AFL 1923
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pct | |
| *Coaldale Big Green | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 20 | .714 |
| Gilberton Catamounts | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 43 | .571 |
| Pottsville Maroons | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 97 | 35 | .500 |
| Shenandoah Yellowjackets | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 26 | .500 |
| Mount Carmel | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 56 | .000 |
AFL 1924
| P | W | L | T | PF | PA | PCT | |
| *Pottsville Maroons | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 78 | 7 | 1.000 |
| Shenandoah Yellowjackets | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 30 | .500 |
| Gilberton Catamounts | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 32 | .400 |
| Coaldale Big Green | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 36 | 61 | .286 |
| Wilkes-Barre Panthers | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 54 | .000 |
| Totals incl. Exhibition* | |||||||
| Pottsville Maroons | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Gilberton | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Shenandoah Yellowjackets | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | |||
| Coaldale Big Green | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | |||
| Wilkes-Barre Barons | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
*Includes results of matches against non-league opponents.
Report
The Antracite Football league was set up in 1923 among the Coal-Mining Communities of Pennsylvania and Upsate New York. It was a reaction against the spiralling costs of running a team in the National Football League and the glamour associated with it, which was seen by many as taking away from what was a hard-working class game.
Many of the owners, such as James “Casey” Gildea of the Coaldale Big Green and Joe Keating, James Rafferty & T. Conner of Gilberton had both Irish Christian Names & Family Names, suggesting a strong Irish connection with the League, which was promoted by the Pottsville Republican newspaper as being Football in connection with its roots.
By the end of the year, though, teams were outbidding each other for players and the League began to rival the NFL, ending what was a unique development at the time. [1]
References
Websites
[1] Joe Zagorski, The Coffin Corner, Pro Football Researchers Association (1987) PFRA Annual 1987: The Anthracite Football League [Internet] Available from: http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/09-An-321.pdf [Accessed 9 October 2018]
Sources
[2] Gill, Bob with Maher, Todd (2006) “Part 3: Season-by Season Listings” Outsiders, Minor League and Independent Football 1923-1950. Pg. 92. St. Johann Press. Haworth, NJ, USA.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Richard Mulcahy
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American & World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 23 December 2019
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.