Tombstone
Formed: February 1965
Disbanded: 1970 (No date of formal announcement)
First Game: August 14, 1965
Last Game: December 13, 1969
Seasons: 5
States & Provinces:
Leadership
Commissioner:
- March 1965 – January 1966: A.B. “Happy” Chandler
- February 1966 – March 1968: Sol Rosen
- March 1968 – December 1968: Danny Hill
- December 1968 – March 1970: James Dunn
Attendance
Trophy Case
Continental Football League Most Valuable Player
| Year | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 (tie) | Bob Broadhead | Quarterback | Philadelphia Bulldogs |
| 1965 (tie) | Joe Williams | Fullback | Toronto Rifles |
| 1966 | Don Jonas | Quarterback | Orlando Panthers |
| 1967 (Atlantic Division) | Don Jonas | Quarterback | Orlando Panthers |
| 1967 (Pacific Division) | Bob Jackson | Fullback | Orange County Ramblers |
| 1968 | Don Jonas | Quarterback | Orlando Panthers |
| 1969 | Johnnie Walton | Quarterback | Indianapolis Capitols |
Continental Football League Rookie of the Year
| Year | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Tom Wilkinson | Quarterback | Toronto Rifles |
| 1967 | Fred Bristo | Safety | Wheeling Ironmen |
| 1968 | |||
| 1969 |
Continental Football League Coach of the Year
| Year | Coach | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Perry Moss | Charleston Rockets | |
| 1966 | Perry Moss | Orlando Panthers | |
| 1967 (Atlantic Division) | Gary Glick | Norfolk Neptunes | |
| 1967 (Pacific Division) | Homer Beatty | Orange County Ramblers | |
| 1968 | Lou Blumling | Ohio Valley Ironmen | |
| 1969 | Ken Carpenter | Indianapolis Capitols |
Background
Coming soon…
Continental Football League Franchise List
| FRANCHISE | YEARS ACTIVE | CoFL CHAMPIONS |
|---|---|---|
| Akron Vulcans | 1967 | Never |
| Alabama Hawks | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Arkansas Diamonds | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 1966 | Never |
| Charleston Rockets | 1965-1968 | 1965 |
| Chicago Owls | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Dallas Rockets | 1969 | Never |
| Eugene Bombers | 1967 | Never |
| Fort Wayne Warriors | 1965 | Never |
| Fort Worth Braves | 1969 | Never |
| Hartford Charter Oaks | 1965-1967 | Never |
| Huntsville Hawks | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Indianapolis Capitols | 1968-1969 | 1969 |
| Jersey Jays | 1969 | Never |
| Las Vegas Cowboys | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Long Beach Admirals | 1967 | Never |
| Mexico Golden Aztecs | 1969 | Never |
| Michigan Arrows | 1968 | Never |
| Montreal Beavers | 1966-1967 | Never |
| Newark Bears | 1965 | Never |
| Norfolk Neptunes | 1965-1969 | Never |
| Ohio Valley Ironmen* | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Oklahoma Thunderbirds | 1969 | Never |
| Oklahoma City Plainsmen | 1968 | Never |
| Omaha Mustangs | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Orange County Ramblers | 1967-1968 | Never |
| Orlando Panthers | 1966-1969 | 1967 & 1968 |
| Philadelphia Bulldogs | 1965-1966 | 1966 |
| Portland Loggers | 1969 | Never |
| Quad Cities Raiders | 1968 | Never |
| Rhode Island Indians | 1965 | Never |
| Richmond Rebels | 1965-1966 | Never |
| Sacramento Buccaneers | 1967 | Never |
| Sacramento Capitols | 1968-1969 | Never |
| San Antonio Toros | 1969 | Never |
| San Jose Apaches | 1967 | Never |
| Seattle Rangers | 1967-1969 | Never |
| Spokane Shockers | 1968-1969 | Never |
| Texarkana Titans | 1969 | Never |
| Toronto Rifles | 1965-1967 | Never |
| Tri-City Apollos | 1969 | Never |
| Victoria Steelers | 1967 | Never |
| West Texas Rufnecks | 1969 | Never |
| Wheeling Ironmen** | 1965-1967 | Never |
**Wheeling Ironmen from 1965 to 1967
Downloads
1969 Texas Football League Standard Player Contract*
1969 Texas Football League Standard Players Contract*The Texas Football League played as a division of the Continental League in 1969.
##
12 Responses
I used to read about the Phila Bulldogs but never had to opportunity to see them play. Wished I could’ve. Seemed like they were a good team
Does anyone else remember the 1966 game played at Philadelphia’s JFK stadium between the hometown Bulldogs & the Montreal Beavers? One hundred thousand fans attended the game, all tickets were free! An Acme markets promotion. Perhaps 52 years has skewed my memory.
As I recall, at the time, it was the largest attendance ever for a minor league football game.
I cannot find one word about the game. Also I remember everyone’s cars being stuck in mud outside in the stadium’s unpaved parking lot. I went to the game with my Father & my cousins Pete & Mike I was eleven and it was one of my fondest childhood memories! Phil Fioravanti
Sure do! My pop and another neighborhood dad took 22 kids from East Camden NJ (Eutaw Avenue) to that game. We got free tickets from our local ACME on Old Marlton Pike in East Camden and it was a blast. We took a bus from East Camden into Center City Philly, then the Broad Street subway to JFK Stadium. I used to have a stack of those tickets but don’t know where they are. But I just found a full unused ticket from the 1966 Continental FB Championship game played at Temple Stadium when the Bulldogs beat Orlando. It’s like the one shown on Wikipedia under Philadelphia Bulldogs but its blue and intact. I was 11 years old for the free Bulldogs game and that experience was unforgettable. My dad bought a bushel of apples and each kid got two as a snack. Three kids got stuck in the subway tall turnstile gates and the guard had to use a key to free them. Those were the days!!!
Historian of Norfolk neptunes … we have 7 players that still live in Norfolk area I have a large collection of photos etc any questions about the neps welcome
Richard, I can remember the two trips the Neptunes made in to Huntsville to play our Hawks 1968-69, ya’ll had a fine club, the Hawks could never defeat Norfolk, home or away….sure miss that fine time in life… sincerely….
Dick, is there a way I can get in touch with you? I’m a podcast producer interested in doing a story about the Continental Football League, and I’m trying to track down players, coaches, fans or historians for each of the teams. Thanks
Does anyone have a link where I can watch a game of the CFL around? I would like to know.
Very intrested in Huntsville based Alabama Hawks football club….souvenirs, etc….
Dick Thorne, would you be willing to share some of the photos of yesteryear? I love the minor leagues of the 60’s. It’s so rare to get to see photos from that time period.
I was a three year season ticket holder to the Orlando Panthers. if anybody has a pennant to sell — i am interested.
My dad is Dick Hard. He played for the Seattle rangers/ramblers. I loved hearing his stories. Even now anything I find about him is a treasure.