Continental Football League 1965-1969

Number	Teams
	Atlantic North Division
1	Norfolk Neptunes
2	Hartford Charter Oaks
3	Montreal Beavers
4	Toronto Rifles
5	Providence Indians
6	Springfield Acorns
	Atlantic South Division
7	Akron Vulcans
8	Fort Worth Warriors
9	Orlando Panthers
10	Philadelphia Bulldogs
11	Alabama Hawks
12	Jersey Jays
	Central Division (North)
13	Indianapolis Capitols
14	Quad Cities Raiders
15	Michigan Arrows
16	Chicago Owls
17	Indianapolis Warriors
18	Tri-City Apollos
	Central Division (South)
19	Oklahoma City Plainsmen
20	Arkansas Diamonds
21	Omaha Mustangs
22	Charleston Rockets
	Pacific Division (North)
23	Seattle Rangers
24	Eugene Bombers
25	Victoria Steelers
26	Spokane Shockers
27	Portland Loggers
	Pacific Division (South)
28	Las Vegas Cowboys
29	Orange County Ramblers
30	Sacramento Buccaneers
31	Long Beach Admirals
32	Sacramento Capitols

World Football Leagues Teams 1972-1975

Number	Teams
	Texas Football League 1968
1	West Texas Roughnecks
2	Texarkana Titans
3	Tulsa Thunderbirds
4	Fort Worth Braves
5	Mexico Golden Aztecs
	Southwestern Pro Football League (West) 1972-1973
6	Las Vegas Casinos
7	Phoenix Blazers
8	Southern California Razorbacks
9	New Mexico Thunderbirds
10	Denver Oilers
	Southwestern Pro Football League (East) 1972-1973
11	Dallas Rockets (CoFL)
12	San Antonio Toros (CoFL)
13	Oklahoma City Wranglers
14	Kansas City Steers
	World Football League (Eastern) 1974-1975
15	Florida Blazers
16	Charlotte Hornets
17	Philadelphia Bell
18	Jacksonville Sharks
19	New York Stars
20	Birmingham Vulcans
	World Football League (Central) 1974-1975
21	Birmingham Americans
22	Memphis Southmen
23	Chicago Fire
24	Detroit Wheels
25	Chicago Winds
26	Houston Texans
	World Football League (Western) 1974-1975
27	Southern California Sun
28	Hawaiians
29	Portland Storm
30	Shreveport Steamer
31	San Antonio Wings
32	Portland Thunder

Note: The Texas Football League of the late 1960s joined the Continental Football League in 1969. San Antonio Toros and Dallas Rockets of the Texas League joined Southwestern Pro Football League in 1972.

American Football Association 1977-1983

Number	Teams
	Eastern
1	Carolina Chargers
2	Jacksonville Firebirds
3	Alabama Vulcans
4	Kentucky Trackers
5	Virginia Hunters
6	Orlando Americans
	Southeastern
7	Georgia Pride
8	Alabama Magic
9	Tallahassee Statesmen
10	Carolina Storm
11	Florida Sun
12	Jacksonville Sunbirds
	Western
13	San Antonio Charros
14	Mississippi Stars
15	Arkansas Champs
16	Tulsa Mustangs
	American
17	Wichita Falls Steelers
18	Wichita Falls Roughnecks
19	Oklahoma City Warriors
20	Houston Seagulls
21	Forth Worth Texas Stars
22	Houston Titans
	Southwest
23	Austin Texans
24	Texas Wranglers
25	Oklahoma Thunder
26	San Antonio Bulls
27	Houston Armadillos
	Northeast
28	Racine Gladiators
29	Buffalo Geminis
30	Virginia Chargers
31	Roanoke Valley Express
32	Pittsburgh Colts

United States Football Leagues 1961-1964 / 1983-1985

Number	Teams
	United Football League (Eastern) 1961-1964
1	Columbus Capitols
2	Syracuse Stormers
3	Quebec Rifles
4	Joliet Chargers
	United Football League (Western) 1961-1964
5	Grand Rapids Blazers
6	Grand Rapids Shamrocks
7	Louisville Raiders
8	Baton Rouge Red Wings
9	Houston Mustangs
10	Oklahoma City Drillers
	United States Football League (Atlantic) 1983-1985
11	Philadelphia Stars
12	New Jersey Generals
13	Pittsburgh Maulers
14	Washington Federals
15	Baltimore Stars
16	Boston Breakers
	United States Football League (Southern) 1983-1985
17	Birmingham Stallions
18	Tampa Bay Bandits
19	New Orleans Breakers
20	Memphis Showboats
21	Jacksonville Bulls
22	Orlando Renegades
	United States Football League (Central) 1983-1985
23	Michigan Panthers
24	Chicago Blitz
25	Houston Gamblers
26	San Antonio Gunslingers
27	Oklahoma Outlaws
	United States Football League (Pacific) 1983-1985
28	Oakland Invaders
29	Los Angeles Express
30	Denver Gold
31	Arizona Wranglers
32	Portland Breakers

Note: Indianapolis Warriors moved from United Football League (1961-1964) to Continental Football League (1965-1969)

Tom Furlong

Born: Daingean, Co. offaly

Career: Kicker on the Practice Squad of the New York Giants (NFL) 1965 / Pre-Season signing for Atlanta Falcons (NFL) 1966 (Cut after tearing cruciate ligaments) / Brooklyn Dodgers, Continental Football League 1966.

Biography: Tom Furlong was born in Daingean, Co. Offaly, and played Inter-County Football for Offaly, before being banned by the County Board for playing Soccer. Sitting in a bar in New York, he overheard members of the New York Giants Coaching Staff lamenting at the quality of their kickers (The Giants were having a woeful season) and having seen the game on TV, thought there was nothing to it a GAA player could not do, and volunteered to try out. He got on the Practice Squad for the Giants in 1965, leading to interviews with the New York Times and other newspapers with Irish-American connections.

The Giants brought in a new Kicker the following season, but the Irish-American Community Leaders, seeing the value of an Irish-born player in the NFL, arranged tryouts with the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. He was signed by the Falcons for $12, 000-a-yeat contract, but unfortunately tore his cruciate ligament in training four days before the start of the season.

He didn’t give up on a Pro Career, however, as he was only working as a carpet fitter at the time and signed for the Brookyn Dodgers in the Continental Football League, where he played the 1966 season before retiring, as he thought his kicking was never as good after the injury.

Reference: [2]

Adrian Young

Born: Albert Court, Dublin, Ireand.

Career: Linebacker Philadelphia Eagles (1968-1972), Detroit Lions (1972-1973), Chicago Bears (1973), The Hawaiians (1974-1975)

Biography: Adrian Young, born in Dublin, Ireland, played for the Hawaiians fro 1974-1975, as well as Philadelphia Eagles (1968-1972), Detroit Lions (1972) & Chicago Bears (1973) in the National Football League beforehand. [2]

He left Ireland with his family in the 1960s and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. His father worked in a meat-packing factory, but it wasn’t long before they headed off to California, the family and all their belongings packed in a car, and the traveled across the Appalachian Trail, settling in La Puente, Los Angeles.

He played on the Football team there for Bishop Amat High school, whose coach was ex-Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They won an Inter-State Championship, and Adrian got a scholarship to USC (the University of Southern California). Here he mingled with Hollywood Actors in the Acting department, as well as playing on the same team as O.J. Simpson, who won the Heisman Trophy (annually awarded to the Best College Player) during his time there and went on to become the NFL’s All-Time leading rusher.

He got picked up by Philadelphia Eagles out of College, but his time in the NFL wasn’t as successful as his time in College, as the Eagles were in a period of transition, and chhanging coaches regularly. He played for the Eagles from 1968-1972, and the the detroit Lions and Chicago Bears from 1972 to 1973, before finishing off his career with The Hawaiians of the World Football League in 1974 and 1975.

References

Websites

[1] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1961 Season [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1961.html [Accessed 18 October 2019]

[2] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1961 Season | Grand Rapids Shamrocks [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1961uflgr.html [Accessed 7 November 2019]

[3] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1962 Season [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1962.html [Accessed 18 October 2019]

[4] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1962 Season Grand Rapids Blazers [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1962uflgr.html [Accessed 7 November 2019]

[5] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1963 Season [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1963.html [Accessed 18 October 2019]

[6] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1963 Season | Toledo Tornadoes [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1963ufltol.html [Accessed 7 November 2019 ]

[7] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1964 Season [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1964.html [Accessed 18 October 2019]

[8] Pro Football Archives (2019) 1964 Season | Canton Bulldogs [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/1964uflcan.html [Accessed 7 November 2019 ]

Websites:

[9] Greater Northwest Football Alliance (2017) Continental Football League (1965-1969) [Internet] Available from: http://www.gnfafootball.org/continentalleague.htm [Accessed 30 August 2017]

Sources:

[10] Hannigan, Dara (1987) “Greening of the Gridiron” The Sunday Tribune , 27 July 1987. Sportweek, pg. 10 [Available online at the British Newspaper Archive: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ ]

Images:

[11] Greater Northwest Football Alliance (2017) Continental Football League Logo [Internet] Available from: http://www.gnfafootball.org/photos/continental.jpg [Accessed 28 July 2019]

Bibliography

[12] Gill, Bob et al (2010) “Season-by-Season Listings- Other Leagues” Outsiders II – Minor League and Independent Football 1951-1985 pg. 120-121. St. Johann Press, Haworth, NJ (USA), 2010

Websites

[13] Bob Braunwart, The Coffin Corner, Pro Football Researchers Association (1988) WFL by Team Records [Internet] Available from: http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/10-03-337.pdf [Accessed 9 October 2018]

[14] Pro Football Archives (2019) Adrian Young [Internet] Available from: https://www.profootballarchives.com/playery/youn00400.html [Accessed 12 October 2019]

Images

[15] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) Birmingham Americans History | Logo World Football League [Internet] Available from: https://www.birminghamprosports.com/birminghamamericans/logo%20world%20football%20league.jpg [Accessed 11 February 2019]

Websites

[16] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1977 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1977.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

[17] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1978 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1978.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

[18] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1979 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1979.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

[19] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1980 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1980.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

[20] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1981 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1981.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

[21] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1982 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1982.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

[22] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA 1983 [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/afatribute/afa1983.html [Accessed 25 November 2019]

Images

[23] Birmingham Pro Sports (2019) AFA Logo [Internet] Available from: http://www.birminghamprosports.com/alabamavulcans/logo%20american%20football%20association.jpg [Accessed 25 November 2019]

Websites

[24] USFL.info (2017) 1983 Standings [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1983standings.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[25] USFL.info (2017) 1983 Playoffs [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1983playoffs.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[26] USFL.info (2017) 1984 Standings [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1984standings.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[27] USFL.info (2017) 1984 Playoffs [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1984playoffs.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[28] USFL.info (2017) 1985 Standings [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1985standings.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

[29] USFL.info (2017) 1985 Playoffs [Internet] Available from: http://www.usfl.info/1985playoffs.html [Accessed 3 February 2017]

Images

[30] Sports Logos History (2018) USFL Logo 1983-1985 [Internet] Available from: https://sportslogohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/united_states_football_league.png [Accessed 31 December 2019]

Websites

[31] O’Callaghan, Eoin (2020) “Hollywood, the NFL, and OJ – the remarkable tale of the Dublin kid who lived the American dream” The 42.ie. Suday, 2 February 2020. [Internet] Available from: https://www.the42.ie/adrian-young-nfl-4987121-Feb2020/ [Accessed 5 February 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Michael O’Callaghan.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 7 March 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.