United States Armed Forces in Europe | Northern Italian League 1974-1975

Gridiron Football Uncategorized

NIL 1974

PWLTbPct
*Geronimos Vicenza33001.000
Blue Knights Vicenza
Bosco Rocks Verona
Missile Support Command Vicenza

Reference: [4]

NIL 1975

PWLTbPct
*Geronimos Vicenza33001.000
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.

Leave a Reply