Continental Football League (1968-1969)
Tombstone
Born: 1968 – CoFL expansion franchise
Folded: July 2, 1970
First Game: August 31, 1968 (L 28-13 vs. Orange County Ramblers)
Last Game: November 29, 1969 (L 31-0 vs. Las Vegas Cowboys)
Continental Football League Championships: None
Stadium
Hughes Stadium
Opened: 1928
Branding
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owner: Lee Balderelli
Our Favorite Stuff
Continental Football League
Logo T-Shirt
Variously described as everything from “semi-pro” football to the “third Major League” behind the NFL and AFL during the late 1960’s, the Continental Football briefly established a sprawling network of pro football clubs that stretched from Florida to Mexico City to British Columbia. The Continental League helped launch the careers of Hall-of-Famers Bill Walsh and Ken Stabler and other NFL stars of the 1970’s including Otis Sistrunk, Bob Kuechenberg and Coy Bacon.
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Background
The Sacramento Capitols were a minor league football outfit that played two seasons in the California state capital at the end of the 1960’s. The Caps played at Hughes Stadium on the campus of Sacramento City College.
The Capitols played in the Pacific Division of the Continental Football League (1965-1969). The CoFL was considered to be a step below both the AFL and the NFL during the late 1960’s. Although CoFL membership stretched from coast to coast, teams tended to play exclusively within their regional division to save on travel costs. The Caps played teams from Seattle, Portland, Las Vegas, Orange County and Spokane, with a few contests against Texas-based teams thrown in.
Sacramento posted a 5-7 record during its expansion season of 1968. In 1969 the Caps improved to 8-4 and made the playoffs. The Las Vegas Cowboys came into to Hughes Stadium on November 29th, 1969 and ended the Caps’ season with a a 31-0 clean sheet. This turned out to be the Capitols final game.
The End
The Continental Football League folded following the 1969 season. The Capitols tried to organize for a 1970 season. It is not clear from press reports in what circuit they hoped to play. On July 2nd, 1970 team owner Lee Balderelli announced the closure of the team citing disappointing season ticket subscriptions.
Sacramento Capitols Shop
Links
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One Response
Those players on the front cover of that programme don’t look too enthusiastic, do they?