262:. The move to Orlando was somewhat of a coup, as there was already a team named the Orlando Panthers that had played in the Southern Professional Football League the year prior (having played as the Daytona Beach Thunderbirds from 1962 to 1964) and, due to the Southern league's folding, was seeking to join the Continental league; the Newark ownership group managed to secure the lease, and the previous Orlando owner died, apparently of a rage-induced apoplexy, immediately after the meeting. Van Buren was promoted to vice president and replaced as head coach by Perry Moss, who led the
27:
312:, the first woman to play on a men's professional football team. Palinkas originally served as holder for her husband, Steve Palinkas, but he was cut prior to the regular season. Patricia made the team but was immediately suspended after missing an entire week of team activities due to her full-time teaching job and personal appearances.
139:(COFL) in 1965. The franchise moved from Newark, New Jersey to Orlando in 1966 and found success on the field as the Panthers. However, while the team won the COFL championship twice they were plagued by financial difficulties. The team jumped back to the ACFL in 1970 but were suspended by the league after the season.
296:
With the future of the COFL in doubt after the 1969 season, Panthers general manager and president Elmer Cook announced his intention to found a new football league based in
Florida, the Sunshine League. Within weeks of that announcement, the Panthers applied and were accepted for membership in the
315:
Financial difficulties continued to plague the
Panthers in 1970, culminating in players (including Palinkas) quitting over unpaid wages and a lawsuit from the ACFL over unpaid dues. The Panthers were suspended by the ACFL for the 1971 season and never played again. The rights to Orlando's players
285:(which Orlando won 28–14). In 1969, however, Orlando and Indianapolis rematched in the semifinals, with the Capitols prevailing 27–7. Such was the team's prestige that in the 1969 offseason, the Panthers entered into a deal with the Florida Citrus Commission to put up $ 400,000 in salary if
293:, stalled at the time, and the institution of the Common Draft prohibiting him from negotiating with other teams in the AFL or NFL, the Panthers were the highest-profile team able to give Simpson a counteroffer. Simpson ultimately achieved a contract agreement with the Bills.
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franchise original home, the ACFL. The team was in major financial trouble at the time, fueled by massive overspending, and a new consortium took over the money-bleeding franchise in the offseason. The new owners, who originally planned to rechristen the team as the
235:, was still on uncertain financial footing, but the Jets survived and the AFL ultimately rejected the Newark bid. Newark had another strong season in 1964, advancing to their third straight league championship. This time, however, they were defeated by the
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The Bears won the
Southern Division and claimed the 1963 ACFL title by defeating the Springfield Acorns, 23–6. A few months later the team announced its interest in joining the
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273:, appeared in the COFL championship game three consecutive seasons starting in 1966, winning two titles during that span. In 1966, the team lost the championship to the
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The
Franklin Miners were originally established in 1958 as a member of the Eastern Football Conference; their head coach was eventual Hall of Famer
131:. Founded in 1958 as the Franklin Miners, the team spent its first four years in the Eastern Football Conference, then three further years in the
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Over the next four seasons the
Panthers were consistent winners, never finishing with fewer than 10 wins. The team, led by quarterback
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281:. In 1968, they repeated the feat by defeating the Ramblers 30–23, though they had to enter the game by winning a playoff with the
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246:. Newark struggled during its first COFL season, placed fourth in their division and finished with a record of 5–9.
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During the subsequent offseason, team owner Sol Rosen sold his franchise to Tom
Granatell, who moved the Bears to
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220:. (The ACFL had several ties to the old AA, including teams in Paterson and Newark, and the same President,
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In 1965 the Bears joined two other ACFL teams in a minor-league merger that led to the formation of the
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and renamed them as the
Orlando Panthers. They signed a 10-year lease to play their home games at the
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in the process. In their first season in
Paterson, the Miners won the ACFL championship against the
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in sudden-death overtime, 20–17. In 1967, the
Panthers won the title with a 38–14 win over the
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agreed to sign with the team; with his negotiations with the team that drafted him, the
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football league in the late 1930s through 1941, itself a direct descendant from the
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Sargent, Bill (February 22, 1970). "Panthers Find Ray of Hope in
Sunshine".
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but never did, planned to run the team on a much tighter financial budget.
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The Panthers made headlines in 1970 with the signing of a
764:. United Press International. April 6, 1970. p. 4.
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568:"Steve Van Buren Cites Football Defense Changes"
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721:"Kentucky New Era - Google News Archive Search"
316:were granted to the Roanoke Buckskins in June.
208:. The Bears took their name from a team in the
1430:American football teams disestablished in 1971
1405:Defunct American football teams in New Jersey
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688:"Minor league football: T Birds Left, DB Won"
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1410:American football teams in Orlando, Florida
184:in front of 2,000 spectators at the indoor
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623:"Newark Bears Take Atlantic Grid Title".
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196:The following summer the Miners moved to
168:upon its founding in 1962, relocating to
760:"Three CFL Teams Join Atlantic League".
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744:
734:– via Google News Archive Search.
566:Nissenson, Herschel (August 23, 1963).
164:The Miners were charter members of the
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809:. Associated Press. December 16, 1970.
794:. Associated Press. September 4, 1970.
627:. Associated Press. November 25, 1963.
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657:. Associated Press. December 7, 1964.
642:. Associated Press. January 12, 1964.
1400:Atlantic Coast Football League teams
1284:Fort Wayne Warriors/Montreal Beavers
685:
653:"Boston Sweepers Grab Grid Title".
319:
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1364:Victoria Steelers/Spokane Shockers
824:. Associated Press. June 16, 1971.
762:The Tipton (Indiana) Daily Tribune
593:"untitled sports news summaries".
14:
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1440:1969 disestablishments in Florida
1435:1958 establishments in New Jersey
1395:Continental Football League teams
709:. Associated Press. May 18, 1966.
1279:Michigan Arrows/Tri-City Apollos
1254:Hawaii Warriors/Portland Loggers
820:"ACFL Conducts Draft of Teams".
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686:Kahn, Bernard (July 25, 1970).
415:1st, ACFL Southern, lost final
1415:Sports in Paterson, New Jersey
1336:Sacramento Buccaneers/Capitols
1221:Brooklyn Dodgers/Akron Vulcans
863:Atlantic Coast Football League
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668:"Orlando Signs 10-Year Pact".
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574:. Associated Press. p. 16
166:Atlantic Coast Football League
133:Atlantic Coast Football League
56:Atlantic Coast Football League
16:Defunct American football team
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1117:Wilmington Clippers/Renegades
790:"She's Suspended, He's Cut".
692:Daytona Beach Morning Journal
608:"Pro Football Club Shifted".
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186:Atlantic City Convention Hall
1420:Sports in Newark, New Jersey
1374:Wheeling/Ohio Valley Ironmen
705:"Moss Named Orlando Coach".
135:(ACFL) before moving to the
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1107:West Massachusetts Pioneers
805:"League May Sue Panthers".
541:5th place Southern Division
244:Continental Football League
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60:Continental Football League
53:Eastern Football Conference
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775:"Gal Plays Pro Football".
638:"Bears Seek Data on AFL".
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204:and were renamed as the
1063:Providence Steam Roller
610:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
516:Lost in COFL semifinals
214:Orange/Newark Tornadoes
182:Providence Steam Roller
1307:Orange County Ramblers
1054:Pennsylvania Firebirds
1021:Mount Vernon Crusaders
933:Atlantic City Senators
792:Democrat and Chronicle
779:. UPI. August 1, 1970.
707:Manitowoc Herald-Times
672:. UPI. April 28, 1966.
625:Democrat and Chronicle
279:Orange County Ramblers
198:Newark Schools Stadium
73:Newark Bears (1963–65)
71:Paterson Miners (1962)
1312:Philadelphia Bulldogs
1298:Oklahoma Thunderbirds
1259:Indianapolis Capitols
1249:Hartford Charter Oaks
1113:Westchester Crusaders
1099:Stamford Golden Bears
1071:Rhode Island Steelers
1032:New England Colonials
1017:Mohawk Valley Falcons
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967:Hartford Charter Oaks
923:Ansonia Black Knights
595:Bristol Daily Courier
283:Indianapolis Capitols
275:Philadelphia Bulldogs
1317:Rhode Island Indians
1274:Mexico Golden Aztecs
1081:Richmond Roadrunners
1029:New Bedford Sweepers
597:. December 19, 1962.
210:American Association
174:Paterson, New Jersey
123:were a professional
1269:Long Beach Admirals
1058:Pottstown Firebirds
960:Harrisburg Capitols
435:5th, COFL Atlantic
393:1st, ACFL Champions
370:1st, ACFL Champions
21:
1369:West Texas Rufneks
1226:Charleston Rockets
1095:Springfield Acorns
1051:Portland Sea Hawks
1008:Long Island Chiefs
264:Charleston Rockets
202:Newark, New Jersey
170:Hinchliffe Stadium
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1326:Las Vegas Cowboys
1322:Quad City Raiders
1244:Fort Worth Braves
1216:Arkansas Diamonds
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1085:Roanoke Buckskins
1005:Long Island Bulls
956:Frankfort Falcons
938:Baltimore Broncos
822:Pottstown Mercury
640:Asbury Park Press
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440:Orlando Panthers
310:Patricia Palinkas
176:and becoming the
125:American football
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121:Orlando Panthers
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730:December 21,
728:. Retrieved
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655:The Progress
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576:. Retrieved
571:
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520:Dick Pesonen
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206:Newark Bears
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66:Team history
1264:Jersey Jays
997:Jersey Jets
993:Jersey Jays
545:Paul Massey
498:Jim Garrett
1389:Categories
553:References
459:Perry Moss
373:Sal Rosen
200:in nearby
455:2nd, COFL
271:Don Jonas
239:, 14–10.
42:Dissolved
578:July 21,
160:Paterson
148:Franklin
105:2 (COFL)
103:2 (ACFL)
80:Based in
1166:Seasons
870:Seasons
250:Orlando
143:History
34:Founded
347:Coach
344:Finish
332:League
308:named
306:holder
192:Newark
50:League
1203:Teams
915:Teams
90:Arena
1193:1969
1188:1968
1183:1967
1178:1966
1173:1965
906:1973
903:1971
900:1970
897:1969
894:1968
891:1967
888:1966
885:1965
882:1964
879:1963
876:1962
732:2014
580:2016
529:ACFL
526:1970
504:1969
482:1968
465:1967
443:1966
423:COFL
420:1965
403:1964
381:1963
358:ACFL
355:1962
329:Year
233:Jets
119:The
113:none
45:1971
37:1958
224:.)
218:NFL
172:in
1391::
723:.
690:.
678:^
570:.
507:10
485:10
468:11
446:12
406:12
384:11
188:.
156:.
1324:/
1151:e
1144:t
1137:v
855:e
848:t
841:v
749:.
694:.
582:.
538:0
535:8
532:4
513:0
510:2
491:0
488:2
474:0
471:3
452:0
449:2
432:0
429:9
426:5
412:1
409:1
390:0
387:1
367:0
364:1
361:8
341:T
338:L
335:W
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