1965 Continental Football League season

1965 Continental Football League season
DurationAugust 14 – November 14, 1965
DateNovember 28, 1965
Finals venueLaidley Field, Charleston, WV
Finals championsCharleston Rockets
Seasons
← n/a
1966 →

The 1965 COFL season was the first season of the Continental Football League (COFL). The COFL entered its inaugural season with franchises in Philadelphia, Springfield, Massachusetts, Newark, New Jersey, Toronto, Wheeling, West Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia, Hartford, Connecticut, Providence, Rhode Island, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Franchise changes

In April 1965 the Springfield franchise was purchased by a group from Norfolk, Virginia.[1] The sale was approved and finalized in May.

General news

  • Happy Chandler was appointed commissioner in March 1965, with a five-year contract worth $50,000 per year.[2]

Rules different from NFL

  • Games tied after four quarters move to a sudden death period.
  • On kickoffs, if the ball goes beyond the end zone the kicking team is given a five-yard penalty and must kick again until the ball is handled.
  • Fair catches are not allowed.
  • If the receiving team on a kickoff attempts to run the ball out of the end zone and does not reach the 20-yard-line, the ball is automatically placed at the 20.

Regular season

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

 y  = Division Champion

Eastern Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA Stadium Coach
y-Toronto Rifles 11 3 0 .786 412 258 Maple Leaf Stadium Leo Cahill
Philadelphia Bulldogs 10 4 0 .717 414 341 Temple Stadium Babe Dimancheff
Norfolk Neptunes 9 5 0 .643 326 280 Foreman Field Gary Glick
Newark Bears 5 9 0 .357 307 310 Newark Schools Stadium Steve Van Buren
Wheeling Ironmen 2 12 0 .143 175 290 Wheeling Island Stadium Mac Cara/Bob Snyder
Western Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA Stadium Coach
y-Charleston Rockets 14 0 0 1.000 462 129 Laidley Field Perry Moss
Fort Wayne Warriors 8 6 0 .538 351 256 Zollner Stadium Ken Carpenter
Richmond Rebels 6 8 0 .429 283 385 City Stadium Pete Pihos
Rhode Island Indians 3 11 0 .214 182 411 City Stadium Mike Connolly
Hartford Charter Oaks 2 12 0 .143 203 455 Dillon Stadium Fred Wallner/Lee Grosscup/Lowell Lander

Playoffs

Home team in CAPITALS

League Championship (November 28, 1965)

  • CHARLESTON 24, Toronto 7

Awards

  • Most Valuable Player: Bob Brodhead (QB, Philadelphia Bulldogs) & Joe Williams (FB, Toronto Rifles)[3]
  • Coach of the Year: Perry Ross, Charleston[4]

References

  1. ^ "Norfolk Gets Berth In Continental Loop". The Progress-Index. Associated Press. April 30, 1965.
  2. ^ "Happy Chandler Commissioner Of Continental Football League". Ogden Standard-Examiner. UPI. March 18, 1965.
  3. ^ "Bulldogs Brodhead Given MVP Award". Evening Journal. Associated Press. November 27, 1965.
  4. ^ "Moss Is Named Coach of Year". Beckley Post-Herald. Associated Press. November 25, 1965.