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Watertown Red and Black
Founded 1898[1]
Based in Watertown, New York
League
Team History
Team Colors

The Watertown Red & Black is a semi-professional American football team based in Watertown, New York. Founded in 1896, the team is the oldest semi-pro football team in the United States. Because of this, the team has the most wins (565), losses (268), ties (43) and games played (876) of any semi-professional team; their overall win percentage is .670.[2]

Watertown did not participate in the first World Series of Pro Football, instead loaning its entire backfield to the Syracuse Athletic Club for its entry into the tournament. Watertown participated in the 1903 tournament, finishing second to the Franklin Athletic Club, to whom the Red & Black lost, 12-0.[3] During the 1903 season, the Red & Black defeated a team from Cortland, New York by a score of 142-0, the second-highest in football history (behind only a 148-0 win by the Massillon Tigers over a team from Marion, Ohio a year later).[4] In 1919, the team participated in the New York Pro Football League playoffs, losing in the regional quarterfinals ("Central New York Championship") to Syracuse.[5]

The team currently plays in the Empire Football League and has won the league's title twice, in 1980 and 2009.

Season-by-season[]

League Year W L T Finish Coach
Watertown Red & Black
Independent 1896
Independent 1897
Independent 1898
Independent 1899
Independent 1900
Independent 1901
Independent 1902
Independent 1903
Independent 1904
Independent 1905
Independent 1906
Independent 1907
Independent 1908
Independent 1909
Independent 1910
Independent 1911
Independent 1912
Independent 1913
Independent 1914
Independent 1915
NYPFL 1916
NYPFL 1917
NYPFL 1918
NYPFL 1919
Independent 1920
Independent 1921
Independent 1922
Independent 1923
Independent 1924
Independent 1925
Independent 1926
Independent 1927
Independent 1928
Independent 1929
Independent 1930
Independent 1931
Independent 1932
Independent 1933
Independent 1934
Independent 1935
Independent 1936
Independent 1937
Independent 1938
Independent 1939
Independent 1940
Independent 1941
Independent 1942
Independent 1943
Independent 1944
Independent 1945
Independent 1946
Independent 1947
Independent 1948
Independent 1949
Independent 1950
Independent 1951
Independent 1952
Independent 1953
Independent 1954
Independent 1955
Independent 1956
Independent 1957
Independent 1958
Independent 1959
Independent 1960
Independent 1961
Independent 1962
Independent 1963
Independent 1964
Independent 1965
Independent 1966
Independent 1967
Independent 1968
Empire Football League 1969
Empire Football League 1970
Empire Football League 1971
Empire Football League 1972
Empire Football League 1973
Empire Football League 1974
Empire Football League 1975
Empire Football League 1976
Empire Football League 1977
Empire Football League 1978
Empire Football League 1979
Empire Football League 1980
Empire Football League 1981
Empire Football League 1982
Empire Football League 1983
Empire Football League 1984
Empire Football League 1985
Empire Football League 1986
Empire Football League 1987
Empire Football League 1988
Empire Football League 1989
Empire Football League 1990
Empire Football League 1991 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1992 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1993 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1994 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1995 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1996 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1997 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1998 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 1999 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2000 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2001 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2002 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2003 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2004 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2005 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2006 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2007 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2008 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2009 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2010 George Ashcraft
Empire Football League 2011 George Ashcraft

It was in 1902 that Watertown Athletic Association became known as the Red & Black Professional Football Team. Though it declined participation in the first World Series of Pro Football, it loaned players to the Syracuse Athletic Club to participate in that contest, the first ever attempted national professional football championship. (The enhanced Syracuse team, which included Pop Warner, won the tournament in an upset.) Football enthusiasm reached a peak locally in 1903, a year which included a 142-0 rout of a team from Cortland (which still stands as the second-biggest blowout in pro football history, behind the Massillon Tigers' 148-0 win over a team from Marion in the Ohio League a year later). The 1903 season ended with the Red & Black participating in the second (and as it would turn out, the final) World Series of Pro Football. Watertown lost the championship to the superteam Franklin Athletic Club of Pennsylvania by a 12-0 score; J. B. Wise, Mayor of Watertown and the Red & Black's business manager lost $8,000 in bets during this contest.

The Red & Black team, mostly located too far from pro football's core in Ohio and western Pennsylvania to play an extensive schedule against other fully-professional teams,then dropped back to the semi-professional level in 1904 and has played with semi-pro status ever since. This allowed the scheduling of teams located within what was then a reasonable travel distance of Watertown. Several teams during the decades of the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s brought the semi-professional championships of New York State home to Watertown. Alex Duffy wore the colors for 17 seasons, the last 15 as captain during the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1923-1925 seasons, the team won 31 games, losing only to Binghamton, 6-0. The 1927 squad was undefeated. In 1935, the Red & Black was reorganized under George (Buzzy) Gibson and produced several outstanding teams.

Jake Devito and Rocco Canale guided the team when it was a member of the Eastern Professional League in the late 40's and early 50's. In 1950, the Red & Black went undefeated until losing the championship game to Hudson Falls at the Fairgrounds in Watertown.

In 1954, after a two year hiatus, the Red & Black was reorganized by Dick Doe and Budjo Alteri, assisted by Earl Cole. Johnny Marra was the sponsor. Boots Gaffney coached the team, assisted by Joe Guardino and Nelson Sholett. In four seasons, beginning in 1954, the team won 28 games, lost one and tied two. In these four seasons, the defense allowed but 50 points. Sadly the team once again became only a fond memory after the 1959 season.

In 1969, Carmen Scudera, Francis Lyng and John Morgia headed efforts to revive the Red & Black. Pat Killorin was selected as coach and the team had a successful season of four wins, three losses. It was not only competitively successful but financially successful as well. Crowds of 5000 to 6000 were reported at the games.

In 1971 and 1974, the Red & Black went undefeated. In 1980, the team reached its pinnacle of modern history, nearly comparable to that of the 1903 team. The team, playing under the direction of Jim Powers and Tom LaDuke won the Empire Football League Championship and was ranked second in the nation by Pro Football Weekly.

The Red & Black have their own showcase in the Pro Football Hall of Fame as being the oldest semi-pro team in the nation. It is the very first showcase.

From 1980 until 1991 the team was under the direction of several different coaches. In 1991 to present, George Ashcraft took over as the head coach. Mike Britton was the offensive coordinator from 1992 through the 2000 season starting his own semi-pro team, the St. Lawrence Trailblazers in 2002. The Red and Black have made the playoffs every year since 1993. The team briefly played in the New York Amateur Football League (now the Northeastern Football Alliance) in the late 1990s, but a few years later, moved back to the EFL. In 2003 they won the Northern Division Championship.

In 2005 agency producers contacted several AFA member teams regarding use of players and coaches to give their TV commercials the professional football appearance they are looking for. One such Chunky soup commercial, featuring Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb did just that. Several Empire League football players were used in the production of that popular TV spot. The agency relied heavily on the coaching experience of AFA Hall of Famer George Ashcraft from the EFL's Watertown Red and Black team. Ashcraft provided the agency with the technical football advice (and several EFL players) they needed to make the McNabb/Chunky soup commercial convincing to the viewers. It is the Red and Black players and other EFL players wearing the Cleveland Browns uniforms.

In 2006 the Red and Black was the floater team for the EFL. They played all of the teams once. They were the only floater team, but were still considered a Northern Division team. They won the Northern Division Championship game against the Vermont Ice Storm and lost to the Albany Metro Mallers in the EFL championship game.

In 2007 the team finished with a 12-4 overall record. They were the 2007 Western Division Champs and lost in the EFL championship game to the Vermont Ice Storm 9-8. They went on to play in the National Tournament at Watertown High School. Before the game there was a tribute in memory of a fallen coach and soldier, Dave Connell, who lost his life in Iraq. The Tenth Mountain Division at Fort Drum landed a helicopter on the field before the game to deliver the game ball. Four members of the Watertown Red & Black team returned home from Iraq that week and played in the game. They were Ben Pritchard, Lorenzo Sanchez, Gregory Duckson, and Mike Jester. The team lost to the Monroe County Sting of the New York Amateur Football League 21-6. Monroe went on to win the National Championship game. Long-time veteran Earnie Wash also returned home from Iraq earlier in the season to finish the year.

The 2008 season saw Thomas Schultz of Sports Partners Inc. claim that he "bought" the team, with intentions to move it back to the Northeastern Football Alliance. The owners of the Red & Black denied this, and a court settlement eventually led to Schultz being barred from using the "Red & Black" name. Schultz's team took to the field as the Watertown Revolution for the NFA, with no further connection to the Red & Black. The original Red & Black played in the EFL and finished with a 4-7 overall record.

The Red & Black rebounded in 2009 to win the Empire Football League championship over the Plattsburgh North Stars 6-0 at the Alex Duffy Fairgrounds. Almost 3000 fans packed around the field to watch the team win its first EFL Championship since 1980. The Team finished with a 13-1 overall record. The Red and Black did go to Florida and played the Carolina Express in the Orange Blossom Bowl in January. After a hard fought battle the Red and Black came up short and lost 7-6. Running back Anthony Noel and LB Dustin Houppert received honors for the team for their outstanding play. The team finished with over 3800 yards in offense. The defense posted seven shutouts. The Red and Black was ranked 20th in the nation on October 13th.

To start the 2010 season the Watertown Red & Black traveled to Florida to play in the Orange Blossom Bowl. The Red and Black played The Carolina Express. It was a hard fought battle but the Red & Black came up short losing 7-6. Dustin Houppert and Anthony Noel received honors for the team for their great play. The Red & Black took the field in June with no choice but to defend their title. The team finished with a 12-3 overall record making it to their second championship in two years. The team lost to the Plattsburgh Northstars in the Championship game 13-10. The R&B missed a field goal with 22 seconds left that would have put the game in overtime. The Red and Black finished another great season. Running backs Brian Williams and Joe Brennan led the offense both rushing over a thousand yards. This was the first time since 1902. Also Mike Dumaw led the defense receiving all league honors becoming the second player on the Red & Black team to be the EFL Iron man of the year.

The Red & Black Football Association has always shown a unique ability to draw players, fans, workers and supporters from all social and economic backgrounds. It is from this unique ability that the organization has drawn its strength throughout its long history and developed a deep sense of pride that can only come from working with such an organization.

References[]

  1. The Coffin Corner: Vol. 9, No. 6 ((1987)). "When did they start?". Professional Football Researchers Association. https://web.archive.org/web/20101127043928/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/09-06-304.pdf.
  2. Brainerd, Steven. Minor league football record: games. Retrieved 2010-12-22. Note that Brainerd's records only go through 2009.
  3. PFRA Research. The First Football World Series. Excerpted from From AAA to '03. Retrieved 2010-12-22.
  4. Brainerd, Steven. Minor league football record: points. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  5. Crippen, Kenneth. 1919 Buffalo Prospects. Coffin Corner (Professional Football Researchers Association). Retrieved 2010-12-23.

External links[]

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