1961 Week 7 

Worcester Athletics - 29, Providence Gold Stars - 32 - Worcester Stadium - August 4, 1961 - 7 PM ET - FNF - Weather: Clear
1st Q
7-0 WOR - PTD QB Caldwell Higgins III -> WR Zachariah Pembroke
7-3 PRO - FG K Ira Foster
14-3 WOR - RTD RB Lawrence Sharp
2nd Q
17-3 WOR - FG K Elvis Franklin
17-6 PRO - FG K Ira Foster
17-12 PRO - PTD QB Rigobert St-Hilaire -> WR Cedric Peterson
3rd Q
17-18 PRO - RTD RB Marcus Devonshire
20-18 WOR - FG K Elvis Franklin
20-21 PRO - FG K Ira Foster
26-21 WOR - PTD QB Caldwell Higgins III -> WR Zachariah Pembroke
4th Q
29-21 WOR - FG K Elvis Franklin
29-27 PRO - RTD QB Rigobert St-Hilaire
29-29 PRO - 2PT RB Marcus Devonshire
29-32 PRO - FG K Ira Foster

The Worcester Athletics seemed to get a boost behind QB Caldwell Higgins III as they held onto a lead for the majority of their game against the Providence Gold Stars.
However, S Shawn Jensen came up big to burn his old team with a pick late in the fourth that would set up the game-winning field goal and melt away the last of their hopes.
Rigobert St-Hilaire only had one interception in the game, and after a slow first half took off getting the team back into the game and even taking in the game-tying touchdown himself.
The Gold Stars also were the first team to attempt 2-point converts following all of their touchdowns in a game. 

Louisville Thunder - 31, Ottawa Royals - 24 - Thunder Stadium - August 5, 1961 - 3 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
7-0 LOU - RTD RB Stavros Black
2nd Q
14-0 LOU - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Piers Key
14-7 OTT - PTD QB Jean Matieau -> WR Chester Bennett
3rd Q
14-10 OTT - FG K Maurice Lafeyette
21-10 LOU - PTD QB Leonidas Dumont -> WR Marty Jay
24-10 LOU - FG K Theodore Provost
4th Q
24-17 OTT - PTD QB Jean Matieau -> WR Angus Stevenson
24-24 OTT - PTD QB Jean Matieau -> WR Mackenzie Jones
31-24 LOU - RTD RB Rodney Clark 

The Royals got off to a rocky start against the Thunder, but Jean Matieau was able to lead the team back into the game and tie it late, but the Thunder would score late with Rodney Clark to seal another win.
DB Jayden Mills and DB Alexander Bradley would each have a pick in the first half.
DB Mingan Oliver and DL Olaf Viktorsson would get turnovers for the Royals.
The Royals’ 5th loss of the season is the most that they have lost in a single season since joining the NAAF.  

Boston Independents - 27, Montreal Rouge - 14 - Richardson Stadium - August 5, 1961 - 7 PM ET - SNF - Weather: Rain
1st Q
0-3 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
7-3 BOS - RTD RB Kendall Morgan
2nd Q
14-3 BOS - PTD QB Nathaniel Braddock -> TE Tanner Tint
14-6 MTL - FG K Arthur Kettinger
3rd Q
17-6 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
17-12 MTL - PTD QB Gene Bishop -> WR Derek Cross
17-14 MTL - 2PT RB Scott Mallard-White
4th Q
20-14 BOS - FG K Johnnie Berg
27-14 BOS - RTD RB Eddie Thompson 

The Independents ended the Rouge’s unbeaten campaign with a strong win at home in the rain.
Boston has typically struggled in the rain, but Nathaniel Braddock was able to lead the team to another win with a passing touchdown to Tint.
Montreal was able to stay in the game into the 3rd, but the Boston defence seemed to have figured them out and stalled them. 
LB Brent Harper and LB Marco Price each had a forced fumble, and DB Petr Westerburg had a pick.LB Sam Fitzroy would have a forced fumble for Montreal as well, but they were unable to capitalize.

Indiana Victors - 13, Long Island Raiders - 20 - Victory Stadium - August 6, 1961 - 1 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
3-0 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
3-3 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher
2nd Q
3-10 LI- PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Darryl Duke
10-10 IND - PTD QB Stanley Troyer -> WR Ed Edwards
10-17 LI - PTD QB Lyle Painter -> WR Darryl Duke
3rd Q
13-17 IND - FG K Ross Poindexter
4th Q
13-20 LI - FG K Henderson Schumacher

The Raider got their revenge on the Victors to clinch their third straight win.
The 2nd quarter was an explosive shootout with 3 touchdowns being scored through the air.
 Painter continued to show his strengths in the now revitalized offence finding WR Darryl Duke for a pair of TDs.
The second half was quiet, but a big reason for that was the Raiders’ defence coming through with a strong performance. 
DB Slay Mitchell and DB Clinton Gates each had a pick with LB Gene Benson getting a forced fumble.
Indiana had some help from DL William Sanderson grabbing another sack and a forced fumble of his own. 

London Tigers - 27, Buffalo Blue Wings - 28 - Western Fair Stadium - August 6, 1961 - 4 PM ET - Weather: Clear
1st Q
0-7 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR LeRoy Krueger
7-7 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Benedict Spencer
2nd Q
14-7 LDN - RTD RB Clifford Russell
17-7 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
3rd Q
20-7 LDN - FG K Nimrod Handsworth
20-14 BUF - RTD RB Jimmy Golden
4th Q
27-14 LDN - PTD QB Riley Kiernan -> WR Max Sutton
27-21 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR LeRoy Krueger
27-28 BUF - PTD QB Charles Lemieux -> WR Daniel Irons 

The rematch between the Tigers and Blue Wings was the breakout game for a young QB in Charles Lemieux. 
The Blue Wings gave the second-year QB a chance to start in the second part of the Buffalo-London rivalry and he put on a show, throwing 3 touchdowns in a come-from-behind win over the league’s top team; the performance put him on the map as a potential future star.
The Tigers certainly were not lacking in the battle, keeping ahead up until the final few minutes of the game, which ultimately is not going to sit well with the squad.
S Frazier Brooks came through with a pick for the Blue Wings while DL Lonnie Vincent grabbed a fumble. 
The Tigers had their own share with DL Olympus Heights and DB Bob Ellis getting their own turnovers.  

Injury Report
OL Harrison Ward MTL - Season 

Players of the Week 

OFF: QB Charles Lemieux BUF - 3 Passing Touchdowns, 312 Passing Yards 

DEF: LB Brent Harper BOS - 1 Forced Fumble, 9 Tackles 

Standings
WEST
London 6-1
Louisville 6-1
Long Island 3-4
Buffalo 2-5
Indiana 1-6 

EAST
Boston 6-1
Montreal 6-1
Providence 3-4
Ottawa 2-5
Worcester 0-7

Power Rankings
1 - London -
2 - Boston +2
3 - Louisville -
4 - Montreal -
5 - Long Island +1
6 - Providence -1
7 - Buffalo +1
8 - Ottawa -1
9 - Indiana -
10 - Worcester -

TRADE DEADLINE NEXT WEEK
Week 8 Games
BOS (6-1) @ IND (1-6) - AUG 10 - 7 PM ET - Thursday Night Football
LOU (6-1) @ PRO (3-4) - AUG 11 - 7 PM ET - Friday Night Football
WOR (0-7) @ MTL (6-1) - AUG 12 - 3 PM ET
LDN (6-1) @ OTT (2-5) - AUG 12 - 7 PM ET - Saturday Night Football
BUF (2-5) @ LI (3-4) - AUG 13 - 2 PM ET

Last edited by Wallflower (6/03/2022 12:17 am)

1961 TRADE DEADLINE

With the league’s first trade deadline approaching, there was chatter across the league about potential trades, who might be moving if there were a move to be made. Worcester seemed to be at the centre of the talks after their 0-7 start, especially about their veteran players. LB Scotty Williams was probably the most talked-about player there with his age getting up there and the team’s lack of success. Both Providence and Louisville made pushes for the LB, but no deals would be made with GM Jack McKinnon’s asking price of up to 3 1st rounders and more. However, there still seemed to be pressure for Worcester to unload and GM Virgil Gross of the Montreal Rouge came through with some fireworks. 

With the season-ending injury to young OL Harrison Ward, Gross was looking for a strong OL to replace him. So he targeted and acquired OL Cliff Strauztenberger. The 6-time All-star and former 2nd overall pick would be sent to Montreal along with long-time Athletics and Worcester native DL Brayden Mills in exchange for OL Kurt Booker, a 1962 1st Rounder, a 1963 3rd Rounder, and DL Angus MacTavish.  

Montreal will now have two solid pieces to replace injuries for the time being and the Athletics aim to head into the rebuild with a lot more pieces. Kurt Booker was a first-round pick from 1960 and should be a good piece for the future OL and MacTavish helps keep the teams balanced. 

With Worcester traded both of their assistant captains, the team would name RB Lawrence Sharp and DL Vinny Brown as the new assistant captains for the remainder of the season. 

Last edited by Wallflower (3/06/2021 8:27 pm)

Glad to see Providence get a statement win over the Thunder. It's looking like the Gold Stars will be able to make it to the playoffs, especially with a game against Ottawa and Buffalo on the docket. The Boston and Montreal games will be essential for seeing if the team is a real threat, however.

BREAKING NEWS

WORCESTER STADIUM AT CENTER OF DOWNTOWN BLAZE IN WORCESTER
Thursday, August 17, 1961 - Downtown Worcester was rudely awakened to a blazing fire and many sirens. A pillar of smoke rose from the heart of downtown with Worcester Stadium at the center of the blaze. Several buildings were also caught up in the blaze. It took several hours for the fire to be contained and put out.  

The damage to Worcester Stadium was significant. The field was heavily damaged, the stands barely stood, and the locker rooms and offices were nothing but ashes. The main structure was still there, but there was no way for the stadium to still be used for the remainder of the NAAF season. The league was swift in making the decision to postpone their game against the Royals on Saturday afternoon. 

Last edited by Wallflower (3/07/2021 12:03 pm)

Hmmm ... maybe a move to Springfield? Either Worcester moves or they become the new Green Bay. There is no in between.