1904-1905 Preseason

President Irwin announced that there would be a third division to the AAAFL in the 1904-1905 season.  "It's the first of what we see as four regional divisions. " Working with baseball's American Association, the new Mid-American Regional Division will feature association football teams operated by those baseball organizations."  Irwin elaborated that there would not be any promotion or relegation with the Mid-American this season.  "We want to see if we this will function, and if we can get an Eastern division operating for next season."

Irwin announced the first team for the Mid-American Regional Division would be the Toledo Glassmakers.  Playing under the same management of the baseball Toledo Mud Hens, the Glassmakers will have their games at Armory Park.



The next team announced for the Mid-America Regional Division is from the "Arch City" of Columbus.  The Arches  will be sharing Recreation Park alongside the American Association's Columbus Red Birds, with whom they share in management.



Another announcement for the Mid-American Regional Division.  The American Association's Kansas City Blues will be sharing Exposition Park with their association football squad, the Kansas City Fountains, taking their name from the city's nickname as a "City of Fountains."



The next team to be announced for the Mid-American Regional Division was the Indianapolis Circles.  Taking their name from the city's nickname of Circle City, the team is operated by the American Association baseball team Indianapolis Indians.  The club will play at Washington Park.



The owners of baseball's Minneapolis Millers of the American Association announced that they would be also be fielding a team in the Mid-American Regional Division of the AAAFL.  The Minneapolis Millstones will be playing at Nicollet Park.



The owners of the American Association's St. Paul Saints announced that they would be operating a team as well.  They initially thought utilizing a name reminiscent of the area's early religious explorers for the team nickname.  The owners instead decided to link it to St. Paul's famous Winter Carnival.  One of the leading figures in the carnival is King Boreas.  In Greek mythology, Boreas had two sons named Calais and Zetes, who were known as the Boreads.  It was this name that the management decided upon.  The Boreads will play at Lexington Park.



The owners also noted that they had commissioned a derby to be instituted between the Millstones and the Boreads.   The winner will be allowed to fly their team flag from Fort Snelling for a year, allowing all those who travel by it on the Mississippi River to see which club dominates Twin Cities football.

The new American Association baseball club, the Louisville Colonels, announced that they would be operating an association football team in conjunction with the owners of Churchill Downs.   Matt Winn, who has been doing fantastic work for the racetrack, will be the general manager of the new Louisville Racehorses.  He chose a jockey-style pattern for the Racehorses' kits.  The Racehorses will be playing this season at Eclipse Park, but a football stadium will be constructed on the Churchill Downs grounds in the near future.


 (I edited some free clipart of a horse to make the "R"-ish shape)

AAAFL President Irwin announced that the new Milwaukee Brewers franchise in baseball's American Association will be operating an association football franchise in Milwaukee in the Mid-American Division.  The franchise will be called Cream City FC and will play at Borchert Field.  The team takes its name from the city's nickname, based on popular cream-colored brick produced from local Lake Michigan clay.  Cream and white will be the team's colors.
In response to questions about the viability of Milwaukee hosting two teams, Irwin responded.  "The support that the Brewmasters has received is tremendous, particularly from the German community.  We think that Cream City FC will get adopted by the British expatriates there."

 

{I will be changing a number of these team names once I get to posting brand-new material}

1904-1905 American Football Association Cup



The newly-minted Regional team, the Minneapolis Millstones (who took first in the Mid-American Division), were the story of the 1904-1905 American Football Association Cup.  In the very first round, they knocked out Cincinnati from the Ultimate Division.  They followed that with a victory over the Kearny Scots, who had shocked the sports world with the their victory over the 2nd seeded Chimney Swifts in Baltimore.

Next was they triumphed over the Boston Gaelics and finally the Chicago Southsiders. Their Cinderella run ended in the final, as they fell to the Washington Insiders.

The reigning champions from Milwaukee didn't make it out of the first round.  The first-year Columbus Arches secured a 2-1 upset at the Blatz Platz.

The Shipwrights hopes for a double were squelched in the second round, as Boston fell at home to the St. Louis Big Deals.

With all of the professional teams in existence, only two amateur sides entered the competition - Kearny Scots and Paterson True Blues.

1905-1906 Preseason

President Irwin announced that the AAAFL would continue to grow in the upcoming season.  “The new Eastern Regional Division would begin playing this year. Twelve teams will compete in the inaugural season.  Other eastern cities will likely be joining in the years to come.  There will also be a few expansion clubs in the Mid-American Regional Division to put that division at twelve teams as well.  Plans continue apace to form a Western Regional Division, likely next year.”

Irwin also noted that there will be promotion and relegation from the Regional Divisions.  “In the interests of balancing matters across all divisions, the top two teams from the Eastern and Mid-American will move up to the Penultimate, but only the bottom two teams from the Penultimate will move down.  The relegated teams will go the Regional Division most appropriate to their geography.”

Finally, President Irwin announced that there would be a new inter-divisional competition this year.  The Columbia Challenge Trophy will be a four-team bracket of the Divisional winners.  “That will be the format for this year.  As the AAAFL expands, we may tinker with it.”

The first team to be announced for the Eastern Regional Division was the Pawtucket Millwrights.  The Millwheels are based in Rhode Island, in the heart of the textile industry.  Local textile machinery manufacturer Howard & Bullough are the corporate owners of the team.  The company is constructing a stadium for the team to be known as Milling Field.