Coaldale Big Green
Encyclopedia
The Coaldale Big Green was an early professional football
team based in Coaldale, Pennsylvania
. The club played as an independent until joining the Anthracite League
in 1924. After leaving the league in 1924, the team spent its 1925 season as an independent, then joined the short-lived Eastern League of Professional Football
in 1926. While the most well known Anthracite League team is the Pottsville Maroons
, which jumped to the National Football League
in 1925 and immediately established itself as a championship contender
, the most consistently successful club in the coal region was the Big Green. Coaldale won the coal region's Curran Cup in 1921, 1922 and 1923.
, who would manage the team for 21 seasons, with a roster of mostly local talent. While nearby towns, such as Pottsville
and Gilberton
favored importing players for their teams, Gildea preferred searching his own area for players. Arguably the team's two best players were James "Blue" Bonner
and Jack "Honeyboy" Evans. Both men were Coaldale natives. In 1912, Gildea combined two smaller and earlier Coaldale football teams, the Old Street Stars and the Coaldale Rosebuds. While the Big Green organization dates back to 1912, the name "Big Green" was not applied to the team until after adopting its famous green jerseys in 1917. From 1912 until 1917, the team was only known as Coaldale Football. The Big Green went on to win the Curran Cup in 1921, 1922, and 1923. The 1923 championship resulted in a 3–0 win over the Maroons.
to establish the league made up of the coal region teams. The managers and owners of every major coal region team and the local sportswriters were all invited.
The main reason for the league was to first put an end to teams raiding their opponents' rosters for big-name players. During this, money was being handed over by several managers in record amounts, as they hoped to lure the finest talent available. When the on-field talent wasn't available for signing, these managers would then steal players from other teams with the offer of higher salaries. As a result of the meeting, the teams agreed that the league teams had to secure all of their players prior to the start of the league season. A required list of eligible players had to also be filed by each team for all the others to observe. The plan was that all teams would be required to finish the season with the same players listed on the roster at the start of the year. Also a monetary forfeit of $500 or $1,000 had to be posted by each team to guarantee that the team would stick to its preseason player roster during league play and that there was no objection to any player being signed.
The second reason for establishing a league was to allow for the development of a concise scheduling format for the teams in the region. In the early 1920s, finding open dates when teams could play each other was difficult. Games were often delayed until the latest possible moment, usually 2–3 days before game day. One reason for this was the inability of some clubs to draw enough people into the ballpark. Many of the teams spent a lot of money signing talented players and in order to play them, the managers and owners relied heavily of the number of people in attendance for both home and road games. Every manager knew the importance and longed for the benefits of a sound, opponent-by-opponent schedule. As a result of the meeting, a schedule was agreed upon of twelve set dates from the beginning of October until the end of November. This move was also designed to allow non-league contests of natural rivals from nearby towns to take place at different intervals during and after the league's scheduled games. Coaldale also constructed a grandstand which could accommodate 8,000 fans at Coaldale Field. Their projects cost an estimated $3,500. Many of the other teams spent a combined $15,000 in stadium repairs in 1924.
With these two issues addressed, the Anthracite League was formed. However when it became clear that the other teams weren't following the rules pertaining to signing players, Gildea and the Big Green left the league.
because every football fan in the region joined the Maroons' fanbase when the team joined the NFL. The team then joined the short-lived Eastern League of Professional Football during its one season in 1926. The team then played independently before folding sometime around 1933.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team based in Coaldale, Pennsylvania
Coaldale, Pennsylvania
Coaldale is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Coaldale, Bedford County, Pennsylvania*Coaldale, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania...
. The club played as an independent until joining the Anthracite League
Anthracite League
The Anthracite League, also referred to as the Anthracite Association, was a 1924 football league comprising teams based in eastern Pennsylvania. These teams were based in coal mining towns, hence the league name's reference to anthracite coal. The league lasted for just one season, before folding...
in 1924. After leaving the league in 1924, the team spent its 1925 season as an independent, then joined the short-lived Eastern League of Professional Football
Eastern League of Professional Football
The Eastern League of Professional Football was a football league formed in 1926 by independent clubs from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The Eastern League was a regional minor league that never intended to challenge either the National Football League or even Red Grange's new American Football...
in 1926. While the most well known Anthracite League team is the Pottsville Maroons
Pottsville Maroons
The Pottsville Maroons were an American football team based in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1920, they went on to play in the National Football League for four seasons, from 1925–1928...
, which jumped to the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in 1925 and immediately established itself as a championship contender
1925 NFL Championship controversy
The 1925 National Football League Championship, officially held by the Chicago Cardinals, has been the subject of controversy since it was awarded. The controversy centers around the suspension of the Pottsville Maroons by NFL commissioner Joseph Carr, which prevented them from taking the title.The...
, the most consistently successful club in the coal region was the Big Green. Coaldale won the coal region's Curran Cup in 1921, 1922 and 1923.
History
The team was formed in 1912 by the Coaldale Athletic Association and James H. GildeaJames H. Gildea
James Hilary Gildea was a newspaperman and a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania....
, who would manage the team for 21 seasons, with a roster of mostly local talent. While nearby towns, such as Pottsville
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Pottsville is the only city in and the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 15,549 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the west bank of the Schuylkill River, north-west of Philadelphia...
and Gilberton
Gilberton, Pennsylvania
Gilberton is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, four miles west by south of Mahanoy City. Extensive deposits of coal are in the region, and coal-mining had been practiced by many of the 4,373 people who lived there in 1900. The coal-mining industry was thriving in 1910, and 5,401 people...
favored importing players for their teams, Gildea preferred searching his own area for players. Arguably the team's two best players were James "Blue" Bonner
James Bonner
Col. James Bonner was born in 1719 in either Beaufort Precinct of Hyde Precinct of Bath County. His father, Thomas Bonner was a land owner in Hyde Precinct in 1715. He died in Beaufort County, North Carolina in 1782. He was buried in the town of Washington which was founded on his land. His grave...
and Jack "Honeyboy" Evans. Both men were Coaldale natives. In 1912, Gildea combined two smaller and earlier Coaldale football teams, the Old Street Stars and the Coaldale Rosebuds. While the Big Green organization dates back to 1912, the name "Big Green" was not applied to the team until after adopting its famous green jerseys in 1917. From 1912 until 1917, the team was only known as Coaldale Football. The Big Green went on to win the Curran Cup in 1921, 1922, and 1923. The 1923 championship resulted in a 3–0 win over the Maroons.
Anthracite League
In 1924 James Gildea set up a meeting at the town hall in CoaldaleCoaldale, Pennsylvania
Coaldale is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Coaldale, Bedford County, Pennsylvania*Coaldale, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania...
to establish the league made up of the coal region teams. The managers and owners of every major coal region team and the local sportswriters were all invited.
The main reason for the league was to first put an end to teams raiding their opponents' rosters for big-name players. During this, money was being handed over by several managers in record amounts, as they hoped to lure the finest talent available. When the on-field talent wasn't available for signing, these managers would then steal players from other teams with the offer of higher salaries. As a result of the meeting, the teams agreed that the league teams had to secure all of their players prior to the start of the league season. A required list of eligible players had to also be filed by each team for all the others to observe. The plan was that all teams would be required to finish the season with the same players listed on the roster at the start of the year. Also a monetary forfeit of $500 or $1,000 had to be posted by each team to guarantee that the team would stick to its preseason player roster during league play and that there was no objection to any player being signed.
The second reason for establishing a league was to allow for the development of a concise scheduling format for the teams in the region. In the early 1920s, finding open dates when teams could play each other was difficult. Games were often delayed until the latest possible moment, usually 2–3 days before game day. One reason for this was the inability of some clubs to draw enough people into the ballpark. Many of the teams spent a lot of money signing talented players and in order to play them, the managers and owners relied heavily of the number of people in attendance for both home and road games. Every manager knew the importance and longed for the benefits of a sound, opponent-by-opponent schedule. As a result of the meeting, a schedule was agreed upon of twelve set dates from the beginning of October until the end of November. This move was also designed to allow non-league contests of natural rivals from nearby towns to take place at different intervals during and after the league's scheduled games. Coaldale also constructed a grandstand which could accommodate 8,000 fans at Coaldale Field. Their projects cost an estimated $3,500. Many of the other teams spent a combined $15,000 in stadium repairs in 1924.
With these two issues addressed, the Anthracite League was formed. However when it became clear that the other teams weren't following the rules pertaining to signing players, Gildea and the Big Green left the league.
1925–1933
The Big Green fell on hard times after they left the Anthracite League. They managed to win only four games in 1924. Around the midpoint mark of the following season they became strictly a traveling teamTraveling team
In professional team sports, a traveling team is a member of a professional league that never or rarely competes in its home arena or stadium. This differs from a barnstorming team in that the latter does not compete within a league or association framework...
because every football fan in the region joined the Maroons' fanbase when the team joined the NFL. The team then joined the short-lived Eastern League of Professional Football during its one season in 1926. The team then played independently before folding sometime around 1933.