1969 Continental Football League season

The 1969 COFL season was the fifth and final season of the Continental Football League (COFL). Following the season, nine of the league's remaining teams split from the league, with five forming the Trans-American Football League and four joining the Atlantic Coast Football League.

1969 Continental Football League season
Regular season
DurationAugust 23 – November 23, 1969
Playoffs
Start dateNovember 29, 1969
Eastern championsIndianapolis Capitols
Western championsSan Antonio Toros
Championship
DateDecember 13, 1969
SiteBush Stadium, Indianapolis
ChampionsIndianapolis Capitols
COFL seasons

Franchise changes
  • The Michigan Arrows moved to Midland, Michigan and became the Tri-City Apollos.[1] They were an informal farm team of the NFL's Detroit Lions.[2]
  • The Hawaii Warriors were announced as a new league franchise in January 1969,[3] but were unable to raise the necessary money to keep the team alive. Their spot in the league was instead given to Portland, Oregon.[4]
  • A franchise was awarded to Newark, New Jersey, which was subsequently named the Jersey Jays.[5] The Jays were later announced to be a farm team of the NFL's Cleveland Browns.[6]
  • The Orange County Ramblers announced a relocation to San Bernardino, California[7] but had their franchise revoked several weeks later for failing to confirm conditional approval.[8] Their player contracts were later assumed by the Portland Loggers.
  • On September 21, 1969 the Mexico Golden Aztecs ceased operations and forfeited the remainder of their 1969 schedule.[9]
  • The Spokane Shockers became a farm team of the AFL's Oakland Raiders.[10]
  • The TFL's El Paso Jets franchise was revoked for failure to comply with league regulations regarding several issues.[11]

General news
  • James Dunn was named commissioner of the league.
  • On January 25, 1969 it was announced that the COFL was adding the entirety of the eight-team Texas Football League to its ranks. The TFL joined as a separate entity and was placed into the new Texas Division (itself split into East and West). The new teams were mostly scheduled to play against each other but did also play interleague contests.[12]
  • The league office moved from San Jose to Indianapolis.[13]
  • As a result of the addition of the eight TFL franchises, the league was split into four divisions.
  • The league established the Glen Hepburn Memorial Award for Community Service, named for an Omaha Mustangs player who died from an injury sustained during a game the previous September.[14]

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PCT= Winning Percentage, PF= Points For, PA = Points Against

 y  = Division Champion

Atlantic Division
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadiumCoach
Orlando Panthers 1020.833330160Tangerine BowlDick Pesonen
Norfolk Neptunes 840.667366224Foreman FieldGary Glick/George Hughes
Jersey Jays 750.583265254Newark Schools StadiumNick Cutro
Alabama Hawks 660.500221246Milton Frank StadiumDave Sington
Arkansas Diamonds 570.417236298War Memorial StadiumFred Williams
Central Division
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadiumCoach
Indianapolis Capitols 840.667276202Bush StadiumKen Carpenter
Ohio Valley Ironmen 660.500245313Wheeling Island StadiumLou Blumling
Omaha Mustangs 660.500265246Johnny Rosenblatt StadiumDon Fleming
Chicago Owls 570.417208247Soldier FieldBob Webb
Tri-City Apollos 2100.167148270Midland StadiumChuck Cherundolo
Texas Division West
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadiumCoach
San Antonio Toros 740.636279180Harlandale Memorial StadiumHoover Evans
West Texas Rufneks 740.636244212Memorial StadiumLou Rymkus
Mexico Golden Aztecs 260.25072108Estadio UniversitarioDuncan McCauley
Texas Division East
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadiumCoach
Texarkana Titans 750.583245248Grim StadiumTom Collins/Jimmy Cobb
Oklahoma Thunderbirds 560.455306334Custer StadiumArt Ramage
Fort Worth Braves 570.417262259Farrington FieldJohn Hatley
Dallas Rockets 1100.091129318Roffino StadiumJoe Verret
Pacific Division
TeamWLTPCTPFPAStadiumCoach
Las Vegas Cowboys 840.667249181Cashman FieldPaul Massey
Sacramento Capitols 840.667192163Hughes StadiumGeorge Porter
Seattle Rangers 750.583221185Memorial StadiumDon White
Spokane Shockers 570.417253243Joe Albi StadiumHugh Taylor
Portland Loggers 390.250219348Multnomah StadiumChuck Fenenbock

Playoffs

Home team in CAPITALS

Divisional playoffs, round 1 (November 29, 1969)

  • San Antonio 20, TEXARKANA 7
  • Las Vegas 31, SACRAMENTO 0
  • INDIANAPOLIS 27, Orlando 7

Divisional playoffs, round 2 (December 7, 1969)

  • SAN ANTONIO 21, Las Vegas 17

League Championship (December 13, 1969)

  • INDIANAPOLIS 44, San Antonio 38 (OT)

Awards

  • MVP: Johnnie Walton, QB, Indianapolis
  • Coach of the Year: Ken Carpenter, Indianapolis

References

  1. "Arrows Shift Site". The Holland Evening Sentinel. UPI. January 15, 1969.
  2. "Farm for Lions". Detroit Free Press. June 3, 1969.
  3. "Hawaii Enters Continental Loop". The Indianapolis Star. Associated Press. January 23, 1969.
  4. "Portland Obtains Football Ramblers". Tucson Daily Citizen. UPI. August 7, 1969.
  5. "Newark Gains CFL Franchise". The Arizona Republic. Associated Press. February 2, 1969.
  6. "Jays Join Browns". San Antonio Express. Associated Press. April 13, 1969.
  7. "Orange County Gridders Move". The Times. San Mateo, California. UPI. April 8, 1969.
  8. "CFL Team Inactive". Northwest Arkansas Times. Associated Press. May 19, 1969.
  9. Guys, Carl (September 23, 1969). "Inflation Deflates". Del Rio (Texas) News-Herald.
  10. "Raiders Make Ties with Spokane Club". The Daily Herald. UPI. June 10, 1969.
  11. "El Paso Is Retired For Season". The Galveston Daily News. Associated Press. August 5, 1969.
  12. "TFL Aligns With Huge Continental". The Odessa American. Associated Press. January 26, 1969.
  13. "Moves to Indiana". The Terre Haute Tribune. Associated Press. February 3, 1969.
  14. "Award Set Up in Memory of Player". Ironwood Daily Globe. Associated Press. May 21, 1969.
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