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The History of Gaelic Football in America!(V.2)
Before my account accidentally got deleted, I ran a short lived forum where I created a league that played the irish sport Gaelic football. Basically a wealthy Irish imigrant who moved to America and started a professional league for other Irish and Scotish immigrants. It was moderately popular, but after my mishap with my account, I decided it would be better to move on and try something new. I have not made anything new, so I decided to bring it back.
INTRODUCING THE GAELIC FOOTBALL LEAGUE:
-NEW CHARACTERS
-NEW TEAMS
-NEW LORE
-NEW EVERYTHING
-TELLS THE HISTORY OF THE LEAGUE THROUGH A BOOK WRITTEN BY A FORMER COMMISSIONER
CHAMPIONS:
1920- Hartford Lumber Co.
Last edited by CubsOrSox10 (1/01/2022 9:59 pm)
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Re: The History of Gaelic Football in America!(V.2)
HISTORY OF THE SPORT OF GAELIC FOOTBALL OF AMERICA
RYAN MCLAUGHLIN
INTRODUCTION:
The Gaelic Football League was a league that was based on the sport of traditional Gaelic Football. It was founded in 1920 after a wealth businessman by the name of Ryan O’Sullivan founded a league in Boston for Scottish and Irish immigrants and others who might just be interested to join in. Unfortunately, 90 years after it’s founding, it declared bankruptcy in 2000, ending the league 20 years before it reached it’s 100th birthday. In this book, I shall talk about everything from the champions of the league to the individual stats of great players. With my experience as a former commissioner, I hopefully should be able to inform of such achievements with my experience. Enjoy the Book!
CHAPTER 1: FOUNDING OF A LEAGUE!
Ryan O’Sullivan was a 32-year old man when he moved to America with his wife in 1918. He moved to the U.S. due to the recent rebellion.He was wealthy and a British sympathizer, not a really good mix when you live in a highly
anti-anglo state. He hoped that if he moved, he would not be the target of his fellow celts. Though loyal to the monarchy back at his home, he still followed celtic and gael tradition and sport. He was an avid fan of Gaelic Football, ball game that was popular back home. He made large bets on games and always went to watch his favorite amateur team, Dublin-Gaelic. When he moved to america, he noticed many 2nd and 3rd generation irish-americans did not even play the sport, very few even heard of it. So, he an some other first generation immigrants started a 2 clubs, 1 in Ryan’s new home of Boston, and the other in a city called Harford, Connecticut. The 2 teams recruited local boys in the area, and played their first match in late January of 1919. Boston was victorious, winning by a landslide. After the game, the sport began catching on in all of New England and Northern New York. After a year, the sport’s popularity grew exponentially and was probably the 2nd sport of the north-atlantic. Seeing of it’s rise in popularity, Ryan and his fellow gaels agreed to start a type of league, a “Union of the Gaelic clubs of America”, as O’Sullivan said. So, he created a 8-team “Union of clubs”, ranging from Elizabeth, New Jersey, to Portland, Maine. It was a beginning of an Era! (Boston Gaelic Football Club, Hartford Lumber Co., Providence Gaels, Portland Greys, New Jersey Americans, Manhattan Athletics Club, Albany Browns, Elizabeth Atlantics.)
Last edited by CubsOrSox10 (12/30/2021 11:19 pm)
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Thread Starter- CubsOrSox10
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Re: The History of Gaelic Football in America!(V.2)
CHAPTER 2: 1ST SEASON
PREDICTIONS:
The first season was expected to be dominated by the pre-league teams, Boston GFC and the Irish lumber workers of Hartford. They had more practice, more experience, and where far more popular the any other of the clubs. They fielded mostly amateur players, and a few young men who where caught up on the craze, so experts believed they would dominate. The “start-ups” where more made up of raw talent and curious Americans who where interested during the Gaelic Football craze. The 2 teams from this catergory that where expected to have a chance to get into the 4-team playoff are the Manhattan Athletics and Albany Browns. The Athletics where thought to be at least mediocre due to the talent pool they had. They where based in NYC, so they had a large population to recruit, and a large Gaelic population at that. Albany was praised due to their management and front office, specifically, Bryant McLaughlin. A 3rd-Generation scottsmen, he moved back to Scotland and coached the best Gaelic team in all of the Aisles, Glasgow GFC.
The First Season was definitely one to watch!
Predictions For Standings(New York World):
Boston GFC
Hartford Lumber Co.
Albany Browns
Manhattan Athletics Club
Providence Gaels
New Jersey Americans
Portland Greys
Elizabeth Atlantics
TEAM STORIES:
-BOSTON GFC 10-0
Boston was predicted to dominate, and dominate they did. Cruising past everyone they played, they achieved a perfect record in it’s first season. The reason for their dominance was offence… if it was opposite day. They had the No.1 defense in the league, without a doubt. They stopped attack after attack, letting up the least goals in the league. Their offence, was, sufficent. They were the definition of mediocre on that part of the ball. They scored about an average amount, so when they played playoff contender teams, it was all defense. Luckily, they got the Number 1 seed, making it easy. They made it to the finals, where their lack of offense was obvious. They scored the least they scored ever, allowing an easy titile for the opposing Jacks.
-HARTFORD LUMBER CO. 7-3
Hartford definitely lived up to expectations, as they made it look easy, until the last 4 games. They where the opposite of Boston, Great offense, ok defense. The defence laid back while the offense carried them, until the final half of the season. In the 5th game, they experienced their first loss to Boston. Even though they lost, they experienced bigger problems. Most of their offense get injured playing against GFC’s physical defense.
The defense was unprepared for this, and lost every other game for the rest of the season. Jacks fans are just happy they won the early ones. In the Semifinals, the defence stepped up and shut down Albany’s offense, making the finals. In the finals, the offense returned, helping the newly-amazing defense win it all!
-ALBANY BROWNS 7-3
The Browns where a good team. They where well-rounded. They could do a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, they can only do a little bit of everything. They did not excel at anything, they where only good.
Now while this might get you to the playoffs, it will definitely not help you in the playoffs. They got destroyed
in the first round by a hyped-up Boston defence, scoring the least they have ever, even into the league’s extinction. Not a good year.
-Manhattan Athletics Club 5-5
If you have to name one team that was saved by 1 player, in the entire history of the GFL, it would have to be the Athletics. The man that save New York was goalie James Brown, the best American in the league. He played goalie in soccer, so he knew what he was doing. He let up 1.5 gols per game, the 2nd least in the league. Without an offence to help him, the Athletics only went 5-5. In the playoffs, let’s say team chemistry sunk. Everyone was fighting with eachother, and Brown’s strict personality did not help. The team lost, by a lot. Also not a good year.
The 4-non playoff teams will be posted tomorrow
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