Coaldale Big Green facts for kids
| Founded | 1912 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1933 |
| Based in | Coaldale, Pennsylvania, United States |
| League | Independent (1912–1923, 1925, 1927-1933) Anthracite League (1924) Eastern League of Professional Football (1926) |
| Team history | Coaldale Football (1912–17) Coaldale Big Green (1917–29) |
| Team colors | Green, White |
| Head coaches | Al Nemzic (1926) |
| General managers | James H. Gildea |
| Owner(s) | Coaldale Athletic Association James H. Gildea |
| Other League Championship wins | Curran Cup: 1921, 1922, 1923 |
| Mascot(s) | Yatsko |
| Named for | green jerseys |
| Home field(s) | Coaldale Field (1912–1924) Traveling team (1925–1933) |
The Coaldale Big Green was an early professional football team. They were based in Coaldale, Pennsylvania. The team started as an independent club. Later, they joined the Anthracite League in 1924.
After leaving that league, they played independently again in 1925. In 1926, they joined the Eastern League of Professional Football. The Big Green was known for being very successful. They won the coal region's Curran Cup in 1921, 1922, and 1923.
Team History
The Coaldale Big Green team was formed in 1912. It was created by the Coaldale Athletic Association and James H. Gildea. Gildea managed the team for 21 seasons. Most of the players were talented local athletes.
Unlike other nearby teams, Gildea preferred to find players from his own area. Two of the team's best players were James "Blue" Bonner and Jack "Honeyboy" Evans. Both of these players were from Coaldale.
In 1912, Gildea brought together two smaller Coaldale football teams. These were the Old Street Stars and the Coaldale Rosebuds. The team was first known as Coaldale Football. The name "Big Green" was adopted in 1917. This was after the team started wearing its famous green jerseys. The Big Green won the Curran Cup three times. They won in 1921, 1922, and 1923. In 1923, they beat the Pottsville Maroons 3–0 to win the championship.
Joining the Anthracite League
In 1924, James Gildea organized a meeting in Coaldale. The goal was to create a new football league. This league would be for teams in the coal region. Managers, owners, and sportswriters were all invited.
One main reason for the league was to stop teams from "stealing" players. Teams often tried to sign away star players from their rivals. They would offer higher salaries to get the best talent. The league wanted to stop this unfair practice.
At the meeting, teams agreed to new rules. All players had to be signed before the season started. Each team had to share a list of their players. This meant teams had to finish the season with the same players. Also, teams had to pay a deposit of $500 or $1,000. This money would be lost if they broke the player rules.
The second reason for the league was to create a clear schedule. In the early 1920s, it was hard to plan games. Games were often decided just a few days before they happened. This was because some teams struggled to attract enough fans. Teams spent a lot of money on players. They needed many fans to attend games to cover costs.
The new league agreed on twelve game dates. These games would be played from October to November. This also allowed for other games against local rivals. Coaldale also built a large grandstand at Coaldale Field. It could hold 8,000 fans. These improvements cost about $3,500. Other teams in the league spent a total of $15,000 on stadium repairs.
The Anthracite League was formed with these new rules. However, Coaldale and the Big Green soon left the league. They noticed that other teams were not following the player signing rules.
Later Years (1925–1933)
After leaving the Anthracite League, the Big Green faced tough times. They only won four games in 1924. By the middle of the next season, they became a traveling team. This meant they played all their games away from home. Many local football fans started supporting the Pottsville Maroons. The Maroons had joined the NFL.
In 1926, the Big Green joined the Eastern League of Professional Football. This league only lasted one season. After that, the team played independently for a few more years. The Coaldale Big Green team eventually stopped playing around 1933.
