CoFL 1965
| P | W | L | T | |
| West Division | ||||
| Charleston Rockets | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Fort Wayne Warriors | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Richmond Rebels | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Providence Indians | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 |
| Hartford Charter Oaks | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| East Division | ||||
| Toronto Rifles | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Bulldogs | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Springfield Acorns | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Newark Bears | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Wheeling Ironmen | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Championship Game | ||||
| 1965 | Charleston Rockets | 24 | Toronto Rifles | 7 |
CoFL 1966
| P | W | L | T | |
| West Division | ||||
| Orlando Panthers | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Charleston Rockets | 14 | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Montreal Beavers | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| Richmond Rebels | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| Wheeling Ironmen | 10 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| East Division | ||||
| Toronto Rifles | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Bulldogs | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| Norfolk Neptunes | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Hartford Charter Oaks | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| 1st Round Playoffs | ||||
| 1966 | Orlando Panthers | 31 | Charleson Rockets | 24 |
| 1966 | Toronto Rifles | 14 | Philadelphia Bulldogs | 31 |
| Championship Game | ||||
| 1966 | Philadelphia Bulldogs | 20 | Orlando Panthers | 17 |
Reference: [1-3]
Note: Tom Furlong, who was born in Co. Offaly, Ireland, played as Kicker for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1966.
Reference: [2]
CoFL 1967
| P | W | L | T | |
| Atlantic North Division | ||||
| Norfolk Neptunes | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Hartford Charter Oaks | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Montreal Beavers | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Toronto Rifles | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Akron Vulcans | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Atlantic South Division | ||||
| Orlando Panthers | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Charleston Rockets | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| Wheeling Ironmen | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 |
| Richmond Rebels | ||||
| Philadelphia Bulldogs | ||||
| Pacific Division | ||||
| Orange County Ramblers | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| San Jose Apaches | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Seattle Rangers | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| Eugene Bombers | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Victoria Steelers | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| Sacramento Buccaneers | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| Long Beach Admirals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Atlantic Division Playoff | ||||
| 1967 | Norfolk Neptunes | 17 | Orlando Panthers | 21 |
| Championship Game | ||||
| 1967 | Orange County Ramblers | 14 | Orlando Panthers | 38 |
Reference: [1]
CoFL 1968
| P | W | L | T | |
| Atlantic Division | ||||
| Orlando Panthers | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Ohio Valley Ironmen | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Charleston Rockets | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Norfolk Neptunes | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Alabama Hawks | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Michigan Arrows | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 |
| Central Division | ||||
| Indianapolis Capitols | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Omaha Mustangs | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Chicago Owls | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Oklahoma City Plainsmen | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Arkansas Diamonds | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| Las Vegas Cowboys | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Quad Cities Raiders | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Pacific Division | ||||
| Orange County Ramblers | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Seattle Rangers | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Sacramento Capitols | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Spokane Shockers | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Eastern Playoff | ||||
| 1968 | Orlando Panthers | 28 | Indianapolis Capitols | 14 |
| Championship Game | ||||
| 1968 | Orlando Panthers | 30 | Orange County Ramblers | 23 |
Reference: [1]
CoFL 1969
| P | W | L | T | |
| East Division | ||||
| Orlando Panthers | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Norfolk Neptunes | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Jersey Jays | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Alabama Hawks | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Arkansas Diamonds | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Central Division | ||||
| Indianapolis Capitols | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Ohio Valley Ironmen | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Omaha Mustangs | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Chicago Owls | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Tri-City Apollos | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| Texas Division | ||||
| San Antonio Toros | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| West Texas Rufneks | 11 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Texarkana Titans | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Tulsa Thunderbirds | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Fort Worth Braves | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Mexico Golden Aztecs | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Dallas | 11 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Pacific Division | ||||
| Las Vegas Cowboys | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Sacramento Capitols | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Seattle Rangers | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Spokane Shockers | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| Portland Loggers | 12 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| Date | Home Team | Away Team | ||
| Texas Division Playoff | ||||
| 1969 | Texarkana Titans | 7 | San Antonio Toros | 20 |
| Pacific Division Playoff | ||||
| 1969 | Sacramento Capitols | 0 | Las Vegas Cowboys | 31 |
| Western Playoff | ||||
| 1969 | San Antonio Toros | 21 | Las Vegas Cowboys | 17 |
| Eastern Playoff | ||||
| 1969 | Indianapolis Capitols | 27 | Orlando Panthers | 7 |
| Championship Game | ||||
| 1969 | Indianapolis Capitols | 44 | San Antonio Toros | 38 |
Report
The Continental Football League was created in 1965 from the merger of the United Football League and Atlantic Coast Football League as a Development League to the National Football League, with teams situated on the East Coast and in Toronto, . In 1966, the League broke away from autonomy towards a working alliance with AFL & NFL clubs, causing Commissioner Chandler to resign, as it was moving away from the original charter he signed up to. The League added a Pacific Division that year.
1967 was a difficult year for the CoFL as a number of teams failed to finish the season, although the League became more “Continental” by merging with Professional Football League of America, thus bringing in teams from the Centre. In 1969 the League absorbed the Texas Professional Football League, and looked to become the largest Football League in the country, as it bid for University of Southern California star, O. J. Simpson. the newly merged NFL-AFL began opening their pockets in 1970 and the Continental Football League fell apart as backers pulled out.
Tom Furlong
Born: Daingean, Co. offaly
Career: Kicker on the Practice Squad of the New York Giants (NFL) 1965 / Pre-Season signing for Atlanta Falcons (NFL) 1966 (Cut after tearing cruciate ligaments) / Brooklyn Dodgers, Continental Football League 1966.
Biography: Tom Furlong was born in Daingean, Co. Offaly, and played Inter-County Football for Offaly, before being banned by the County Board for playing Soccer. Sitting in a bar in New York, he overheard members of the New York Giants Coaching Staff lamenting at the quality of their kickers (The Giants were having a woeful season) and having seen the game on TV, thought there was nothing to it a GAA player could not do, and volunteered to try out. He got on the Practice Squad for the Giants in 1965, leading to interviews with the New York Times and other newspapers with Irish-American connections.
The Giants brought in a new Kicker the following season, but the Irish-American Community Leaders, seeing the value of an Irish-born player in the NFL, arranged tryouts with the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. He was signed by the Falcons for $12, 000-a-yeat contract, but unfortunately tore his cruciate ligament in training four days before the start of the season.
He didn’t give up on a Pro Career, however, as he was only working as a carpet fitter at the time and signed for the Brookyn Dodgers in the Continental Football League, where he played the 1966 season before retiring, as he thought his kicking was never as good after the injury.
Reference: [2]
References:
Websites:
[1] Greater Northwest Football Alliance (2017) Continental Football League (1965-1969) [Internet] Available from: http://www.gnfafootball.org/continentalleague.htm [Accessed 30 August 2017]
Newspapers
[2] Hannigan, Dara (1987) “Greening of the Gridiron” The Sunday Tribune , 27 July 1987. Sportweek, pg. 10 [Available online at the British Newspaper Archive: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ ]
Bibliography
[3] Gill, Bob et al (2010) “Season-By-Season Listings: The Top Leagues” Outsiders II – Minor League and Independent Football 1951-1985″ pg. 70-79. St. Johann Press, Haworth, NJ. (2010).
Images:
[4] Greater Northwest Football Alliance (2017) Continental Football League Logo [Internet] Available from: http://www.gnfafootball.org/photos/continental.jpg [Accessed 28 July 2019]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Tim Leadingham
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 28 July 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.