The Atlantic Coast Football League (ACFL) was a professional

american football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...

that operated from 1962 to 1973. Until 1969, many of its franchises had working agreements with NFL and

AFL AFL may refer to: Sports * American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues: ** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...

teams to serve as farm clubs. The league paid a base salary of $100 per game and had 36 players on each active roster.Associated Press (1970-09-04). "First woman to earn place on pro grid team is also suspended." Retrieved 2010-12-25. For the first few years,

Joe Rosentover Joseph Rosentover (12 January 1903 - 4 December 1973) became the manager and president of the American Association football league in 1936 and also became the president of Atlantic Coast Football League in 1963. Personal life Rosentover was born ...

served as league president. He had served in the same capacity for the

American Football League The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...

(formerly the American Association) from 1947 to 1950; a relative, John Rosentover, had run the league from 1936 to 1947. In fact, several of the teams from the AA were revived in the ACFL, including the Providence Steam Roller, Newark Bears and a team in

Paterson, New Jersey Paterson ( ) is the largest city in and the county seat of Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Cosmo Iacavazzi. In 1965, three of the franchises (the Hartford Charter Oaks, Newark Bears and Springfield Acorns) joined with five teams from the United Football League to create the

Continental Football League The Continental Football League (COFL) was a professional American football minor league that operated in North America from 1965 through 1969. It was established following the collapse of the original United Football League, and hoped to becom ...

. The league picked up four franchises from that league when it folded in 1969 (Norfolk Neptunes, Orlando Panthers, Jersey Jays and Indianapolis Capitols); the Neptunes and Panthers were exactly the same teams as the Acorns and Bears respectively, having relocated during their time in the CoFL. In 1970, the Orlando Panthers signed a husband and wife duo, Steven and

Patricia Palinkas Patricia Palinkas (née Barczi, born 1943) is credited as the first woman to play American football professionally in a league made predominantly of men. She was a holder for her husband Stephen Palinkas for the Orlando Panthers of the minor leag ...

, as a kicker and holder respectively. Steven did not make the team, but Patricia did, making her the first female professional football player. Other notable ACFL players included Pro Bowl fullback Marvin Hubbard, league leading running back

Mel Meeks Mel Meeks (born c. 1935) was a professional American football running back. Career A native of Muskogee, Oklahoma, Meeks never played college football and began his professional career relatively late in life after playing for a team on the Westo ...

, kicker Booth Lusteg, three-time championship winning quarterback Jim "The King" Corcoran, eventual 11-year NFL veteran Bob Tucker, and offensive lineman Paul "Dr. Z" Zimmermann, who shortly after his retirement began an over 40-year career as a sportswriter, much of that time with ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence tw ...

''. Hall of Fame running back Steve Van Buren coached in the league from its launch through 1966. One of the most unusual players in league history was DB Kiyo "Doc" Tashiro, a practicing doctor and

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

alum, who was the oldest player to play in a pro football league when he retired after 1964 season at the age of 47 (his record was later broke by

George Blanda George Frederick Blanda (September 17, 1927 – September 27, 2010) was an American football placekicker and quarterback who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). Blanda played 26 seasons ...

in 1975). He played for Newark Bears and Mohawk Valley Falcons from 1962 to 1964. Most of the ACFL's teams, including all of the teams that had been in the Continental League, folded following the 1971 season. The Hartford Knights and Bridgeport Jets survived, and both moved down to the Seaboard Football League in 1972. Hartford accrued a

perfect season A perfect season is a sports season, including any requisite playoff portion, in which a team remains and finishes undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the ...

in that league in 1972, including several games with margins of victory over 40 points, and after much dissatisfaction with the league announced it was leaving with the intent to reform the ACFL. The ACFL returned for one final season in 1973 with Hartford, Bridgeport, and several teams promoted up from the SFL (which led to a trickle-up that brought

Empire Football League The Empire Football League (EFL) is a semi-professional American football league with franchises based primarily in New York State. The league was established in 1969. Many franchises have come and gone including in locations such as Pennsylvania ...

teams upward to the SFL to fill the old SFL teams' void). The return, however, was short-lived; the league determined it would not compete with the

World Football League The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 and most of its second in 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the ...

and folded after the 1973 season. Commissioner Cosmo Iacovazzi was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Season standings

1962

''W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against''

Championship games

* 1962: Paterson Miners 17, Providence Steam Roller 14 (Double OT), played indoors in the Atlantic City Convention Hall * 1963: Newark Bears 23

Springfield Acorns The Springfield Acorns were a minor league American football team based in Springfield, Massachusetts. They began play in the Atlantic Coast Football League in 1963. The Acorns played their homes games in Pynchon Park. Following the 1964 season, ...

6 * 1964: Boston Sweepers 14, Newark Bears 10 *

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in for a full term ...

: New Bedford Sweepers 13, Jersey Jets 9 *

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo ...

: Virginia Sailors 42, Lowell Giants 10 * 1967: Virginia Sailors 20, Westchester Bulls 14 *

1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – " Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * J ...

Hartford Knights The Hartford Knights were a professional American football team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They began play in 1968 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Football League, replacing the Hartford Charter Oaks. For the 1969 season, they became the a ...

30, Virginia Sailors 17 *

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

Pottstown Firebirds The Pottstown Firebirds were a professional American football minor league team and member of the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1968 to 1970. The Pottstown Firebirds were former NFL football players, former college football players, and for ...

20,

0 * 1970:

31,

0 *

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses ( February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events J ...

Norfolk Neptunes The Norfolk Neptunes were an American football franchise based in Norfolk, Virginia that played in the Continental Football League from 1965 until 1969 and the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1970 to 1971. The team played at Foreman Field at ...

24,

13 * 1973: New England Colonials 41, Bridgeport Jets 17

Teams

* Ansonia Black Knights 1962-63 * Atlanta Spartans 1964 * Atlantic City Senators 1966 * Baltimore Broncos 1963 * Boston Sweepers 1963-64 * Waterbury Orbits 1966-67/ Bridgeport Jets 1968–71, 1973 (affiliated with

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The ...

in 1969) * Frankfort Falcons 1962 * Harrisburg Capitols/Harrisburg Colts 1963-69 (affiliated with

Baltimore Colts The Baltimore Colts were a professional American football team that played in Baltimore from its founding in 1953 to 1984. The team now plays in Indianapolis, as the Indianapolis Colts. The team was named for Baltimore's history of horse breed ...

in 1969) *

Hartford Charter Oaks The Hartford Charter Oaks were a professional American football team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They began play in 1964 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Football League, replacing the Ansonia Black Knights. In 1965 the Charter Oaks were one ...

1963-64 *

1968–71, 1973 (affiliated with

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...

in 1969) ** The Knights may have alternately been known as the Charter Oaks during its 1968 season. * Holyoke Bombers 1965 *

Indianapolis Capitols The Indianapolis Capitols were a professional American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They played in the Continental Football League from 1968 to 1969 and Midwest Football League from 1972 to 1974 and 1977 to 1978. The team was ...

1970-71 * Jersey City Jets 1966 * Jersey Giants 1963-64 * Jersey Jays 1970-71 * Jersey Jets 1965 * Jersey Tigers 1970-71 * Long Island Bulls 1969-70 (affiliated with

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...

in 1969) * Long Island Chiefs 1973 * Lowell Giants 1966-68 (affiliated with

Boston Patriots Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

in 1969) * Mohawk Valley Falcons 1963-65 * Mount Vernon Crusaders 1973 * Morrissey Club Steelers 1960-64 (affiliated with

) * Newark Bears 1963-64 * New Bedford Sweepers 1965-66 * New England Colonials 1973 (affiliated with New England Patriots)Woods, Mark (2009-10-22)
Smith is Pats' UK connection
ESPN.com. Retrieved 2010-12-20. *

1970-71 * Orlando Panthers 1970-71 * Paterson Miners 1962 (prior to joining the ACFL, the Miners were based in Franklin, New Jersey) * Pittsburgh Valley Ironmen 1963-65 * Portland Sea Hawks 1962-64 * Pennsylvania Firebirds 1970-71 *

1968-69 (affiliated with

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...

in 1969) * Providence Steam Roller 1962-64 * Quincy Giants 1969-71 * Rhode Island Steelers 1966 * Richmond Rebels 1964 *

Richmond Roadrunners The Richmond Roadrunners/Richmond Saints were an Atlantic Coast Football League team that played four seasons from 1967 to 1970. They were affiliated with the New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football tea ...

1968-70 (affiliated with

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

in 1969–70) * Scranton Miners 1965-66 * Scranton Pros 1964 *

1963-64 * Stamford Golden Bears 1962 * Virginia Sailors 1966-68 / Roanoke Buckskins 1968-71 (affiliated with

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) ...

from 1966 to 1969) * Western Massachusetts Pioneers 1973 * Westchester Bulls 1967-68 * Westchester Crusaders 1963–64, 1973 * Wilmington Clippers/Renegades 1966-67

Season standings

1962

Championship games

Teams

References

Further reading