Tag: Providence Civic Center

1988 New England Steamrollers Media Guide from the Arena Football League

New England Steamrollers

February 17, 2012

As New York had its baseball and football Giants and Brooklyn had its multi-sport Dodgers, so the citizens of Providence, Rhode Island cheered on their Steam Rollers in various incarnations for the better part of a century. In their heyday, the Steam Roller played in the National Football League from 1925 to 1931, winning the NFL championship in 1928.  The name was resuscitated for various minor league and semi-pro football clubs from the 1940’s to the 1980’s.  In addition, Providence’s early entry in the National Basketball Association adopted the Steamrollers nickname during its three-year run from 1946 to 1949. The last (or perhaps most recent) team to take up the Steamrollers identity was the New England Steamrollers of the Arena Football League.

Read More »
Ringo Cantillo of the New England Tea Men on the cover of a 1980-81 Kick Indoor soccer program from the North American Soccer League

New England Tea Men

March 15, 2011

The New England Tea Men played three outdoor seasons and parts of two indoor campaigns in the North American Soccer League between 1978 and 1980. Their best season was their debut in 1978, when the Teas won their division, beat the might New York Cosmos twice in the span eight days and produced the NASL’s Most Valuable Player with British import Mike Flanagan. Later years saw the club beset by stadium woes. The team moved to Jacksonville, Florida in late 1980 where it continued to play under the Tea Men named until going out of business in 1984.

Read More »