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7/24/2021 3:35 pm  #111


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

As I thought, Columbia Alumni is slowly dying, which is a pity, because it's a team with an interesting background, but as you can see the professional level is not for them.

And congrats to John Cyr, he really deserves to be known as ironman of this sport.

 

7/31/2021 11:59 am  #112


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

1954 NERC Season: Second Half

The second half of the season was pretty fun, and there was a good amount of standing changes from the halfway point.

GAMES OF THE WEEK
Week 10: Westchester 29-27 New York
Week 11: New York 30-33 Buffalo
Week 12: Westchester 26-28 the Bronx
Week 13: Westchester 28-27 Buffalo
Week 14: New York 25-27 Boston
Week 15: Hempstead 35-42 Westchester
Week 16: Westchester 26-24 Staten Island
Week 17: Staten Island 24-28 Hempstead
Week 18: Westchester 33-31 Boston

1. WESTCHESTER RACERS (+2)
Leading Goalscorer: Joe Blake (39)


Clinching the coveted #1 seed in 1955 were the Westchester Racers. They had an amazing second half of the year, being victorious in all but one of their last 9 games. Joe Blake continued to have the offense firing on all cylinders, as he finished second in the league in scoring. However, it was their defense that was the story of the year. They were the only team to allow under 24 points per game, a very impressive stat for the league’s highest-scoring season so far. Westchester finished at 14-4, clinching a spot in the Champions Cup, win or lose in the semifinals.

2. BUFFALO PANTHERS (+2)
Leading Goalscorer: Des Samuel (43)


Finishing second and clinching home-field advantage for the semifinals were the Buffalo Panthers. All that really needed to be said for them were two words: Des Samuel. He became the first player in league history to kick over 40 goals in a season, and smashed the record for goals in a year (36), set by Joe Blake just one year earlier. While Samuel was the main reason for their high finish, The Panthers’ defense was also fairly solid, finishing second in the league. The Panthers finished at 11-4-3, with their ties helping them gain the second spot.

3. THE BRONX BEARS (-1)
Leading Goalscorer: Harvey Jochen (26)


Finishing third were the Bronx Bears. They definitely slowed down in the second half of the year, and almost lost their playoff spot altogether. However, a win over the Knights in the final week of the season set them in third. Despite their fall, Harvey Jochen shone in the second half, averaging just under 2 goals a game. It was mostly a one-man show though, as the Bears were the only playoff team to score under 500 points on the season. Their point differential was also low compared to the other playoff teams. The Bronx finished at 11-4-2.

4. MANHATTAN ARCHERS (-3)
Leading Goalscorer: Vern Chamne (20)


Similar to the Bears, the Archers also slowed down in the second half. However, they did worse, and were actually below 0.500 in their final 9 games. Some of those games were doozies, including a loss to Brooklyn in the final week of the season. This loss almost eliminated them from the playoffs entirely, but Hempstead couldn’t beat the Panthers to steal their spot. If the Archers can’t get themselves together by the playoffs, they’ll almost certainly be eliminated in the first round for the second straight year. Manhattan finished at 11-6-1, ahead of the Clippers on point differential.

5. HEMPSTEAD CLIPPERS (0)
Leading Goalscorer: Perseus Whitney (25)


Finishing in 5th and just barely missing the playoff were the defending champion, the Hempstead Clippers. They certainly pushed for the playoffs, but a heartbreaking tie against Buffalo in Week 18 eliminated them for good. Head Coach Bernard Grand said that despite the elimination, his team “showed fight and hope” and that this was a “good learning experience for them”, showing that winning a championship means nothing the following year. Hempstead finished at 11-6-1, 28 points below Manhattan on point differential.

6. STATEN ISLAND ISLANDERS (0)
Leading Goalscorer: Donovan O’Connor (17)


Finishing 6th were the Islanders, who finished at 0.500 or above for the second consecutive year, the first time in franchise history they had done so. This was a goal set by Staten Island prior to the year, so that they could improve once again the following year, and be a consistent playoff team instead of a one-and-done team. One area the Islanders struggled in was offense, and Donovan O’Connor’s total of 17 was the second-lowest total by a team’s goalscoring leader. The Islanders finished at 9-9.

7. BOSTON RIDERS (+1)
Leading Goalscorer: George Webb/Arnold Waden (12)


Finishing 7th and moving one spot up were the Boston Riders. It was still an overall disappointing season for them, but they showed in the second half that they still had some fight in them. Their 8-9-1 record was the same as in 1954, but this season saw both their offensive and defensive play go down, as their core was starting to show their age. One high point of the Riders’ season was a 35-point victory over the Scholars, setting an NERC record for largest victory on the road.

8. BROOKLYN DEVILS (-1)
Leading Goalscorer: Clarence Collins (19)


Finishing 8th and moving down a spot were the Brooklyn Devils. While their consistency went down from the first half, The Devils’ young core showed flashes of greatness, including a 14-point victory over Boston. However, there were plenty of rookie mistakes as well, something that would fade with time and experience. The most impressive aspect of the Devils was their offense, led by young players Clarence Collins and Manny Ramirez. Brooklyn finished at 7-11.

9. COLUMBIA ALUMNI SCHOLARS (+1)
Leading Goalscorer: Raymond Kirk (24)


Finishing in ninth was a major surprise. The Columbia Alumni Scholars managed to win not just one, but TWO games in the second half of the year. Those victories were a 1-point win over the Devils, and a season-high 5-point win over the Knights. Despite these wins, their second half was actually worse than their first half, their point differential went down by another 100+, meaning that their PD of -269 beat the previous lowest PD by 97 points. Over the course of the year, their offense gave up over 34 points per game, while their offense averaged under 20. Their future in the NERC was looking dim, as financial losses continued to pile up.

10. NEW YORK KNIGHTS (-1)
Leading Goalscorer: Gregory Kirk (24)


While the Scholars were the worst team in Runty history to win more than one game, the Knights had to have been the best team in any sport to win only 1 game all year. Despite losing 17 of 18 games, their PD was only -69, meaning their average margin of loss was less than 4 points per game. They came close so many times in the second half of the year to win another game, but could just never get the job done. At the end of the year, players were getting very frustrated, because nothing seemed to be going their way. But since they kept their games close, there’s hope for improvement in 1956.



Miscellaneous Stats (Whole Season):
      -   Leading Goalscorer Trophy (Retroactively Awarded): Des Samuel - BUF (43 Goals, NERC Record)
      -   Largest Home Victory: Columbia Alumni 17-44 Westchester (Week 17)
      -   Largest Away Victory: Boston 47-12 Columbia Alumni (Week 10, NERC Record)
      -   Most Combined Points: 77 (Hempstead 35-42 Westchester, NERC Record)

Notable Events:
      -   In Week 16, Boston player Alban Good got into an altercation with a fan, and was sent off. He was not suspended for his actions, as it was deemed that the fan had provoked him.
      -   Knights player Perry Cisseaton kicked every single goal and point for his team in Week 18, the first time in NERC history this had happened.

Playoff Preview:

(1) Westchester Racers vs (3) The Bronx Bears
Regular Season Meetings: Bronx 27-37 Westchester (Week 3); Westchester 26-28 Bronx (Week 12)
Previous Playoff Meeting: None
Playoff Record: Westchester 0-0 Bronx

For the first time in the NERC, these two teams will meet in the playoffs. They split the season series, though the Racers’ victory was much more convincing. This will be the first Racers home playoff game in the NERC, so the Yonkers Ave. Links should be absolutely bonkers. Combining the home-field advantage with the Bears’ inconsistent second half, it’ll be a huge shock if Westchester don’t come away victorious.  

Analyst Prediction: The Racers knock out the Bears with a 30-27 win.

(2) Buffalo Panthers vs (4) Manhattan Archers

Regular Season Meetings:
Manhattan 24-29 Buffalo, Buffalo 31-18 Manhattan
Previous Playoff Meeting: Manhattan 36-30 Buffalo (1953 Champions Cup)
Playoff Record: Manhattan 1-1 Buffalo

Two teams that don’t like each other face off for a chance to make the Champions Cup final. No matter what plays out on the field, emotions should make this game incredibly entertaining. The Panthers are gonna want revenge for the 1953 Champions Cup, while the Archers are looking to eliminate the Panthers on home soil, crushing their dreams once again. Don’t be surprised to see some scuffles between players, there also a good chance a brawl breaks out.

Analyst Prediction: The Panthers survive, winning 29-23.

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The 1955 regular season has concluded? Who do you have winning the first round matchups?


     Thread Starter
 

7/31/2021 3:39 pm  #113


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

I put my bet on Racers vs Archers in the grand final and I hope that next season will be better for Knights.

 

8/04/2021 1:53 pm  #114


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

1955 Champions Cup Semifinals

(2) Buffalo Panthers vs (4) Manhattan Archers [graph link]

Date: September 3, 1955
Location: Buffalo Park, Buffalo, NY
Weather: 80℉ (27℃), Partly Cloudy
Wind: Light Breeze from N

Buffalo Park was always known to be loud, but with the Panthers hosting a playoff game at home against their archrivals, it was deafening even by its own standards. Right from the get-go, it felt like so much more was on the line than a berth into the next round. In the words of commentator Neil Watt” “This is, to put it simply… a war on grass”. Extra police officers were put on duty at the stadium in case the players and/or fans got out of control.

Manhattan controlled possession for the first part of the game, and they capitalized on their chances, getting out to a quick 9-0 lead off two goals and a point. The Buffalo crowd grew quiet as the Archers had their quick start. The Panthers had a few chances early on, but they shone in the second half of the quarter. Fan favourite FB Rick McShane kicked a point and goal in the latter half, getting the Buffalo crowd roaring again. Manhattan held a 4-point lead through 24 minutes.

Buffalo continued their momentum in the second. Over the first 10 minutes of the quarter, they kicked 3 goals and a point to make it 18-9. All 18 of their points had been unanswered by the Archers, who were struggling. After another Buffalo point, they got going again, and got some chances, but only managed two points before Buffalo got a point back. The Panthers looked to be smooth sailing into the second half when they committed a bad foul inside the arc, giving Manhattan a penalty shot to get to within 5. Leonard Jones stepped up and buried his shot, giving Manhattan the momentum heading into the second quarter.

AT THE HALF: Buffalo 20-15 Manhattan

Just 24 seconds into the third, Larry Hugh kicked a point for Buffalo. From that point on, the quarter was all Archers. They first kicked a point to get within 5, then put on a defensive clinic against Buffalo. Rush after rush were effortlessly broken up by Manhattan’s back 2 lines. Eventually, around the halfway point, the Archers were rewarded for their play, getting goals from John Schmidt and Harry Marley on consecutive rushes. This gave Manhattan a 24-21 lead, after which they locked up defensively. The same 24-21 scoreline held up through 3.

The fourth quarter was more of the same that was seen in third. The Archers continued to make Buffalo’s offense look like amateurs. Through the first 17 minutes of the quarter, the only scoring was a point from each team. Time was running out for Buffalo to make a run at a win, so they brought virtually every player forward. However, that still couldn’t do the job, as Manhattan were just too good defensively. Eventually, a cross-field pass was broken up by the Archers’ Harry Marley, who basically had a breakaway from the halfway line to the goal. He scored his third of the game, putting it out of reach. Manhattan’s Edmund Clarke kicked another late goal, and taunted the Buffalo crowd. This resulted in some scuffles and tussles, though there weren’t any punches thrown. As the final whistle went, Buffalo Park was silent. The Archers had knocked them out of the playoffs.

FINAL SCORE: Buffalo 22-33 Manhattan

(1) Westchester Racers vs (3) The Bronx Bears [graph link]

Date: September 10, 1955
Location: Yonkers Ave. Links, Yonkers, NY
Weather: 74℉ (23℃), Cloudy
Wind: Moderate Breeze from SE

Yonkers Ave. Links was electrified on a cloudy September afternoon, as the Racers got set to play their first ever NERC home playoff game. In an attempt to make the Stadium as full as possible, every ticket came with a Racers player autograph. The building went from loudly booing the opposition to deafeningly cheering on their hometown Racers as they took the field. Based on recent results, the Racers were expected to win, and have the ideal scenario for the Champions Cup, where they could afford to lose one game.

The Bears got to work early, getting a  goal under a minute in, courtesy of Harvey Joachim. The Racers responded with a point, then a goal from Joe Blake to take a 5-4 lead. The rest of the quarter was pretty boring, with no real grade-A chances, and the only other scores being points. Joachim and Lucas Sizemore scored the Bears’, while Maurice Krawczyk kicked one for the Racers. Through 24 minutes, the two teams found themselves tied at 6 apiece.

The second quarter was mostly a quiet affair. For the longest time, the only score of the quarter was a bullet of a shot from Joe Blake, putting the Racers up 10-6. Defense would then reign supreme, with neither team really being able to crack their opponent’s backline. In the final 4 minutes of the quarter, with the backlines starting to tire, each team managed to grab a point. At the half, the Racers held on to their 4-point lead.

AT THE HALF: Westchester 11-7 the Bronx

The Bears came out swinging in the third, getting multiple chances. Of these chances, Jay Stacks deflected home a cross, tying the game at 11. A little while later, Willie Gleason gave the Racers the lead again, kicking a point. Defense took over for a stretch again, but play opened up towards the end of the quarter. Barney Ferguson converted a free kick from 35 metres, putting Westchester up by 5. However, the Bears would win the ensuing jump-ball and kick a point to make it a 1-possession game once again. After 3, the Racers still held on to a 4-point lead.

The Racers started the fourth getting a goal and point, putting them up comfortably by 9. However, just 6 minutes after, the Bears tied the game right back up, after getting two goals from Stacks and Cyril van Antwerp, as well as a point from CF Anthony Meir. The Racers managed some chances, but only managed two points, putting them up by 2 with 2:55 to play. The Bears attacked furiously looking for a goal to get the win, and in the dying seconds, an all-time classic NERC moment was born, in the words of commentator Neil Watt:

“Do or die now for the Bears. Kicked into the arc… A mad scramble ensues, 20 yards from the net! The ball rolls right to Ed Bass… HE SCORES! THE BEARS ARE GOING TO WIN THE GAME! ED BASS HAS SCORED A REMARKABLE GOAL IN THE DYING SECONDS!

A cross into the arc led to a massive dogpile. In the ensuing scrum, the ball rolled to the feet of Bronx CB Ed Bass, who kicked it first-time into the top left corner of the net. This was done with 6 seconds left to play, far too little time for the Racers to do anything about it. The Bears won the game, moving them on to a Second Round Semifinal against the Archers. Meanwhile the Racers were going to have to regroup for a winner-take-all Champions Cup game against the winner of the Second Round Semifinal.

FINAL SCORE: Westchester 23-25 the Bronx



Second Round Semifinal Preview:
(3) The Bronx Bears vs (4) Manhattan Archers

Regular Season Matchups: Manhattan 22-22 Bronx, Bronx 23-31 Manhattan
Previous Playoff Meeting: None
Playoff Record: Hempstead 0-0 Westchester

Both of these teams are coming off impressive victories. The Archers won convincingly away from home in one of the rowdiest stadiums in the league, while the Bears snatched victory away from the #1 seed Westchester Racers. In the season series between these two, they tied their first matchup, while the Archers convincingly won the second game. Even though the Bears won their game, they were still shaky at times, something the Archers could definitely take advantage of.

Analyst Prediction: The Archers prevail 27-24, moving on to a date with the Racers in the Champions Cup.


     Thread Starter
 

8/13/2021 4:23 pm  #115


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

1955 NERC Second Round Semifinal

(3) The Bronx Bears vs (4) Manhattan Archers [scoreworms]

Date: September 17, 1955
Location: Riverside Field, The Bronx, NY
Weather: 74℉ (23℃), Cloudy
Wind: Moderate Breeze from S
Attendance: 25,000

Riverside Field was packed with runty fans, looking to watch an energetic game between two New York City teams. First, the home Bears took the field, to a chorus of cheering and whistling. Next, the visiting Archers took to the field. A good amount of Archer supporters made the trip to the other borough, but their cheers were drowned out by boos from the Bronx faithful.

The game started off slowly. In the first few minutes there weren’t any real chances. The first score of the game came 7:42 in, when Archers RO Ken Martin scored a goal off a nice solo run. After some more defensive play, the Bears would get their first scores of the game, two quick points. The Archers controlled the ball for the next bit, and would kick a point to take a 3-point lead. However, the Bears would pull off a full-field possession, rushing from their own end into Manhattan’s arc, and scored a goal with 57 seconds left, taking a 1-point lead into the second quarter. After 1, it was looking like the game would be a defensive battle.

AFTER 1: The Bronx 6-5 Manhattan

With their home fans still buzzing after their late first-quarter goal, the Bears would kick another 3 minutes into the second, courtesy of CF Freddy Falconer. They had a multi-possession lead, but after that goal, the Archers played tougher. C Donald Reed kicked a point, then RF Vern Chamne scored a beautiful goal, where he broke 3 tackles before kicking a picture-perfect shot into the top left corner. Just like that, the game was tied at 10. That wouldn’t last long, as Manhattan came out again, and kicked a point to retake the lead. Past the halfway point of the quarter, the Bears’ Lucas Sizemore missed a great chance to score another goal, instead miskicking the ball and scoring his second point of the game. The remaining 11 minutes of the second saw no scoring, and the two teams were tied heading into the second half.

AT THE HALF: The Bronx 11-11 Manhattan

Early into the second, Reed tried to kick a goal from well out, but his kick went well wide for a point. After that, the Bears started playing like a well-oiled machine. First, LHF Eric Hayden scored to put the Bears up by 3. After that, the defense locked down several Archer rushes, not letting them get anything. The Bears didn’t have too many offensive rushes throughout the rest of the quarter, but when they did, they managed to kick points, slowly but surely making their lead bigger. The Archers couldn’t manage any more scores other than their one point at the start of the quarter. After 3, The Bears held a 6-point lead.

AFTER 3: The Bronx 18-12 Manhattan

Right off the opening jump-ball of the fourth quarter, the Bears carried the ball to Manhattan’s end, and Cyril van Antwerp cleanly beat Ken Martin, giving the Bears their largest lead of the game, 10 points. At this point, they elected to use a defensive press, in an attempt to tire out and frustrate the Archers forwards. For almost 10 minutes, the press worked flawlessly, until Manhattan RWC Tony Haling slipped behind his man, caught a perfect pass, and kicked the ball high. It was a glorious chance left unconverted. Manhattan’s only other real chance after that was Donald Reed’s 3rd points of the game with 7 minutes to play. Other than those, the Bears defensive press did its job. As the final whistle went, their fans went crazy, as the Bronx had clinched their spot in a winner-take-all Champions Cup Final against the Racers.

FINAL SCORE: The Bronx 22-14 Manhattan


Champions Cup Final Preview:
(1) Westchester Racers vs (2) The Bronx Bears, at New York, NY


Regular Season Matchups: The Bronx 27-37 Westchester, Westchester 26-28 The Bronx
Previous Playoff Meeting: The Bronx 25-23 Westchester (1955 SF)
Playoff Record: Westchester 0-1 The Bronx

Just like in 1954, this Champions Cup matchup features two teams that met in the first round. The Bears are looking to build off their two wins in the playoffs so far, while the Racers are hungry for revenge. The Bears defense managed to hold off Westchester’s #1 offense in their first meeting, so if they can do that again here, they should be able to take it. However, stopping the Racers’ offense for consecutive games is a tall task.

Analyst Prediction: The Bears just manage to hold off the Racers, winning 26-25.


     Thread Starter
 

8/13/2021 6:54 pm  #116


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

Ah, I hate this result, but congrats to Bronx. I hope that Racers will kick their asses in grand final.

 

8/17/2021 10:09 am  #117


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

1955 Champions Cup Final [scoreworm]
Date: September 24, 1955
Location: New York Runty Park, New York, NY
Weather: 67℉ (19℃), Cloudy
Wind: Moderate Breeze from E
Attendance: 30,000

It was a cool, cloudy day in New York City. Despite this, there was excitement all around, as it was the day of the biggest game in Runty, the Champions Cup Final. It was a matchup that had already been played in the semifinals. The Bronx Bears upset the Westchester Racers in Yonkers, but now there was a chance for revenge. Fans from all over the NYC metro area flocked to the New York Runty Park to take in the action. Despite the Racers being the designated home team, their fans took up about 40% of the stadium, and were outnumbered by Bears supporters, who filled up around half of the capacity. Neutral fans took up the remaining 10%.

The Bears won the jump-ball, and controlled possession for the first few minutes. 5:42 in, team captain Lucas Sizemore punched a cross past Racers RU John Whyte, giving the Bronx a 4-0 lead. However, just 3 minutes later, the Racers would tie the game, after C Samuel McGinn fired home a loose ball. After that goal, the Bears would control the ball once again. With around 7 minutes to play, they had two great chances in quick succession, but Whyte did well to deflect those dangerous shots wide for points. However, the Bears would eventually break through, as Lucas Sizemore kicked a beautiful pass to a wide-open Harvey Joachim, who easily scored to put the Bears up by 6. In the last minutes of the quarter, the Racers controlled the ball, looking to get a goal back. They got some good chances, but only managed to kick two points before the quarter ended. After 24 minutes of play, the Bears held a 1-goal lead over Westchester, who were gaining momentum.

AFTER 1: Westchester 6-10 The Bronx

The Racers started the second quarter off with a pummeling of shots, managing to get a point from Bob Jones and a goal from Joe Blake within the first 4 minutes. This gave them their first lead of the game. They weren’t done yet, as they pressed their defense forward. LB Jerry Barnes punched a cross home for a goal, and LFB kicked a rare point, and the Racers had increased their lead to 6. The Bears offense struggled throughout the quarter, as just 4 of the 24 minutes played were in Westchester’s half. They didn’t manage a single point in the frame, the first time since 1951 a team in the Champions Cup had gone an entire quarter without scoring a point. The Racers added a point in the dying seconds, putting them up by 7. At the half, the Bears were in serious trouble, and needed a halftime spark to get themselves back in. On the other end of the field, the Racers needed to keep doing what they were doing, and they would have their first ever Champions Cup title.

AT THE HALF: Westchester 17-10 The Bronx

The Bears must’ve had a passionate speech from coach Grenville Gold at halftime, because they looked like an entirely different team in the third quarter. Just 90 seconds in, CF Freddy Falconer blasted a shot home from close range, cutting the deficit to 3. The Racers would score a point on their next rush, but that would be their only real chance of the quarter. For the remaining 22 minutes, the Bears would control possession, though the Racer defense did well to limit their chances. There would be no scoring play for around 10 minutes after the Westchester point, until a shot from Bronx HF Val Victors hit the crossbar and went out of play for a point. The Bears would continue to dominate possession for the remainder of the quarter, but their only other scoring play would be another point from Harvey Joachim. Despite the dominant play, the Racers defense did well to limit the Bears to 6 points. After 3 quarters, Westchester held a 2-point lead. It had come down to the fourth quarter to determine the winner.

AFTER 3: Westchester 18-16 The Bronx

The first few minutes of the fourth quarter were slow, so that there could be minimal mistakes. At the 5 and 7-minute marks, the Racers would kick two points, putting themselves up by a goal once more. After the second point, the Bears would have a period of possession. They scored a quick point, then Harvey Joachim scored a nice goal, curling a kick into the top right corner of the net from mid-range, a shot which John Whyte could do nothing about. This goal put the Bears up by 1, their first lead since early in the second quarter. Their supporters erupted, and they looked to have the upper hand. They managed to slow to pace down for the next few minutes, but with 8:59 on the clock, Racers LF Steve Bezuidenhout, from out of nowhere, blasted a kick into the top-left corner of the net, giving the Racers the lead back. THey were up by 3, but the game still wasn’t over. However, the Racers did a great job at slowing the pace down, which is what the Bears unsuccessfully tried to do. They had some chances late to get the lead back, but they were all either blocked or saved. The final whistle went, and the Racers exploded with joy. They had become the first of the 1952 expansion teams to win a Champions Cup. On the other end, the Bears were stuck with the taste of defeat for the second year in a row.

FINAL SCORE: Westchester 24-21 The Bronx



1955 Championship Flag:

The Racers decided to use Roman numerals instead of stars to denote their championships on their flags. Any future titles won by them will feature a "II", a "III", and so on.


     Thread Starter
 

8/17/2021 10:53 am  #118


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

Hell yeah! I love stories like this, another expansion team won the league.

 

8/24/2021 10:34 am  #119


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

1955-56 NERC Offseason

Buckle up folks, this is gonna be a rollercoaster of a post.

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October 8, 1955: The Darkest Day in Runty History

There were rumblings of illegal activities committed by NERC officials earlier in the season, but when the rumours finally came to light, nobody was prepared.

On October 8, 1955, An underground NERC gambling/match fixing ring was discovered within the confines of New York City. This ring consisted of several high-up executives and even presidents of 5 of the league’s 10 teams. 

These teams were:
New York (ringleaders)
Hempstead
Staten Island
The Bronx
Boston

In the released findings, it was documented that these executives had illegally gambled on several NERC games, including ones played by their own teams. As well, some of the members of this ring had attempted to bribe referees to call games in one team’s favour, so that they could get their money.

Commissioner Elmer Wilkins was absolutely furious. A few hours after the findings were released, The NERC banned all those involved in the scandal for life, and announced harsh punishments on the teams themselves. Each team involved in the scandal was banned from participating in the NERC for one season, while the New York Knights, the club that started the ring, was banned for two. Wilkins had this to say on the matter.

“This is a sad and humiliating day, not just for myself and the NERC, but also for the professional sporting world. Words cannot express our frustration toward all those who took part in illegal gambling and match fixing. Our game and our league should never be taken advantage of in this way. Every individual person, whether an executive, team president, or referee, mentioned in the criminal investigation is no longer a part of the NERC, nor will they be at any point in the future. We will move on as best we can, to make sure that this situation will never happen again. 

As a result of their participation in these illegal activities, The Staten Island, Bronx, Boston, and Hempstead Runty Clubs will not be allowed to participate in the forthcoming 1956 season. The New York Runty Club, as a result of being the initiators of these heinous crimes, will not be allowed to participate in the 1956 and 1957 seasons. Once these clubs have no trace of anyone who took part in these activities, and have served their 1 or 2-year suspensions, the NERC will welcome them back into the league.

I would also like to announce my immediate resignation as commissioner of the North-Eastern Runty Championship. I have clearly failed in my position, having not known about this nonsense from the start. I am thankful for my tenure as commissioner, but now it is time for someone more qualified to take control. Former Hempstead President Isidore Spinola will be the new commissioner, and I look forward to helping him move the league forward into a brighter future.”


Fans, especially those of the teams involved, were in shock. There were protests outside all 5 team headquarters, calling for the removal of all those who participated. The general mood of the fans was anger and betrayal, but only toward those who were involved in the scandal. They had faith that each of the 5 clubs would do whatever they could to get their support back, and distance themselves from the crimes.

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Columbia Alumni Scholars announce departure from NERC

While newspapers and magazines were all swept up in the gambling and match-fixing announcements, another big news article dropped. The Columbia Alumni Scholars, amidst huge financial losses and poor attendance, announced that they would be moving back down to the NYRL. It wasn’t a huge surprise, as they struggled mightily in the past 2 seasons, setting multiple league records for futility. Nevertheless, this meant that the NERC was down to just 4 teams for the 1956 season. New league commissioner Isidore Spinola had this to say on the matter.

“We have accepted the Scholars’ request to withdraw from the NERC. We wish them the best as they attempt to get their finances back in order.”

The Scholars also stated that they were not interested in a potential NERC return, and that the NYRL was where they wanted to be permanently.

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NERC Announces Format for 1956 season

With only 4 teams to play in 1956, there was lots of speculation about how the season would be formatted. Some predicted a full 18-game season, while other wondered if it would be shorter. They got their answer 3 months before the season’s start. 

Each team would play 2 of the other teams 4 times, and the remaining team 3 times, for an 11-week schedule. As for the playoffs, the 2nd and 3rd-placed teams would face off in a semifinal, then the winner of that would play the 1st-placed team in the current Champions Cup format. Overall, this was seen as a bizarre solution, but that’s what the league wanted to do.

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Notable Player Movement

Perseus Whitney (HEM >>> BRK)

Whitney, who led the league in scoring in 1953, was adamant about continuing to play in the NERC and not in the lower-level NYRL for one season. He was traded to Brooklyn for cash shortly before the season began. The deal stipulated that he was to be traded back to the Clippers prior to the 1957 season for the same amount of money he was traded for.

Gil Littlewood (HEM >>> BRK)

Similarly to Whitney, Littlewood also had no interest in missing out on a year of NERC play. In a separate deal, he was traded to Brooklyn for young prospect Brent Sturm, who would get more playing time with Hempstead in the NYRL.  Also similarly to Whitney’s trade, this deal was to be reversed at the end of the season.

Willie Allen (NY >>> BRK)

Allen is a promising young defender who played short stints with Buffalo and New York. As a result of large financial losses from the gambling scandal, the Knights traded him to Brooklyn for cash. Unlike Whitney’s trade, this was a permanent deal.

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Pre-Season Picks

First Seed: Buffalo

While they may have had a disappointing first-round exit, the Panthers look primed to take the #1 seed in this shortened year. Des Samuel will only continue to improve, and the Panthers are due for some breakouts from their younger players. These paired together should make them the team to beat.

Champions Cup: Buffalo over Westchester

The Racers, while due to regress a bit, should still be a favourite to make the Champions Cup. Their 1955 title win is gonna give them confidence, but not enough to win 2 straight against the Panthers. Buffalo should be expected to raise another flag at the conclusion of this season.

Leading Goalscorer: Des Samuel (BUF)

He’s good at scoring. That’s really all that needs to be said.

Projected Standings:
1-x. Buffalo
2-x. Westchester
3-x. Manhattan
4. Brooklyn
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     Thread Starter
 

8/24/2021 12:28 pm  #120


Re: American Runty Championship: 1957 Season

Cheating in sports is always bad, and even more so when you see former champions among the banned teams. This will be perhaps the most interesting season in NERC history.

 

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