We finally get over the hump and back into postseason play. Let's make a run Bears!

1954 Champions Cup Semifinals

(2) Manhattan Archers vs (4) Westchester Racers [scoreworms]
Date: September 4, 1954
Location: Presidents Park, Manhattan, NY
Weather: 83℉ (28℃), Partly Cloudy
Wind: Light Air

Presidents Park was loud as it always was. The Manhattan Archers took the field to thunderous applause, as they looked to advance to the Champions Cup Final for the fourth straight year. In their way were the Westchester Racers, looking for their first ever playoff win. While the winner of this game wasn’t guaranteed a spot in the Champions Cup, the loser would still be eliminated, so both teams looked to play strong games.

The Archers won the opening jump-ball, and they got on the right foot early. Under 90 seconds in, rookie Oscar Smith kicked a booming goal from 30 yards out. The Archers kicked two quick points, and soon after, the normally stay-at-home Bert Ramirez kicked a goal for the Archers, putting them up 10-0. The home crowd was loving it. For the most part, the rest of the quarter was back-and-forth, but without many good looks. The only other score in the quarter would be a Westchester goal, from captain Willy Gleason. The Archers held a comfortable 6-point lead after 24 minutes.

The Archers had looked very solid defensively in the first quarter, so the home crowd was shocked when within 4 minutes of the second quarter, Gleason and league-leading goalscorer Joe Blake both scored for the Racers, giving them the lead. The Racers held the ball for most of the quarter, but couldn’t bury any of their chances. There wouldn’t be any more goals from either team in the remainder of the quarter, but each team did kick two points. After 48 minutes, the Racers held the lead, but the game was far from over.

AT THE HALF: Manhattan 12-14 Westchester

While the third quarter was fairly even in terms of possession, the scoring did not reflect that at all. Just like the second quarter, Westchester came out firing, getting a point and two goals before the three minute mark. Their lead was now up to 11, and the crowd was is total disbelief. Defense took over at that point, and the two teams went just under 16 minutes without any scoring. However, Westchester once again came to life to close out the quarter. Red Hayes and George Grant both kicked goals for the Racers, while they also added two points. The Archers kicked a late goal to make up some ground, but a third quarter that saw Westchester score 19 points gave them a 17-point lead with 24 minutes to play.

For the third consecutive quarter, the Racers had multiple scores within the first 4 minutes. A goal and point increased their lead to a game-high 22 points, sending a good portion of Archer supporters headed for the exits early. Barney Ferguson converted a penalty for Manhattan, but by his reaction it was clear that the game was all but over. After the two teams exchanged points, The Racers, who clearly knew that they had won, started playing very relaxed. This let the Archers score twice in the final two minutes, making the score a little more respectable. As the final whistle went, the Archers looked dumbfounded. For the first time in their NERC history, they had lost a first-round playoff game. Meanwhile, the Racers exploded with joy, as they had won their first ever playoff game against all odds.

FINAL SCORE: Manhattan 26-39 Westchester

(1) The Bronx Bears vs (3) Hempstead Clippers [scoreworms]
Date: September 11, 1954
Location: Riverside Field, The Bronx, NY
Weather: 72℉ (22℃), Cloudy
Wind: Strong Breeze from W

Riverside Field was rocking as the #1 seed Bronx Bears took the field. Even though they had a spot in the Champions Cup locked up win or lose, they were still obviously looking for the W, so that they had two chances to take home the championship. In their way were the 3rd-seeded Hempstead Clippers, who were looking for the upset, and to force a second-round game against the Racers. There was a very strong wind blowing towards one end of the field, so one team would be at a huge advantage.

The Clippers won the coin toss, so they elected to kick with the wind at their back. This came as a surprise, but they seemed confident. Early on, Hempstead’s Gil Littlewood gave them the lead with the wind’s help. Impressively, the Bears eventually managed to fight through the gust and score a goal for themselves, and tie the game at 4. However, Hempstead got the lead back 5 minutes later, thanks to a rolling shot from Perseus Whitney. The Bears responded on the next rush with a point, But the Clippers came back quickly with help from the wind, and they scored again to make it 12-5. The quarter ended with defensive play prevailing, and only two exchanged points. Hempstead led by 7 after 1.

The Clippers continued to take advantage of the wind in the second quarter, getting multiple rushes into the Bears’ zone. However, all they could manage in that time were two points. The Bears, who were struggling in the wind, managed to get a few good rushes, and managed a goal and point to get within a goal. However, with the wind speed now at 30 mph, they were visibly struggling. The last 8-9 minutes of the quarter consisted of Hempstead holding the ball in the Bears’ half, getting quality chance after quality chance. Littlewood kicked a goal and point, and at the half, the Clippers held a shocking 10-point lead over the #1 seed.

AT THE HALF: The Bronx 11-21 Hempstead

The Bears breathed a sigh of relief at halftime, because they now had the wind at their backs. Knowing this, Clippers coach George Wimbley elected to use suffocating defensive press for the rest of the game. It worked for a good while, as the Bears couldn’t get anything going. However, Bears RB Ken Bridge caught a break when his assigned marker slipped and fell, leaving him free to kick a bomb of a goal. That would be the only real breakthrough of the quarter for the Bronx, as the only other scoring of the quarter would be two exchanged points. After 72 minutes, the Clippers were hanging on to a 6-point lead.

In the first half of the fourth quarter, everything that could’ve gone wrong for the Bears went wrong. They had multiple passes go off the side of the foot, they lost the ball after tripping over their own feet, and they hit multiple posts. To make matters worse, the Clippers burned them seemingly every time they messed up. Despite kicking into the wind, they managed a goal and two points before the Bears finally got one of their own. With under 3 minutes to go, and down by two, Tim Johnson had a great chance go off his shin and wide for a point. This was the final nail in the coffin for the game. As the final whistle went, the Clippers celebrated, as they were still alive. All the Bears could do at that point was hope for a better game in the Champions Cup Final.

FINAL SCORE: The Bronx 21-28 Hempstead

Second Round Semifinal Preview:

(3) Hempstead Clippers vs (4) Westchester Racers
Regular Season Matchups: Westchester 20-21 Hempstead, Hempstead 35-42 Westchester
Previous Playoff Meeting: None
Playoff Record: Hempstead 0-0 Westchester

While these two teams split their season series, Westchester’s win much more convincing. Interestingly, both matchups were dominated by one of the team’s style of play. Hempstead’s win was a defensive affair, which was normal for the Racers. However, Westchester’s win was a offensive barnburner, which was a common game for the Clippers. Whichever of these teams can make the game fit their style more will emerge victorious here.

Analyst Prediction: The Racers hold off Hempstead with a 29-27 win, advancing to their first ever Champions Cup.

1954 Champions Cup Final [scoreworm]
Date: September 25, 1954
Location: New York Runty Park, New York, NY
Weather: 76℉ (24℃), Cloudy
Wind: Moderate Breeze from South
Attendance: 30,000

With the 1954 Champions Cup Final being between two New York-based teams, as well as being a first-round rematch, the New York Runty Park was louder than it had ever been. Taking up around 60% of the stadium were supporters of the first-place Bronx Bears, looking to avenge their defeat in the first round. The next 30% of the stands consisted of Hempstead Clipper supporters, hoping to see their team clinch their first Champions Cup title since 1946. The remaining 10% of the stands were neutral supporters, just looking to watch a great game of runty.

The Bears won the opening jump-ball, and got to work quickly. They moved the ball upfield, and in the first minute of the game, the first shot became the first goal, courtesy of Lucas Sizemore. They would continue to hold possession, and added a point before the 3-minute mark. The Bronx held a 5-0 lead just 2:23 in. While it would take a while before the next score, there were plenty of chances missed by both teams. Perseus Whitney had drew a penalty shot, but his effort hit the post and bounced back into play, for 0 points. The Clippers would eventually get some scoring, With Louis Foy kicking a point. Just over a minute later, Gil Littlewood rolled in a sneaky shot, tying the game at 5. The last 10 minutes of the quarter were tight, but the Bears got the upper hand, forcing their way through Hempstead’s defenders. This culminated in a point kicked by the Bears’ normally stay-at-home RO Harry Clay. This ended up being the final score of the quarter, after which the Bears held a slim 1-point lead over the Clippers.

AFTER 1: The Bronx 6-5 Hempstead

The Bears started the second quarter strong, getting another point to make it 7-5, as well as some other missed chances. However, it would be the Clippers who finally got their offense going in the quarter. 44 seconds after the point, They kicked one of their own, making it 7-6. The Clippers continued to hold the ball after, and Foy missed a glorious opportunity from right in front when his shot drifted just wide for a game-tying point instead of a lead-taking goal. A couple minutes later, an almost identical play happened again for the Clippers, this time Philip Jimmerson being the guilty party. These misses became even worse after the Bears’ Freddy Falconer kicked a goal, putting them up by 3. This initially seemed to shock the Clippers, but they quickly regained composure, and started attacking again. Eventually, Gunther McNaughton deflected home a cross from Whitney, and the Clippers had the lead back. On the very next rush, Malcolm Sealess kicked his first goal of the game, putting giving Hempstead a 5-point lead that they held onto until the break. After 48 minutes of play, it was still anybody’s game.

AT THE HALF: The Bronx 11-16 Hempstead

Like they had done in the two previous quarters, the Bears started off the third with a strong couple minutes of possession. While they were hoping for a goal to get within 1, All they got from their early press was a point from Sizemore. After this, the Clippers came to life, playing their best runty of the game so far. Babe Salford and Foy both scored for them, while their defense was playing lights out, not letting the Bears’ #1 offense do anything. Frustrations nearly boiled over, and there was almost a brawl, but cooler tempers prevailed. This near brawl didn’t change anything about the pace of play, the Clippers were still putting on a clinic both offensively and defensively. Salford almost scored his second of the game, but his absolute rocket of a shot went just wide. Despite the constant offensive pressure from Hempstead, the Bears only allowed one other point through the rest of the quarter. However they were now down 14, and in serious danger of losing to the Clippers yet again.

AFTER 3: The Bronx 12-26 Hempstead

The Bears came out flying to start the fourth, knowing they had to get going early to have a chance. However, they couldn’t get any score until the 6-minute mark, and that was only a point. 37 seconds later, they had another great chance, but it was once again missed for a point. They weren’t giving up though, and Isak Gustafsson would finally give them the goal they were looking for. They couldn’t get much else going at that point, and the Clippers would come back and get a quick goal and two points of their own, negating everything the Bears had done to that point in the quarter. To make matters worse, Sealess converted a free kick for Hempstead, putting them up 36-18 with 10:45 to play. It was an impossible task for the Bears, but team captain Sizemore wasn’t giving up. Over the next minute, he single-handedly worked his way through the Clipper defense twice and converting twice, putting them within 10. Seeing this, Hempstead elected to focus on running out the clock, which they did effectively. They kicked the last point of the game, and as the final whistle went, the players, coaches, and supporters exploded with joy. A nearly picture-perfect game by them gave them their second Champions Cup title in franchise history. The Bears could only look on in regret. They had 2 chances to beat the Clippers, but came up empty.

FINAL SCORE: The Bronx 26-37 Hempstead



1954 Championship Flag:

1953-54 NERC Offseason

Two teams make tweaks to jerseys, while NERC announces new jersey rules

The Bronx
The Bears made a small change to their jerseys for 1955, removing the sash from the back of their jerseys. This let the numbers be slightly more readable for television audiences.


Hempstead
The Clippers made a slight change to their home jersey, removing the lone blue stripe below the number. This was done for the same reason as the Bears, to make television audiences read their numbers more easily. The Clippers also unveiled a brand-new road jersey, which featured a navy base with a small white stripe and the team’s logo at the front.


NERC
With several complaints from players about being too hot in long-sleeved jerseys, the NERC announced a rule that every club must have short-sleeved jerseys available to players. Long-sleeved jerseys were still allowed to be worn, but after the rule change, the majority of players moved to short sleeves.

Notable Player Movement

Gregory Kirk (CA >>> NY)
Kirk was a surprise goalscoring leader for the Scholars in 1954. With the Scholars’ uncertain future amidst financial woes, he moves to the Knights, where there’s more stability. Kirk’s departure might be the final nail in the coffin for the Scholars, who have struggled financially since joining the NERC.

Petey Watetyn (SI >>> BRK)
Watetyn was an Islanders forward prospect, disgruntled about not receiving any playing time. He moved to the Devils, who were shallow on forward talent. Watetyn should be a good fit, as his playstyle complements those of Brooklyn’s front line.

Tex Stanley (BOS >>> WST)
Similar to Watetyn, Stanley was a defensive prospect who just couldn’t break through Boston’s solid defensive corps. He moves to the Racers, where he’ll have a better chance at cracking the lineup.

Billy Colton (BRX >>> BRK)
Colton played as a fullback for the Bears, and was one of the better ones in the league for 9 seasons with them. He moves to Brooklyn, where he hopes to help the Devils get out of the basement and have a successful run with them.

Pre-Season Picks

First Seed: The Bronx
Even though they fell in the playoffs, the amazing 1954 regular season the Bears had shouldn’t be looked over. They were head and shoulders above every other team, and no other contending team made any major moves to make it closer. Even if they don’t clinch the #1 seed, this Bears team is way too good to not make the playoffs.

Champions Cup: Bronx over Manhattan
The Bears are gonna want to make up for their disappointing playoff performance in 1955. They should have a lot of determination to pull this off. I chose the Archers as the other finalist, since they too would like to make up for their disappointing first round exit last season.

Leading Goalscorer: Joe Blake (WST)
Blake burst onto the scene in 1954, and he’s only gonna get better as his career progresses. This one is a no-brainer.

Projected Standings:
1. BRX (0)
2. MAN (0)
3. WST (+1)
4. HEM (-1)
5. BOS (+1)
6. BUF (+1)
7. SI (-2)
8. BRK (+1)
9. NY (-1)
10. CA (0)

1955 NERC Season: First Half

The NERC’s 10th season began with some extra festivities in honour of the anniversary. Members of Hempstead’s 1946 Champion team conducted the coin toss to open the season, and commissioner Elmer Wilkins said a few words. Since every game in week 1 was played at the same time, his message was telegrammed to the other stadia, and re-spoken at each of those sites.

The opening week was full of close games. First, the Racers edged the Knights, 29-24. The Bears rolled past the Scholars 35-24, The Islanders prevailed 32-29 against Brooklyn, the Clippers were 1-point victors against Boston, and the Panthers upset the Archers with a 5-point win.

GAMES OF THE WEEK

Week 1: Hempstead 27-26 Boston
Week 2: the Bronx 27-26 Hempstead
Week 3: Hempstead 39-36 New York
Week 4: Staten Island 29-28 New York
Week 5: the Bronx 29-28 Staten Island
Week 6: Staten Island 29-27 Buffalo
Week 7: Hempstead 29-31 Manhattan
Week 8: Staten Island 29-28 Hempstead
Week 9: Manhattan 23-21 Brooklyn

1. MANHATTAN ARCHERS
Leading Goalscorer: Vern Chamne (12)

Barely holding on to the coveted #1 seed 9 games in were the Manhattan Archers. 1954 was considered a down year by their standards, and they were looking quite improved to start 1955. After losing their first game, the Archers wouldn’t fall again for the remaining 8 games of the first half. Their offense was back to being #1 in the league, and Vern Chamne had a huge resurgence up front, leading the team in scoring after a down year in 1954. The Archers stand at 7-1-1 through 9 games, pretty much guaranteed a playoff spot.

2. THE BRONX BEARS
Leading Goalscorer: Harvey Jochen (10)

Sitting in 2nd were the Bronx Bears, the previous year’s #1 seed. Their offense was expected to be their biggest asset this year, but interestingly, their defense was the reason they were doing so well, while their offense wasn’t playing to the expected standard. Despite being 2nd, their point differential was only 30. This was because their wins were mostly by small margins, while their one loss (to the Racers) was by 14 points. The Bears sit with the same 7-1-1 record as the Archers, but fall to second on point differential.

3. WESTCHESTER RACERS
Leading Goalscorer: Joe Blake (19)

Sitting in third were the Westchester Racers, who were looking scary. Led by the offense of Joe Blake, they stormed out of the gate, winning each of their first 3 games. They then had a string of 3 heartbreaking losses, but finished the first half with 3 dominant victories, making them look unstoppable. It will be interesting to see if they can continue this play in the second half. If they can, they could definitely steal the #1 seed. The Racers sit at 6-3, with the league’s best point differential (+82).

4. BUFFALO PANTHERS
Leading Goalscorer: Des Samuel (19)

Sitting in fourth after the first half was a bit of a surprise, the Buffalo Panthers. With superstar forward Des Samuel finally healthy again, analysts were wondering just how well the team would play with him back. It turns out, they play pretty darn well. The Panthers stormed out of the gate, winning 6 of their first 7 games. These were pretty much all thanks to Samuel, who was far and away the team’s scoring leader. The Panthers sit at 6-3, below the Racers on point differential.

5. HEMPSTEAD CLIPPERS
Leading Goalscorer: Perseus Whitney (18)

Sitting in fifth are the defending champions, the Hempstead Clippers. They were hoping to take the next step after their surprise win in 1954, but they just weren’t playing on the same level as the four playoff teams. They also played pretty inconsistently. For example, they went from losing by 17 points to Brooklyn one week, to upsetting the Racers the next. If they can find consistent play, then they should be able to challenge for a playoff spot in the second half. The Clippers sit at 5-4. 

6. STATEN ISLAND ISLANDERS
Leading Goalscorer: Donovan O’Connor (12)

Sitting in 6th after the first half were the Staten Island Islanders. They were around where they were expected to be, as analysts were convinced that they weren’t quite a playoff team yet. Arnold Sutars was expected to be the team’s leading scorer after a breakout year in 1954, but surprisingly, 35-year old veteran Donovan O’Connor was far and away the team’s best offensive presence. He was playing like he was 25, somehow still speeding past much younger players. The Islanders sit at 5-4, barely behind the Clippers.

7. BROOKLYN DEVILS
Leading Goalscorer: Clarence Collins (9)

Sitting in 7th were the Brooklyn Devils. Despite the low placement, their 1955 season was already an improvement, as they already had the same number of wins as they did in 1954. Their biggest improvements came at the back, as they were allowing over 2.5 less point than they did the previous year. A big reason for this was the addition of FB Billy Colton, who not only played well himself, he made those around him better as well. Brooklyn sits at 3-6.

8. BOSTON RIDERS
Leading Goalscorer: George Webb (6)

Disappointingly sitting in 8th at the halfway point were the Boston Riders. On pace to have their worst season in the NERC, it was not looking good. Both their offensive and defensive cores were aging, and it was very noticeable. Defenders caught up to rushing players, while their own defenders were struggling to keep up with faster younger players. The Riders still showed that they had some skill, but most of the time, it wasn’t enough. Boston sits at 3-6, once again below Brooklyn on point differential.

9. NEW YORK KNIGHTS
Leading Goalscorer: Gregory Kirk (13)

Sitting in 9th were the New York Knights. They honestly weren’t playing too terribly, but they couldn’t close out a game for anything. Half of their 8 losses were by a goal or less, and many times they had opportunities to win late, but couldn’t convert. It was a very frustrating first half of them, and if they get any fortunate bounces in the second half, they should have an improved record. The Knights sit at 1-8, with their only win coming against the last-place Scholars.

10. COLUMBIA ALUMNI SCHOLARS
Leading Goalscorer: Raymond Kirk (14)

Sitting in last, to the surprise of nobody, were the Columbia Alumni Scholars. It was an absolutely dreadful first half of the year, and it was a miracle that they weren’t winless. Of their 8 losses, every single one was by multiple possessions, including multiple losses by 20 or more points. 9 games in, their point differential was ALREADY IN TRIPLE DIGITS, something absolutely unheard of in the professional game. Their one win was against the Islanders, a nail-biting 1-point victory. The Scholars sit at 1-8, and it’ll be another miracle if they don’t lose their remaining 9 games.



Notable Events:
      -   After the Week 2 game between Manhattan and Staten Island, a mob of Manhattan fans went to the umpire and thanked him for not calling a penalty against Staten Island in the final minute, which most likely would have given the Islanders the win.
      -   A few players who had been POWs in the Korean War played their first games since being released. Each player received a medal personally awarded by commissioner Wilkins.
      -   Prior to the season, there were rumors of a serious crime committed by an NERC executive. However, nothing official was leaked. The league would most likely have to acknowledge this after the season was completed.
      -   Boston player John Cyr competed in a track-and-field event and a full game on Runty on the same day, somehow without dying of exhaustion.
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Who do you think is gonna rebound in the second half? Who's gonna fall off?