Clippers	W
Paterson Panthers	W	Jersey City Giants	L
Championship
Paterson Panthers	24	Wilmington Clippers	14

Reference: [1]

AFL 1949

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Richmomd Rebels	10	8	1	1	285	99	.889
*Paterson Panthers	10	6	3	1	192	141	.667
*Bethehem Bulldogs	10	6	4	0	154	138	.600
*Wilmington Clippers	10	5	5	0	93	155	.500
Wilkes-Barre Bullets	10	3	7	0	81	112	.300
Jersey City Giants	10	1	9	0	68	228	.100

Reference: [1]

Playoffs
Richmond Rebels	66	Wilmington Clippers	0
Paterson Panthers	W	Bethehem Bulldogs	L
Championship
Richmond Rebels	35	Paterson Panthers	14

Reference: [1]

AFL 1950

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Final Standings
*Richmond Rebels	7	4	3	0			.571
*Erie Vets	7	4	3	0			.571
Paterson Panthers	7	3	4	0			.429
Jersey City Giants	7	3	4	0			.429
Standings including Folded Teams
Richmond Rebels	9	6	3	0	239	145	.667
Erie Vets	8	5	3	0	154	142	.625
Paterson Panthers	8	4	4	0	94	76	.500
Jersey City Giants	7	3	4	0	83	137	.429
Brooklyn Brooks	2	0	2	0	21	63	.000
Bethlehem Bulldogs	2	0	2	0	7	35	.000

Note: Brooklyn & Bethlhem folded after 2 games – results stricken from record. Table including results from stricken games also included above, but not official Final Standings.

Championship
Richmond Rebels	35	Erie Vets	7

Reference: [1]

Report

The American Football League of 1946-1950, one of many to use that name was an AA Pro League in the Eastern States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware & Ohio.

Many of the teams had been in existence in the American Football Association of 1936-1941, the previous incarnation of the AA League in the East.

Jersey City Giants, Bethlehem Bulldogs & Paterson Panthers won the first three titles, before the Richmond Rebels, having seceeded from the Dixie League, won the 1949 & 1950 Championships.

Websites / Journals

[1]  Nothing Minor About It: The American Association/AFL of 1936-1950  – Bob Gill, Pro Football Researchers Association (1990) [Internet] Available from: March 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/20120326042625/http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/12-02-398.pdf [Accessed 19 January 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 13 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

MWFL 1937

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Cincinnati Models	6	6	0	0	149	13	1.000
*Louisville Tanks	6	5	1	0	123	26	.833
*Dayton Rosies	6	4	2	0	69	38	.667
Springfield Bicos	5	2	3	0	24	59	.400
Cincinnati Treslers	5	1	4	0	33	84	.200
Columbus Bobbs	4	0	4	0	13	80	.000
Indianapolis Leons	4	0	4	0	0	111	.000

Reference: [1][3]

MWFL 1938

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Cincinnati Models	7	6	1	0	197	47	.857
*Louisville Tanks	9	6	3	0	170	61	.667
*Ashland Armcos	9	5	3	1	120	92	.625
*Dayton Rosies	8	3	5	0	74	105	.375
St. Louis Gunners	6	1	4	1	50	60	.200
Indianapolis Indians	5	0	5	0	14	260	.000

Reference: [2][3]

References

Websites

[1]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1936 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1936.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[2]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1937 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1937.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

Websites / Journals

 [3] Bob Gill, The Coffin Corner, Pro Football Researchers Association (1989) Back Before Bengalmania – Cincinnati’s First Brush with the Big Time – [Internet] Available from: http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/11-05-379.pdf     [Accessed 9 October 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 13 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

DFL 1936

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Ricmond Arrows	9	4	2	3	54	29	.667
Portsmouth Cubs	9	4	3	2	65	69	.571
*Washington Pros	9	4	3	2	49	40	.571
*Baltimore Orioles	8	3	3	2	78	82	.500
Alexandria Celtics	8	3	4	1	41	47	.429
Norfolk Clancys	9	2	5	2	43	63	.286

Reference: [1]

DFL 1937

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Washington Presidents	7	5	0	2	53	20	1.000
Baltimore Blue Birds	7	5	1	1	89	18	.833
Richmond Arrows	9	6	2	1	90	28	.750
Alexandria Celtics	7	2	5	0	30	63	.286
Norfolk Clancys	7	1	5	1	34	112	.167
Portsmouth Cubs	7	0	6	1	20	75	.000

Reference: [2]

DFL 1938

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Norfolk Shamrocks	7	5	1	1	59	30	.833
Portsmouth Cubs	7	4	3	0	87	72	.571
Richmond Arrows	7	4	3	0	67	29	.571
Washington Presidents	5	1	3	1	27	50	.250
Alexandria Celtics	6	1	5	0	42	101	.167

Reference: [3]

DFL 1939

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Portsmouth Cubs	8	6	1	1	79	42	.857
*Richmond Arrows	8	6	1	1	77	31	.857
Newport News Builders	7	2	4	1	45	47	.333
Washington Presidents	7	2	4	1	43	62	.333
Norfolk Shamrocks	7	0	6	1	34	96	.000

Reference: [4]

DFL 1940

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Portsmouth Cubs	10	8	1	1	101	51	.850
Roanoke Travelers	6	4	2	0	55	58	.667
Richmond Arrows	9	5	4	0	155	69	.556
Washington Presidents	7	2	3	2	47	99	.400
Norfolk Shamrocks	10	3	6	1	73	105	.333
Newport News Builders	8	1	7	0	43	92	.125

Reference: [5]

DFL 1941

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Norfolk Shamrocks	10	7	1	2	156	58	.875
Charlotte Clippers	10	7	3	0	184	76	.700
Newport News Builders	10	6	3	1	158	87	.667
Richmond Arrows	10	4	5	1	63	132	.455
Portsmouth Cubs	10	3	7	0	60	163	.300
Roanoke Travelers	10	1	9	0	42	147	.100

Reference: [6]

Report

The Dixie Football League was a AA Professional American Football League in the South from 1936-1941. The Norfolk Clancys and Norfolk Shamrocks were clearly marketed towards the Irish market, with their Irish nicknames. The Shamrocks won the title in 1941, the last year of the league, with 7 wins and one loss from 10 games.

References

[1]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1936 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1936.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[2]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1937 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1937.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[3]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1938 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1938.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[4]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1939 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1939.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[5]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1940 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1940.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

[6]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1941 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1941.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 13 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

VCFL 1937

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
VCFL League
*Richmond Rebels	6	6	0	0			1.000
Durham Bobcats	5	3	1	1			.750
Portsmouth Sewanee	7	2	4	1			.333
South Norfolk Aces	7	2	5	0			.286
Norfolk Tars	5	0	3	2			.000
Standings including Affilates
*Richmond Rebels	8	7	0	1			1.000
Durham Bobcats	6	4	1	1			.800
Roanoke Razzle-Dazzlers	6	3	2	1			.600
Portsmouth Sewanee	9	2	5	2			.286
South Norfolk Aces	9	3	6	0			.333
Norfolk Tars	8	0	5	3			.000

Reference: [1]

Report

The Virginia-Carolina Football League of 1937 was a Semi-Pro State League involving teams in the Eastern Seaboard of the Upper South. The Richmond Rebels went undefeated, just tieing one game with Roanoke Razzle-Dazzlers who were an affiliate with the league, playing a full schedule against VCFL teams.

References

Websites

[1] Jim Summer and Bob Gill, The Coffin Corner, Pro Football Researchers Association (1989) The 1937 Virginia-Carolina Football League [Internet] Available from: http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/11-05-378.pdf    [Accessed 9 October 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 12 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

PCFL 1926

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
*Hollywood Generals	5	5	0	0	63	3	1.000
Oakland Oaks	5	3	2	0	36	33	.600
San Francisco Tigers	4	1	3	0	53	35	.250
Los Angeles Angels	4	0	4	0	9	90	.000

Reference: [1]

Report

The Pacific Coast Football League was one of three Minor Leagues to start up in 1926, the first year that Minor Leagues below the National Football League appeared. The American Football League was AAA, although it challenged the NFL as a Major, with the Pacific Coast Football League and Eastern Football League filling in the gap just below the top two leagues.

The Hollywood Generals won all five of their games, claiming the PCFL title. It was not until 1933 that any more Minor Leagues were to be formed, with teams below the NFL playing Independent schedules.

References

[1]  Pro Football Archives (2019) 1926 [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1926.html [Accessed 11 October 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Eoin O’Fearghaill.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 12 October 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.