As we move into indoor football league season, we mark the anniversary of the first league games played by the United Indoor Football League on March 19, 2005. The league was to have had 12 teams scattered across the Midwest, however the Dayton, Ohio Warbirds were kicked out of the league just before opening day. The Warbirds then returned to the National Indoor Football League from which nine of the other league clubs had come from.
The league for the most part enjoyed a fairly stable existence in its four year run. A July 2008 merger with the Intense Football League, a Texas based league brought forth the Indoor Football League. The current league with 22 teams has claim to the title of the Worlds largest indoor football league. Several of the UIFL clubs are still in the league. The league did have a close call with the Fairbanks Grizzlies earlier this month when an insurance problem brought an announcement that the club was going to fold. Community support and assistance from the league allowed the club to continue operations.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is the three charter teams of the National Basketball Development League that moved in the 2005 off season are the Asheville Altitude, the Columbus Riverdragons and the Huntsville Flight. The new cities are Albuquerque, NM; Cedar Park, TX and Tulsa, OK. The Altitude came to rest in Tulsa, as the 66ers. The Riverdragons moved on to Cedar Park as the Austin Toros. The Flight ended up in Albuquerque as the Thunderbirds. The have since moved into suburbs and Rio Rancho.
Todays trivia question is how many teams were going to play the 2010 season of the United National Gridiron League, a league that never show the playing field? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about Drag Racing.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Lots of Scoring
My readers of this blog have noticed that we have a tendency to feature alot of games that are considered as high scoring. Todays blog is no exception. The record for most points scored by a professional basketball team on March 18 is 158. That record is shared by the Philadelphia 76ers who beat the Lakers 158-128 on March 18, 1968 at the Spectrum and the Central Oregon Hotshots of the International Basketball League who beat the Vancouver Volcanoes in Bend, Oregon 158-137 on March 18, 2006.
The record for most points scored in international Ice Hockey is 30. That record was set by the team from Iceland who scored a 30-0 win over Armenia on March 18, 2004. The league record was set by the Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League on March 18, 2005. The Fireantz scored a 12-2 win at home over the Asheville Aces. That same night at the junior hockey level at Ann Arbor, Michigan the United States National team scored a 13-0 win over the Toledo GoalDiggers.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question on December 22, 1978 the Major Indoor Soccer League played its first game. Todays trivia question is three of the eight clubs that started the National Basketball Development League. All three surviving teams moved in the same off season to new homes. Name the three charter teams and each clubs new location, finally what year did these moves take place. The answer in tomorrows daily blog.
The record for most points scored in international Ice Hockey is 30. That record was set by the team from Iceland who scored a 30-0 win over Armenia on March 18, 2004. The league record was set by the Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League on March 18, 2005. The Fireantz scored a 12-2 win at home over the Asheville Aces. That same night at the junior hockey level at Ann Arbor, Michigan the United States National team scored a 13-0 win over the Toledo GoalDiggers.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question on December 22, 1978 the Major Indoor Soccer League played its first game. Todays trivia question is three of the eight clubs that started the National Basketball Development League. All three surviving teams moved in the same off season to new homes. Name the three charter teams and each clubs new location, finally what year did these moves take place. The answer in tomorrows daily blog.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The First Professional League
On March 17, 1871 the very first all professional sports league was formed when the National Association of Professional Baseball Clubs was formed. The league has been refered to as the National Association for a shorter name. The original cost for a franchise was ten dollars. The league very quickly raised $90 in franchise fees. The teams were the Boston (MA) Red Stockings, Chicago (IL) White Stockings, Cleveland (OH) Forest Citys, Fort Wayne (IN) Kekiongas, New York (NY) Mutuals, Philadelphia (PA) Athletics, Rockford (IL) Forest Citys, Troy (NY) Haymakers and the Washington (DC) Olympics.
The teams played between 19 and 33 league games. The season began on May 4 and the final league game was not played until October 30. The league would play 4 more seasons with clubs moving in and out of the league lineup seeming at will. The scores of games were frequently quite high as totals in the 30s in runs scored were not uncommon. One league game set a record for most runs scored by both clubs that stands today a final score of 49-33. After five seasons it was time for the National League to come into play as a replacement. Two of the clubs that moved from the National Association are still members of the national League today, the Cubs and Braves.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is the original Baltimore Bullets played seven seasons in the NBA. They started paly in the fall of 1947 and folded after the 1953-54 season. Todays trivia question is what date did the Major Indoor Soccer League play its first game? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about high scoring games.
The teams played between 19 and 33 league games. The season began on May 4 and the final league game was not played until October 30. The league would play 4 more seasons with clubs moving in and out of the league lineup seeming at will. The scores of games were frequently quite high as totals in the 30s in runs scored were not uncommon. One league game set a record for most runs scored by both clubs that stands today a final score of 49-33. After five seasons it was time for the National League to come into play as a replacement. Two of the clubs that moved from the National Association are still members of the national League today, the Cubs and Braves.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is the original Baltimore Bullets played seven seasons in the NBA. They started paly in the fall of 1947 and folded after the 1953-54 season. Todays trivia question is what date did the Major Indoor Soccer League play its first game? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about high scoring games.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Last Great Fire
In the early days of team sports, one problem that plagued many teams was fire. In the early 20th century many baseball ballparks and hockey arenas burned to the ground, many in spectatular blazes like the one that burned Russwood Park in Memphis, Tennessee in early April of 1960. Some fires would force teams to move or to fold.
Early on Saturday evening March 16, 1985 Crockett Park in Charlotte, North Carolina fell victim to one such fire. The three alarm fire was quickly brought under control by the Charlotte Fire Department in a mere fifteen minutes. An investigation quickly called the blaze arson. A 16 year old boy was later convited of the crime. The debris was quickly cleared but, the Charlotte O's of the AA Southern League were forced to play before temporary stands for the next four years. The team then relocated to the suburbs and Fort Mill, South Carolina. The AAA International League was played there since 1993. Since the Crockett Park fire no professional basebal park has burned down in the same way.
The answer to yesterday trivia question is the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington is the furthest North any Major League Baseball Stadium has ever been located. The current top five ballparks are Safeco Field in Seattle, Target Field in Minneapolis, Rogers Centre in Toronto, Miller Park in Milwaukee and Fenway Park in Boston. One thing that I found very interesting is that Safeco Field in Longitude is between the Oakland- Alameda County Stadium in Oakland and AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Tomorrow trivia question is How many seasons in the NBA did the original Baltimore Bullets play? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about the first ever professional Baseball League.
Early on Saturday evening March 16, 1985 Crockett Park in Charlotte, North Carolina fell victim to one such fire. The three alarm fire was quickly brought under control by the Charlotte Fire Department in a mere fifteen minutes. An investigation quickly called the blaze arson. A 16 year old boy was later convited of the crime. The debris was quickly cleared but, the Charlotte O's of the AA Southern League were forced to play before temporary stands for the next four years. The team then relocated to the suburbs and Fort Mill, South Carolina. The AAA International League was played there since 1993. Since the Crockett Park fire no professional basebal park has burned down in the same way.
The answer to yesterday trivia question is the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington is the furthest North any Major League Baseball Stadium has ever been located. The current top five ballparks are Safeco Field in Seattle, Target Field in Minneapolis, Rogers Centre in Toronto, Miller Park in Milwaukee and Fenway Park in Boston. One thing that I found very interesting is that Safeco Field in Longitude is between the Oakland- Alameda County Stadium in Oakland and AT&T Park in San Francisco.
Tomorrow trivia question is How many seasons in the NBA did the original Baltimore Bullets play? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about the first ever professional Baseball League.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Abe Saperstein
Today we are marking the 45th anniversary of the March 15, 1966 passing of Abe Saperstein. Saperstein who was only a five footer, was born in London, England. After forming the Harlem Globetrotters, Saperstein routinely helped National Basketball Association teams by booking four team doubleheaders to help the local NBA team out at the gate. After feeling jilted by the NBA when the Lakers, saperstein formed a rival league the American Basketball League, a league that lasted 1.5 seasons. The Basketball world was never the same after his passing, it became a better world because of him.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is Fenway Park, which is further North then Tiger Stadium by a mere .02 degrees of latitude. Todays trivia question is among the 100s of parks used by Major League Baseball though the years, which Stadium is the furthest North? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about the last great ballpark fire in the USA.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is Fenway Park, which is further North then Tiger Stadium by a mere .02 degrees of latitude. Todays trivia question is among the 100s of parks used by Major League Baseball though the years, which Stadium is the furthest North? The answer in tomorrows daily blog about the last great ballpark fire in the USA.
Monday, March 14, 2011
1985-86 Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings suffered through one of their worst seasons ever in the 1985-86 season. On March 14, 1986 they suffered through a 12-5 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. It was the fifth time they gave up 10 goals or more in the season. It was the last time they would do so. The finished their 80 games season with a record of 17-57-6. They would give up 415 goals in the 80 games. They would get only 266 goals in the season. Both were league worst records. They have since missed the playoffs only once since and have won the Stanley Cup four times.
Exactly a year later a year later the Red Wing players were very glad they were not playing for either the New Zealand or Hong Kong national teams. The teams were playing in a tournament in Perth, West Australia. The team from Hong Kong lost their game 44-0 to South Korea. They probably did not feel as bad as the New Zealand team who took a 58-0 beating from the Australians. Ouch!!!
Answer to yesterdays trivia question is the Oakland Raiders had three home fields before moving into the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum for the 1966 season. The fields were Kezar Stadium, Candlestick Park and Frank Youell Field.
Todays trivia question is of the two stadiums, Fenway Park and Tiger Stadium, which one is further North? The answer in tomorrows daily blog on Abe Saperstein.
Exactly a year later a year later the Red Wing players were very glad they were not playing for either the New Zealand or Hong Kong national teams. The teams were playing in a tournament in Perth, West Australia. The team from Hong Kong lost their game 44-0 to South Korea. They probably did not feel as bad as the New Zealand team who took a 58-0 beating from the Australians. Ouch!!!
Answer to yesterdays trivia question is the Oakland Raiders had three home fields before moving into the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum for the 1966 season. The fields were Kezar Stadium, Candlestick Park and Frank Youell Field.
Todays trivia question is of the two stadiums, Fenway Park and Tiger Stadium, which one is further North? The answer in tomorrows daily blog on Abe Saperstein.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Lacrosse
On March 13, 1986 the Eagle Box Lacrosse League was organized. The leagues four teams were the Baltimore (MD) Thunder; New Jersey (East Rutherford) Saints, Philadelphia (PA) Wings and the Washington (DC) Wave. The league under the Eagle Box Lacrosse League name for 2 seasons. The first league games were played in January of 1987. The league then changed its name to the Major Indoor Lacrosse League and carried that name for nine seasons before changing to their current name The National Lacrosse League. For the 1999 season the league got competion when the Major League Lacrosse was organized to play as an outdoor league in the summer. As a side note on March 13, 1993 the league was forced to cancel games for the first time, when a blizzard struck the east coast and forced three games to get cancelled.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is 21 of the 36 ice hockey games played at the 1948 Winter Olympic games had the winner score at least 11 goals in the game. Todays trivia question is the Oaklanad Raiders began play in the American Football League in 1960. Their primary home has been the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, which opened in 1966. Where did the Raiders play before the Coliseum opened? Answer with the names of all homes used by the Raiders before the coliseum opened. The answer in tomorrows daily blog about the Detroit Red Wings season of 1985-86.
The answer to yesterdays trivia question is 21 of the 36 ice hockey games played at the 1948 Winter Olympic games had the winner score at least 11 goals in the game. Todays trivia question is the Oaklanad Raiders began play in the American Football League in 1960. Their primary home has been the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, which opened in 1966. Where did the Raiders play before the Coliseum opened? Answer with the names of all homes used by the Raiders before the coliseum opened. The answer in tomorrows daily blog about the Detroit Red Wings season of 1985-86.
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