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The Continental Football League was formed
in 1965 with hopes of being a "minor" league counterpart to the major
leagues at the time, the NFL and AFL. The league did it's best to adopt
a "professional" appearance. Rules were standardized, with 36-man
rosters and 5-man taxi squads for each team. The league followed the NFL
rules closely, except for a "sudden death" overtime to break ties. Teams
were required to meet a $5,000 franchise fee and to post a $25,000 letter
of credit. The original teams
came mainly from two semi-pro leagues, the United Football League and
the Atlantic Coast Football League.
In 1966 the league began to move away
from league autonomy towards working alliances with the AFL and NFL
clubs. When the league moved in this direction, Commissioner
Chandler saw it as moving away from the charter for which he signed up
and resigned in January after 10 months. Sal Rosen, owner of the
Newark Bears and league secretary was his replacement. The "new"
tool of television, created a flurry of failed attempts in the preseason
to get the Continental Football League games televised.
Expansion to the west coast happened
with the absorption of the Pacific Football League. San Jose
featured a young up-and-coming junior college coach by the name of Bill
Walsh.
In 1967 teams could carry 36 players on
their active roster and a 5 man taxi squad.
The season didn't go too well with
teams folding before and during the early parts of the season.
In order to become more "Continental"
the league merged with the Professional Football League of America which
brought in the Central Division teams like Omaha.
With the absorption of the Texas
Professional Football League in 1969, the CFL looked poised to take over
as the largest football league in the country and began bidding for USC
star OJ Simpson. The merged AFL-NFL owners opened their pocket
books for the 1970 season and began paying salaries the CFL couldn't
compete with and the league disintegrated as backers pulled out seeing
the writing on the wall.
1967 CFL Pacific Division All-Stars:
Joe Peyton, SE - Seattle
Bruce Smith, SE - Orange County
Jerry Knoll, T - Seattle
Steve Smith, T - San Jose
Jim Killman, G - Eugene
Mike Giers, G - Orange County
Larry Metevia, C - Orange County
Rhome Nixon, TE - Orange County
Jerry Otterson, QB - Orange County
Les Mueller, HB - Seattle
Bob Jackson, FB - Orange County
Dick Tatley, PK - San Jose
Len Frketich, P - Eugene
Bill Ford, FL - Eugene
Rob Berger, DE - Orange County
Walt Johnson, DE - San Jose
Skip Diaz, DT - Eugene
Terry Oaks, DT - San Jose
Jack O'Billovich, LB - Eugene
Tim Casey, LB - Eugene
Dick Degen, LB - Orange County
Fred Forsberg, LB - Victoria
Ron Fowlkes, DB - Orange County
Jim Jackson, DB - San Jose
Milt Jackson, DB - San Jose
Darrell Hoover, DB - Orange County
1968 Continental Football League
All-Stars:
Joe Wynns, SE - Indianapolis
Mike Capshaw, T - Norfolk
Dick Fitzgerald, T - Omaha
Sam Works, G - Orlando
Dwight Little, G - Indianapolis
Tom Mitrakos, C - Spokane
Rhome Nixon, TE - Orange County
Junior Edge, QB - Norfolk
Eugene Wren, HB - Indianapolis
Bob Jackson, FB - Orange County
Don Floyd, FL - Norfolk
Bob McAdams, DE - Orlando
Bob Hoskins, DE - Seattle
Rich Zecker, DT - Sacramento
Joe Critchlow, DT - Charleston
Leroy Adams, LB - Chicago
Ron Sbranti, LB - Sacramento
Frank Galloway, LB - Charleston
Ron Fowlkes, CB - Orange County
Pete Athas, CB - Orlando
Joe Hightower, S/PK - Norfolk
Darrell Hoover, S - Orange County
Jim Hollingsworth, P - Charleston
Cornell Champion, KR - Orlando
1969 CFL Pacific Division All-Stars:
Rhome Nixon, SE - Portland (Southern
University)
Steve Van Sinderen, OT - Portland
(Washington State)
Rex Pitts, OT - Seattle (Los Angeles
State)
Ray Miller, OT - Spokane (Idaho)
Rich Zecher, OG - Sacramento (Utah State)
Bob Webb, OG - Las Vegas (Mississippi
Southern)
Ron Vrlicak, C - Seattle (Washington
State)
Joy Peyton, TE - Seattle (University of
Puget Sound)
Jerry Ahlin, TE - Spokane (Idaho)
Hugh Oldham, FL - Sacramento (Oregon)
Dewey Warren, QB - Las Vegas (Tennessee)
Noki Fuimaono, HB - Spokane (Arizona)
Bob Jackson, FB - Portland (New Mexico
State)
Ron Miller, PK - Sacramento (California)
Hugh Oldham, KR - Sacramento (Oregon)
Nick Kuklica, DE - Sacramento (San
Francisco State)
Mike Martin, DE - Seattle (Washington
State)
Larry Cox, DT - Las Vegas (Abilene
Christian)
Bruce Norton, DT - Sacramento (None)
Mike Hibler, LB - Sacramento (Stanford)
George Jugum, LB - Seattle (Washington)
Mike Foote, LB - Las Vegas (Oregon State)
Leroy Harris, CB - Sacramento (Idaho
State)
Mason Mitchell, CB - Seattle (Washington)
Henry King, S - Sacramento (Utah State)
Al Worley, S - Seattle (Washington)
Ron Miller, P - Sacramento (California)
Dave Danish, PR - Seattle (Washington) |
