Sectional Divisions

In the Midwestern Sectional Division playoffs, Bloomington (IL) Evergreen and Flint Spark Plugs were victorious and earned their way into the Mid-American Regional Division.



In the Atlantic Sectional Division playoffs, the Albany Sawmillers and Hartford Scions punched their tickets to the Eastern Regional Division.

Last edited by Goldengoose05 (5/25/2020 10:51 am)

1911-1912 Preseason

From AAAFL headquarters in Philadelphia, President Irwin announced a new process regarding promotion and relegation.  “Well, we already have the Eastern Regional at 20 teams.  Now, we want to get the rest of the divisions up to 20 as quickly and as reasonably as possible.  At the end of this season, we’ll still be relegating 2 teams from the Ultimate, but we’ll be promoting 4 teams from the Penultimate.  Two teams will drop from the Penultimate, and two from each the Eastern and Mid-American will move up.  The tricky part will be managing things at this level, because we might sometimes have two teams that will be demoted to a Regional Division.  It will require yearly changes for the exchange of teams between the Regional Divisions and the Sectional Divisions.  However, we will always have at least one team get promoted.  And we should always have enough teams to fill out the Sectional Divisions.  Teams are popping up all over wanting to be part of the system.”
 
When asked about how the Western Regional plays into the entire scheme, Irwin was somewhat non-committal.  “The travel logistics are still too complicated to have Western teams play at the upper levels.  But we’re confident in American ingenuity to get us there soon.  Faster trains, or who knows, maybe those flying machines someday.  We are working with the American Football Association to get the Western teams to participate in the AFA Cup.  I’m thinking that a Western winner could qualify for a semi-final spot.  That will take a lot of tweaking to the overall structure, but we can figure it out.”

Irwin also announced that there would be some team identity changes.  Some clubs that pre-dated the existence of the AAAFL have done some slight rebranding to distinguish themselves from their amateur roots.  These clubs include the former Alameda Vampires, Oakland Hornets, Berkeley Wasps, and Paterson True Blues.

Paterson Blue Boys changed their kit slightly as they crafted a new identity for themselves.

President Irwin issued a press release after his preseason press briefing.  “It is with heartfelt shame that I forgot to announce that there would be a third team moving up from the Sectional Divisions to the Eastern Regional Division.  Because it was the most prepared of the Atlantic Sectional Division winners, the Erie Flagships are promoted.  Because of Erie’s passions for the Flagships and baseball’s Sailors, Athletic Field will be ready for play this fall instead of 1914 as originally planned.

1911-1912 Ultimate Division

The Baltimore Bannerets captured their second Ultimate Division title, fending off strong challenges by the New York Fomorians and defending champion Milwaukee Brewmasters.  They now stand one title behind their cross-town rival, the Chimney Swifts who were playing the current season in the Penultimate Division.  The Bannerets featured the most powerful offense in the league, racking up 85 goals in 26 games.  Their offense was quite balanced as three different players – John Stevenson, Jonathan Howe, and Nathan Bailey – claimed the honors for most goals, most assists, and most points, respectively.  Stevenson also garnered the Golden Ball as the Division’s best player.  Howe, as the Bannerets’ player-skipper was edged out for Manager of the Year by the Philadelphia Libbies’ Nathan Caldwell.  The newly promoted Libbies came in a surprising fourth place, only 4 points off the pace.  The second promoted team, Minneapolis Millstones, were lower in the table in ninth place.  Cleveland Forest edged out fellow promoted squad Old Nassau 1869 by virtue of two goals in the goal difference column.  The Division will be without a team from the football hotbed of St. Louis with the demotion of Mound City FC.