Category: US Armed Forces Football (World)

July 18, 2020

European Theater of Operations (ETO) Football Championship Autumn 1944

ETO Championship Autumn 1944

Date	Winners		Runners-Up
	Championship		3rd Bombardment Division
03.12.1944	94th Bomb Group Fighting Eagles	3	Helton’s Hellcats	0
	Championship		8th Air Force Command
10.12.1944	Shuttle-Raders	18	3rd Air Depot Liberators	0

References: [1]

Tea Bowl II Autumn 1944

Date	Winners		Runners-Up
	Bowls
03.12.1944	Air Force Command Warriors	23	Cowboys	0
03.12.1944	Shuttle-Raders	25	Ramblers	0
	Tea Bowl II		White City stadium
31.12.1944	Air Force Command Warriors	13	8th Air Force Shuttle-Raders	0

References: [1]

Army-Navy Grid Classic Autumn 1944

Date	Winners		Runners-Up
	Army-Navy Grid Classic		White City Stadium
12.11.1944	1st Air Depot Shuttle-Raders	20	Navy Sea Lions	0
	Army-Navy Grid Classic II
17.12.1944	Navy Green Waves	13	Army Red Raiders	7

References: [1]

“Turkey Bowls” Autumn 1944

Date	Winners		Runners-Up
	Thanksgiving Bowls
23.11.1944	348th Bomb Group Kiwis	0	445th Bomb Group	0
23.11.1944	Berger’s Bouncers	6	Henley’s Hurricanes	0
23.11.1944	Moore’s Maulers	6	Bearcats	0
23.11.1944	78th Fighter Group Greyhounds	6	434th Troop Carrier Command Greyhounds	0
26.11.1944	Shuttle-Raders	33	398th Bomb Group Blue Blazers	0
26.11.1944	Helton’s Hellcats	14	356th Fighter Group Tukey’s Terrors	6
26.11.1944	Air Force Command Warriors	28	Photo Lightnings	0
	“Turkey” Bowls
10.12.1944	Air Force Command	40	Berger’s Bouncers	0
10.12.1944	Moore’s Maulers	0	Doughter’s Fighting Eagles	0

References: [1]

Note: Only Major “Turkey Bowl” Style games played in Stadiums in front of the British & Irish Public in aid of the Red Cross are shown above. From Autumn 1943-Autumn 1944 there were Championships organised in various Divisions, with teams playing as many as 10 games before the playoffs.

Report

94th Bomb Group Fighting Eagles won the 3rd Bombardment Division Bowl in Autumn 1944, and Shuttle-Raders the 8th Air Force Command Championship.

There was also a repeat of the “Tea Bowl” won by Air Force Command Warriors, as well as a second Army-Navy Grid Classic series, with the Army team and Navy team winning one each, as in Winter (Spring) 1944.

References

Bibliography

[1] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 47-82. Published by the author.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 July 2020

July 18, 2020

European Theater of Operations (ETO) Football Championship Autumn 1943

ETO Autumn 1943

Date	Venue	Winners		Runners-Up
10.10.1943		Podhs		Ball Toters
17.10.1943	Elm Park, Reading	Red Tornado	14	Gremlins	0
24.10.1943	Wellingborough	Engineering Bulldozers	0	Ball Toters	0
31.10.1943	Elm Park, Reading	Skytrain	0	Red Tornado	0
28.11.1943	Oxford University	Army Blues	0	Army Greens	0
05.12.1943	White City Stadium	Central Base Pirates	8	8th Air Force Commandos	0
12.12.1943	St. Helen’s Stadium, Swansea	101st Screaming Eagles	6	Invaders	6

European Theater of Operations (ETO) Football Championship Autumn 1943 [Ref: 1]

Report

The Autumn 1943 European Theater of Operations (ETO) Football Championshp, among American soldiers in World war II, is notable for the appearance of the Bulldozers, an African-American Engineering team. The Championship was a series of “Turkey Bowl” style games, named after Thanksgiving, around which most games were played.

References

Bibliography

[1] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 47-82. Published by the author.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan, Sondra Maher, Rick Kelley & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 July 2020

July 18, 2020

European Theater of Operations (ETO) Football Championship Spring 1943

Final Standings

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Yarvard Crimson Tide	3	3	0	0	73	6	1.000
Tech Fighting Irish	1	0	1	0	6	19	.000
Hale Blue Devils	2	0	2	0	0	54	.000

ETO Championship Spring Final Standings 1943 [Ref: 1]

Results

Date	Winners		Runners-Up
	Game 1		White City Stadium, London
08.05.1943	Yarvard Crimson Tide	19	Tech Fighting Irish	6
	Game 2		Ninian Park, Cardiff
10.06.1943	Yarvard Crimson Tide	14	Hale Blue Devils	0
	Championship		Eastville Stadium, Bristol
26.06.1943	Yarvard Crimson Tide	40	Hale Blue Devils	0

ETO Championship Spring Results 1943 [Ref: 1]

Report

From 1942-1943 the US Army played a series of American Football matches in Northern Ireland, Wales & England in aid of the Red Cross. Teams were named Tech (Engineering), Hale (Infantry) and Yarvard (Artillery).

Irish and British newspaper readers would have been familiar with reports in the papers of US College Football, and the team names reflect this (Yarvard and Hale are not mis-spellings, but the names reflect the Ivy League Colleges of Harvard and Yale, similarly Tech is a nod to the big American Tech Colleges.

After the ETO Championship in Northern Ireland in 1942, in spring the following year (1943), the European Theater of Operations Championship was organised in England & Wales, with the teams given the nicknames Fighting Irish (Tech – a nod to Notre Dame), Blue Devils (Hale – after Duke University) and Crimson Tide (Yarvard – in honour of Alabama University).

The Crimson Tide won all three matches played in front of the public, attracting crowds of 25,000 (London), 7, 000 (Cardiff), and 6, 000 (Bristol).

References

Bibliography

[1] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 47-82. Published by the author.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan, Sondra Maher, Rick Kelley & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 July 2020

July 18, 2020

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League Continental Sports Conference 1956-1960

USAFE Continental SC France District 1956

	P	W	L	T
Toul Tigers	10	9	1	0
Etain Pioneers	9	7	1	1
Evreux Normans	10	6	4	0
Dreux Plainsmen	10	6	4	0
Laon Rangers	10	6	4	0
SHAPE Indians	9	5	4	0
Chaumont Mudhens	9	3	5	1
Chambley Desert Rats	10	3	7	0
Chateuroux Sabres	9	1	7	1
Bordeaux Cardinals	9	1	8	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1956 [Ref: 1]

USAFE Continental SC France District 1957

	P	W	L	T
Toul Tigers	10	10	0	0
Etain Pioneers	9	7	2	0
SHAPE Indians	10	7	3	0
Laon Rangers	9	6	3	0
Dreux Plainsmen	10	6	4	0
Chambley Desert Rats	9	5	4	0
Evreux Normans	11	4	6	1
Chaumont Mudhens	9	3	5	1
Phalsbourg Falcons	9	3	6	0
Chateauroux Sabres	9	1	7	1

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1957 [Ref: 1]

USAFE Continental SC France District 1958

	P	W	L	T
Laon Rangers	10	9	1	0
Toul Tigers	11	8	3	0
Evreux Normans	8	4	3	1
SHAPE Indians	8	4	3	1
Chateauroux Sabres	9	3	5	1
Phalsbourg Falcons	8	2	5	1
Chaumont Mudhens	8	1	6	1
Dreux Plainsmen ##	7	0	7	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1958 [Ref: 1]

Note: # Withdrew after fifth loss, remaining two games forfeited.

USAFE Continental SC France District 1959

	P	W	L	T
SHAPE Indians	10	9	1	0
Laon Rangers	11	8	2	1
Toul Tigers	7	4	2	1
Chateauroux Sabres	7	3	4	0
Evreux Normans	8	3	5	0
Phalsbourg Falcons	8	3	5	0
Dreux Plainsmen	8	1	7	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1959 [Ref: 1]

USAFE Continental SC France District 1960

	P	W	L	T
SHAPE Indians	12	11	1	0
Laon Rangers	10	8	2	0
Chateauroux Sabres	10	4	6	0
Dreux Plainsmen	9	1	8	0
Toul Tigers	8	0	8	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1960 [Ref: 1]

Report

The United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Continental Sports Conference France District title was won by Toul Tigers (1956 to 1957), Laon Rangers again (1958) and SHAPE Indians (1959 to 1960), after which the France District was merged into the Continental Sports Conference along with the teams based in Germany.

The United States Air Force in Europe Football League (USAFE – pronounced “You-Safe”) was the League for Air Force Personnel stationed at Cold War Military Bases in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy & Greece.

There were three Conferences: UK Sports Conference, Continental Sports Conference (Germany & France) and Mediterranean Sports Conference (Italy & Greece). While the MSC was a competitive Conference, the Finals were usually played between the Winners of the UKSC and the CSC.

Following the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the USAFE Football League was discontinued and the only US Military Football now played in the UK is High School Football at Lakenheath, London Central (High Wycombe), Alconbury & Menwith Hill. [1]

The United States ARmy EURope played a separate League (USAREUR). [6]

The Ramstein Rams, Alconbury Spartans, Burtonwood Bullets & Weathersfield Raiders of the UK Sports Conference except the RamsteinR Rams (Continental Sports Conference) all played matches in Ireland, including one at Croke Park in aid of the Irish Red Cross. [3-7]

Continental Sports Conference Sports Patch [Ref: 9]

References

Bibliography

[1] Crawford, Russ (2016) “Le Football: A History of American Football in France”. pg. 87-110. Published by University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln & Lincoln.

[2] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 103-105. Published by the author.

[3] Lensmen Photographic Archive (2012) . “The 1950s Ireland in Pictures”. pg. 36. The O’Brien Press Ltd. Dublin, Ireland.

Newspapers

[4] Anon. (1966) . “Rams bring 45 ‘Rough Scrappers”. Belfast Telegraph. 1 September 1966. pg. 18.

[5] Anon. (1954) . “Photo caption”. Northern Whig. 18 November 1954. pg. 6.

[6] Anon. (1966) . “Rams bring 45 ‘Rough Scrappers”. Belfast Telegraph. 1 September 1966. pg. 18.

Articles

[7] Magee, Damian. “English Beer and American Football: Exporting American Football as a Cultural Commodity to the British Isles.” Irish Journal of American Studies, vol. 7, 1998, pp. 121–148. JSTOR, JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30002410.

Images

[8] USAFE Football (2020) USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5 [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5.jpg [Accessed 18 July 2020]

[9] USAFE Football (2019) CSC Sports Patch [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/CSC-Sports-Patch.jpg [Accessed 8 November 2019]

Newspapers

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 July 2020

July 18, 2020

United States Army in Europe (USAREUR) Football League Com Z Conference 1953-1960

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1953

	P	W	L	T
Le Rochelle-Croix Chapeau Rams	6	5	1	0
Orleans Loire Ramblers	8	6	2	0
Verdin-Meuse Cardinals	7	5	2	0
Bussac Broncos	7	4	3	0
Poitiers-Ingrandes Cardinals	8	4	4	0
Toul-Lorraine Dodgers	6	2	3	1
ADSEC Metz-Moselle Mustangs	8	0	7	1
Basec-Bordeaux	6	0	6	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1953 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1954

	P	W	L	T
Verdun Cardinals	9	7	1	1
Croix Chapeau Rams	9	7	2	0
SHAPE Indians	11	7	4	0
Toul-Nancy Dodgers	10	4	4	2
Bussac Broncos	8	4	4	0
Orleans Area Command	10	3	7	0
Metz Mustangs	8	2	5	1
Fontainbleu Foresters	8	2	6	0
Ingrandes Cardinals	7	0	7	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1954 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1955

	P	W	L	T
Meuse Cardinals	8	7	1	0
Bussac Broncos	8	6	2	0
Orleans Orioles	9	5	4	0
Chinon Red Devils	7	4	3	0
Fontainbleu Foresters	7	2	5	0
Lorraine Dodgers	8	2	6	0
La Rochelle Rams	7	1	6	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1955 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1956

	P	W	L	T
Bussac Broncos	7	5	2	0
Toul-Nancy Dodgers	7	4	3	0
Chinon Red Devils	7	4	3	0
Orleans Orioles	9	5	4	0
Meuse Cardinals	9	2	6	1
La Rochelle Rams	5	1	4	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1956 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1957

	P	W	L	T
Orleans Orioles	11	10	1	0
Toul-Nancy Dodgers	7	6	1	0
Chinon Red Devils	7	4	3	0
Bussac Broncos	6	2	3	1
Verdun Cardinals	7	2	4	1
La Rochelle Rams	5	1	4	0
Fontenet Saints	7	1	6	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1957 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1958

	P	W	L	T
Bussac Broncos	10	7	2	1
Toul-Nancy Dodgers	7	4	1	2
Verdun Cardinals	9	5	2	2
La Rochelle Rams	7	4	3	0
Fontenet Saints	7	2	2	3
Orleans Orioles	9	3	5	1
Ingrandes Cardinals	8	1	7	0
Chinon Red Devils	7	0	7	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1958 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1959

	P	W	L	T
Orleans Orioles	9	7	1	1
Verdun Cardinals	8	5	2	1
La Rochelle Rams	6	4	2	0
Toul-Nancy Dodgers	10	3	5	2
Ingrandes Cardinals	6	2	4	0
Bussac Broncos	6	1	4	1
Fontenot Saints	6	1	5	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1959 [Ref: 1]

USAREUR Com Z Conference 1960

	P	W	L	T
Orleans Knights	10	7	3	0
La Rochelle Rams	8	6	2	0
Verdun Cardinals	7	5	2	0
Toul-Nancy Dodgers	7	3	4	0
Ingrandes Cardinals	7	3	4	0
Bussac Broncos	8	3	5	0

USAREUR Com Z Conference Final Standings 1960 [Ref: 1]

Report

The United States ARmy in EURope (USAREUR) played an American Football League from the late 1940s / early 1950s until the end of the Cold War. There was a Com Z Conference (France) and a Northern Italian

Following the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, the USAFE and USAREUR Football Leagues was discontinued and the only US Military Football now played in the UK is High School Football at Lakenheath, London Central (High Wycombe), Alconbury & Menwith Hill. [1]

The United States Air Force in Europe played a separate League (USAFE). [6]

The Ramstein Rams, Alconbury Spartans, Burtonwood Bullets & Weathersfield Raiders of the USAFE UK Sports Conference except the RamsteinR Rams (Continental Sports Conference) all played matches in Ireland, including one at Croke Park in aid of the Irish Red Cross. [3-7]

References

Bibliography

[1] Crawford, Russ (2016) “Le Football: A History of American Football in France”. pg. 87-110. Published by University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln & Lincoln.

[2] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 103-105. Published by the author.

Articles

Images

[8] USAFE Football (2020) USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5 [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5.jpg [Accessed 18 July 2020]

Newspapers

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 July 2020

July 18, 2020

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1953-1955

USAFE France SC 1953

	P	W	L	T
Laon Rangers	10	8	2	0
Chateauroux Sabres	9	6	2	1
Chaumont Mudhens	6	4	2	0
Fontainbleu Foresters	6	2	4	0
Bordeaux Cardinals	6	2	4	0
Orly Comets	10	2	8	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1953 [Ref: 1]

USAFE France SC 1954

	P	W	L	T
Chateauxroux Sabres	9	6	3	0
Chaumont Mudhens	10	6	3	1
Bordeaux Cardinals	6	1	4	1
Laon Rangers	7	1	5	1
Orly Comets	5	0	5	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1954 [Ref: 1]

USAFE France SC 1955

	P	W	L	T
Evreux Normans	8	7	1	0
Chambley Desert Rats	7	4	1	2
Laon Rangers	7	5	2	0
Etain Pioneers	8	4	3	1
CAMA Sabres (Chateauroux)	9	3	4	2
SHAPE Indians	8	3	4	1
Chaumont Mudhens	9	3	5	1
Bordeaux Cardinals	9	2	6	1
Toul Tigers	9	0	9	0

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League France Sports Conference 1955 [Ref: 1]

Report

The United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) France District / Sports Conference title was won by Laon Rangers (1953), Chateauroux Sabres (1954), Evreux Normans (1955), Toul Tigers (1956 to 1957), Laon Rangers again (1958) and SHAPE Indians (1959 to 1960), after which the France District was merged into the Continental Sports Conference along with the teams based in Germany.

The United States ARmy EURope played a separate League (USAREUR). [6]

References

Bibliography

[1] Crawford, Russ (2016) “Le Football: A History of American Football in France”. pg. 87-110. Published by University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln & Lincoln.

[2] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 103-105. Published by the author.

[3] Lensmen Photographic Archive (2012) . “The 1950s Ireland in Pictures”. pg. 36. The O’Brien Press Ltd. Dublin, Ireland.

Newspapers

[4] Anon. (1966) . “Rams bring 45 ‘Rough Scrappers”. Belfast Telegraph. 1 September 1966. pg. 18.

[5] Anon. (1954) . “Photo caption”. Northern Whig. 18 November 1954. pg. 6.

[6] Anon. (1966) . “Rams bring 45 ‘Rough Scrappers”. Belfast Telegraph. 1 September 1966. pg. 18.

Articles

Images

[8] USAFE Football (2020) USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5 [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5.jpg [Accessed 18 July 2020]

Newspapers

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 18 July 2020

May 11, 2020

Intercontinental Football League College and Air Force Games 1972-1973

Results

Date	Winners		Runners-Up
	IFL 1972 College Game		Rhein-Main, Germany
25.11.1972	Air Force All-Stars	42	Rota Naval Base Admirals	7
	IFL 1973 Turkey Bowl		Rhein-Main, Germany
22.11.1973	U Rhode Island Rams	34	USAFE All-Stars	6

Intercontinental Football League College and Air Force Games 1972-1973 [Ref: 1-2]

Report

The Intercontinental Football League was the National Football League’s first attempt at starting Professional Football outside North America.

It started after the film M*A*S*H became a worldwide hit in 1970, with its’ climactic ball game between the 4077th and 325th EVAC. There was enough interest for people to start clubs, and in 1973 Bob Kap, who had introduced professional Soccer to sceptical Texans, decided to try and sell Professional American Football to Europeans.

The first games were matches between visiting US Colleges and Air force teams stationed in Europe during the Cold War, and playing in the United States Air Force in Europe League (USAFE) the matches were promoted as “Turkey Bowls”, taking place as they did on Thanksgiving.

The Air Force All-Stars a visiting College team from USA in 1972 and the University of Rhode Island Rams, also a visiting American College team in 1973, both beat their USAFE counterparts in the matches staged in Rhein-Main, Germany.

The next step for Bob Kapp and the Intercontinental Football League wasto be the establishment of a Professional League in Europe.

References

Website / Sources

[1] Mark L. Ford and Massimo Foglio, The Coffin Corner Volume 27,No. 6, Pro Football Researchers Association (2002) THE FIRST “NFL EUROPE”[Internet] Available from: http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/27-06-1101.pdf [Accessed 20 October 2019]

Bibiography

[2] Massimo Foglio with Mark L. Ford (2017), Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. Second Edition “The Trailblazers: Bleu et Rouge, College and Semi-Pro”. pg. 151-188. Published by the Author (2015, 2017)

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Louise Wills (Kenny) and John Wills.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 11 May 2020

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

November 8, 2019

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League Finals 1952-1993

USAFE Finals 1952-1993

Year	Winners		Runners-Up
1952	Furstenfeldbruck Eagles	26	Burtonwood Bullets	7
1953	Landstuhl Raiders	30	London Rockets	21
1954	London Rockets
1955	London Rockets
1956	London Rockets
1957	Toul Tigers		Burtonwood Bullets
1958	Ramstein Rams		Alconbury Spartans
1959	Weisbaden Flyers
1960	SHAPE Indians
1961	SHAPE Indians		Alconbury Spartans
1962	Weisbaden Flyers		Chicksands Fighting Chicks
1963 *	Bitburg Barons * / Weathersfield Raiders *
1964	Rhein-Main Rockets		Chicksands Fighting Chicks
1965	Weisbaden Flyers	54	Weathersfield Raiders	6
1966	Weisbaden Flyers	49	Weathersfield Raiders	0
1967	Rhein-Main Rockets	19	Bentwaters Phantoms	14
1968	Bentwaters Phantoms
1969	Rhein-Main Rockets		Bentwaters Phantoms
1970	Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1971	Weisbaden Flyers		Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1972	Rhein-Main Rockets		Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1973	Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1974	Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1975	Weisbaden Flyers		Bentwaters Phantoms
1976	Bitburg Barons		Bentwaters Phantoms
1977	Bitburg Barons		Chicksands Fighting Chicks
1978	Bitburg Barons
1979	Lakenheath Eagles		Bitburg Barons
1980	Bitburg Barons		Lakenheath Eagles
1981	Upper Heyford Sky Kings		Bitburg Barons
1982	Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1983	Ramstein Rams		Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1984	Ramstein Rams		Bentwaters Phantoms
1985	Ramstein Rams		Upper Heyford Sky Kings
1986	Chicksands Fighting Chicks
1987	Rhein-Main Rockets		Lakenheath Eagles
1988	Rhein-Main Rockets	34	Lakenheath Eagles	0
1989	Rhein-Main Rockets	37	Lakenheath Eagles	18
1990	Lakenheath Eagles	39	Rhein-Main Rockets	30
1991	Rhein-Main Rockets	27	Lakenheath Eagles	6
1992	Rhein-Main Rockets	57	Lakenheath Eagles	12
1993	Rhein-Main Rockets		Lakenheath Eagles

Reference: [1-2, 6]

Note: * The 1963 Title was shared between Bitburg Barons and Weathersfield Raiders as the Final was cancelled after the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy.

USAFE Final 1952 – Wembley – Furstenfeldbrook Eagles 26 Burtonwoon Bullets 7 [Reference: 9]

Composite Standings

Team	Conference	Championships
Rhein-Main Rockets	Continental	10
Weisbaden Flyers	Continental	6
Upper Heyford Sky Kings	United Kingdom	5
Bitburg Barons	Continental	5 *
Ramstein Rams	Continental	4
London Rockets	United Kingdom	3
Lakenheath Eagles	United Kingdom	2
SHAPE Indians (Paris)	France	2
Bentwaters Phantoms	United Kingdom	1
Chicksands Fighting Chicks	United Kingdom	1
Furstenfeldbruck Eagles	Continental	1
Landstuhl Raiders	Continental	1
Toul Tigers	France	1
Weathersfield Raiders	United Kingdom	1 *

United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) Football League Finals Composite Standings 1952-1993

Note: *1963 Final shared between Weatersfield Raiders and Bitburg Barons after it was cancelled due to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Report

The USAFE (United States Air Force in Europe) Football league title was won on 10 occasions by Rhein-Main Rockets (Continental Sports Conference), Weisbaden Flyers (CSC) six times, Upper Heyford Sky Kings (United Kingdom Sports Conference) five times , Bitburg Barons (CSC) five times, Ramstein Rams (CSC) four times, London Rockets (UKSC) three times, Lakenheath Eagles (UKSC) twice and SHAPE Indians (Paris, France Sports Conference) twice.

Bentwaters Phantoms (UKSC), Chicksands Fighting Chicks (UKSC), Furstenfeldbruck Eagles (CSC), Landstuhl Raiders (CSC), Toul Tigers (FSC), Weathersfield Raiders (UKSC) each won the title once.

There were four Sports Conferences: United Kingdom, Continental, France and Mediterranean, although in the end the France and Mediterranean Sports Conferences were merged with the Continental Conference.

About

There were three Conferences: UK Sports Conference, Continental Sports Conference (German & France) and Mediterranean Sports Conference (Italy & Greece). While the MSC was a competitive Conference, the Finals were usually played between the Winners of the UKSC and the CSC.

The United States ARmy EURope played a separate League (USAREUR). [6]

The Ramstein Rams, Alconbury Spartans, Burtonwood Bullets & Weathersfield Raiders all played matches in Ireland, including one at Croke Park in aid of the Irish Red Cross. [12-15]

Continental Sports Conference Sports Patch [Reference: 11]

Teams

UK Sports Conference (UKSC)	Continental Sports Conference (CSC)
Alconbury Spartans	Berlin Bears
Bentwaters Phantoms	Bitburg Barons
Chicksands Fighting Chicks	Camp New Amsterdam
Fairford Falcons	Landsberg Tigers
Greenham Comon Pirates	Rhein-Main Rockets
Lakenheath Eagles	Sembach Tigers
Mildenhall Marauders	Ramstein Rams
Upper Heyford Sky Kings	Spangdalem Sheikhs/Sabers
Weathersfield Raiders	Weisbaden Flyers
High Wycombe Bucks	Hahn Hawks
Burtonwood Bullets	Zweibrucken
France Sports Conference / District (FSC)	Mediterranean Sports Conference (MSC)
SHAPE Indians (Paris)	Aviano Eagles (Ita)
Laon Rangers	Hellenikon Olympians (Gre)
Chateauroux Sabres	Moron
Chaumont Mudhens	San Vito
Fontainbleu Foresters	Torrejon
Bordeaux Cardinals
Orly Comets
Evreux Normans
Etain Pioneers
Toul Tigers
Dreux Plainsmen
Chambley Desert Rats
Phalsbourg Falcons

References: [1-8]

References

Websites

[1] Britball Now (2019) US Miltary Football in the UK [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/us-military-football-in-the.html [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[2] USAFE Football (2019) Teams | CSC [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/CSC/csc.html [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[3] USAFE Football (2019) Teams | UKSC [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/UKSC/uksc.html [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[4] USAFE Football (2019) Teams | MSC [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/MSC/msc.html [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[5] Enciclopedia del Football Italiano (2019) United States Army Europe Football Tournament [Internet] Available from: http://www.warriorsbologna.it/public/Enciclopedia/PDF/1974_USArEurFT.pdf [Accessed 8 November 2019]

Bibliography

[6] Crawford, Russ (2016) “Le Football: A History of American Football in France”. pg. 87-110. Published by University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln & Lincoln.

[7] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 103-105. Published by the author.

[8] Lensmen Photographic Archive (2012) . “The 1950s Ireland in Pictures”. pg. 36. The O’Brien Press Ltd. Dublin, Ireland.

Images

[9] Britball Now (2019) USAFE Final 1952 (Wembley) [Internet] Available http://www.britballnow.co.uk/_Media/1952-usaf-final-wembley_med.jpeg [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[10] USAFE Football (2019) Ramstein Rams [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/db_Ramstein-Rams-121.jpg [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[11] USAFE Football (2019) CSC Sports Patch [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/CSC-Sports-Patch.jpg [Accessed 8 November 2019]

[12] USAFE Football (2020) USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5 [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/USAFE-Football-Coin_Hat-5.jpg [Accessed 18 July 2020]

Newspapers

[13] Anon. (1954) . “Photo caption”. Northern Whig. 18 November 1954. pg. 6.

[14] Anon. (1966) . “Rams bring 45 ‘Rough Scrappers”. Belfast Telegraph. 1 September 1966. pg. 18.

Journal Articles

[15] Magee, Damian. “English Beer and American Football: Exporting American Football as a Cultural Commodity to the British Isles.” Irish Journal of American Studies, vol. 7, 1998, pp. 121–148. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/30002410.

Websites

[16] USAFE Football (2020) RM_USAFE ScannedImage-2 [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/CSC/Rhein-M/Rhein-Main/rhein-main_39.html [Accessed 18 July 2020]

[17] USAFE Football (2020) RM ScannedImage [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/CSC/Rhein-M/Rhein-Main/rhein-main_36.html [Accessed 18 July 2020]

[18] USAFE Football (2020) RM_USAFE ScannedImage-3 [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/CSC/Rhein-M/Rhein-Main/rhein-main_40.html [Accessed 18 July 2020]

[19] USAFE Football (2020) Rhein-Main 1967 vs Bentwaters USAFE Championship Game [Internet] Available from: http://www.usafefootball.com/Teams/CSC/Rhein-M/Rhein-Main/rhein-main_78.html [Accessed 18 July 2020]

Newspapers

[20] Fox, Bucky (1989) “USAFE – Just Another Year” World American Football. 9 November 1989.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 8 November 2019

November 2, 2019

European Theater of Operations Championship 1942-1944

Autumn 1942

Date	Venue	Winners		Runners-Up
14.11.1942	Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast	Hale	9	Yarvard	7
21.11.1942	Inver Park, Larne	Yarvard	14	Tech	0

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Hale	1	1	0	0	9	7	1.000
Yarvard	2	1	1	0	21	9	.500
Tech	1	0	1	0	0	14	.000

Reference: [1-5, 12-14]

ETO Championship Spring 1943

Date	Venue	Winners		Runners-Up
08.05.1943	White City Stadium, London	Yarvard Crimson Tide	19	Tech Fighting Irish	6
10.06.1943	Ninian Park, Cardiff	Yarvard Crimson Tide	14	Hale Blue Devils	0
26.06.1943	Eastville Stadium, Bristol	Yarvard Crimson Tide	40	Hale Blue Devils	0

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Yarvard Crimson Tide	3	3	0	0	73	6	1.000
Tech Fighting Irish	1	0	1	0	6	19	.000
Hale Blue Devils	2	0	2	0	0	54	.000

Reference: [11]

ETO Autumn 1943

Date	Venue	Winners		Runners-Up
10.10.1943		Podhs		Ball Toters
17.10.1943	Elm Park, Reading	Red Tornado	14	Gremlins	0
24.10.1943	Wellingborough	Engineering Bulldozers	0	Ball Toters	0
31.10.1943	Elm Park, Reading	Skytrain	0	Red Tornado	0
28.11.1943	Oxford University	Army Blues	0	Army Greens	0
05.12.1943	White City Stadium	Central Base Pirates	8	8th Air Force Commandos	0
12.12.1943	St. Helen’s Stadium, Swansea	101st Screaming Eagles	6	Invaders	6

Reference: [11]

ETO Championship Winter 1944

Date	Venue	Team 1		Team 2
		Arab Bowl
	Oran, Algeria	Army	10	Navy	7
		Northern Ireland Championship
01.01.1944	Lone Star Field, Newry	Navy Galloping Gaels	0	Army Wolverines	0
		Bowl
06.02.1944	Eastville Stadium, Bristol	4th Infantry Blues	28	Invaders	7
		Tea Bowl
13.02.1944	White City Stadium	Canadian Mustangs	16	US Pirates	6
		Fog Bowl		US Air Force Title
19.02.1944	US Air Force Title	Photo Lighnting	14	Ordnance Mustangs	0
		ETO Semi-Final
27.02.1944	“SW Town”	4th Infantry Blues	32	US Navy Seabees	0
		ETO Championship
12.03.1944	“SW Town”	4th Infantry Blues	20	8th Air Force Lignting	0
		Coffee Bowl
19.03.1944	White City Stadium	US Blues	18	Canadian Mustangs	0
		Bowl
26.03.1944	“SW Town”	4th Infantry Blues	27	Invaders	0

References: [1-5, 11]

ETO Championship Autumn 1944

Date	Venue	Winners		Runners-Up
		Army-Navy Grid Classic
12.11.1944	White City Stadium	1st Air Depot Shuttle-Raders	20	Navy Sea Lions	0
		Thanksgiving Bowls
23.11.1944	Norwich	348th Bomb Group Kiwis	0	445th Bomb Group	0
23.11.1944	Nottingham	Berger’s Bouncers	6	Henley’s Hurricanes	0
23.11.1944		Moore’s Maulers	6	Bearcats	0
23.11.1944		78th Fighter Group Greyhounds	6	434th Troop Carrier Command Greyhounds	0
26.11.1944		Shuttle-Raders	33	398th Bomb Group Blue Blazers	0
26.11.1944		Helton’s Hellcats	14	356th Fighter Group Tukey’s Terrors	6
26.11.1944		Air Force Command Warriors	28	Photo Lightnings	0
		Bowls
03.12.1944		Air Force Command Warriors	23	Cowboys	0
03.12.1944		Shuttle-Raders	25	Ramblers	0
		Championship		3rd Bombardment Division
03.12.1944		94th Bomb Group Fighting Eagles	3	Helton’s Hellcats	0
		“Turkey” Bowl
10.12.1944		Air Force Command	40	Berger’s Bouncers	0
		Championship		8th Air Force Command
10.12.1944		Shuttle-Raders	18	3rd Air Depot Liberators	0
		“Turkey” Bowl
10.12.1944		Moore’s Maulers	0	Doughter’s Fighting Eagles	0
		Army-Navy Grid Classic II
17.12.1944		Navy Green Waves	13	Army Red Raiders	7
		Tea Bowl II
31.12.1944	White City stadium	Air Force Command Warriors	13	8th Air Force Shuttle-Raders	0

References: [11]

Report

Starting in Northern Ireland in 1942, matches were played at the home of Ulster Rugby, Ravenhill (Hale winning 9-7) and Larne (Yarvard getting a 14-0 win over Tech). 8, 000 turned up to see the Ravenhill game, and a full capacity 2,000 for the Larne match.

The next year, the European Theater of Operations Championship was organised in England & Wales, with the teams given the nicknames Fighting Irish (Tech – a nod to Notre Dame), Blue Devils (Hale – after Duke University) and Crimson Tide (Yarvard – in honour of Alabama University).

The Crimson Tide won all three matches played in front of the public, attracting crowds of 25,000 (London), 7, 000 (Cardiff), and 6, 000 (Bristol).

Autumn 1943 is notable for the appearance of the Bulldozers, an African-American Engineering team.

In 1944 Army & Navy (not the US Colleges, but Army & Navy Personnel stationed in Europe), played a 0-0 Tie in Newry, dubbed the Northern Ireland Championship. Navy were nicknamed the Galloping Gaels for the day.

There were also numerous Championships for various Divisions as well as two Army-Navy Grid Classics and Two Tea Bowls and a Coffee Bowl in 1944 as the tide turned on the war and opportunities for playing in large stadiums for the benefit of both the Red Cross and the citizens of Britain increased.

An interesting footnote to this era is the very first American Football game played in Africa, the Arab Bowl, played in Oran, Algeria, which Army won 10-7 over Navy.

Yarvard Team at Sandy Bay, Larne, 1942 [14]

References

_________________________________________________________

Websites

[1] Irish American Football Association (2016) Journey to Thirty [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/journeyto-thirty/ [Accessed 08 August 2016]

[2] Irish American Football Association (2016) History of US Teams playing in Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/history-of-us-teams-playing-in-ireland/ [Accessed 22 November 2016]

[3] Irish American Football Association (2016) History [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/history.htm [Accessed 26 October 2016]

[4] Lucky Show (2016) American Football in Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://www.luckyshow.org/football/Shamrock%20Bowl.htm [Accessed 5 June 2017]

[5] Dublin Town – Article by Gerry Farrell (2016) College Football Classic Ireland’s Relationship with American Football [Internet] Available from: http://www.dublintown.ie/irelands-relationship-with-american-football/ [Accessed 7 May 2018]

Sources.

[6] Anon. (1942) . “Photo caption: American Football att Ravenhill”. Belfast News-Letter. 16 November 1942. pg. 6.

[10] Magee, Damian. “English Beer and American Football: Exporting American Football as a Cultural Commodity to the British Isles.” Irish Journal of American Studies, vol. 7, 1998, pp. 121–148. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/30002410.

[11] Foglio, Massimo & Ford, Mark L. (2017) Touchdown in Europe – How American Football Came to the Old Continent. pg. 47-82. Published by the author.

Social Media

[12] Belfast Blitzers | Faacebook (2019) Post 22 August 2019: “ So this is the last of the photos in the archive, it’s of the Yarvard team at Sandy Bay, Larne Harbour on the 21st November 1942. “ [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/pcb.2260513057393170/2260507127393763/?type=3&theater [Accessed 23 August 2019]

[13] Belfast Blitzers | Faacebook (2019) Post 22 August 2019: “So this is the last of the photos in the archive, it’s of the Yarvard team at Sandy Bay, Larne Harbour on the 21st November 1942. “ [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/rpp.454643317980162/2260507354060407/?type=3&theater[Accessed 23 August 2019]

Images

[14] Belfast Blitzers | Facebook (2019) Photo 22 August 2019 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/pcb.2260513057393170/2260507127393763/?type=3&theater [Accessed 23 August 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Todd Zboyan & Tim Leadingham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 2 November 2019