North Pacific Football League

North Pacific Football LeagueSport| Football

|

Founded| 1963
Ceased| 1966
Claim to fame| The 2nd football league to operate teams in both the United States and Canada
No. of teams| Varied (4 to 10)
Country| United States
Canada
Last
champion(s)| Seattle Ramblers
Most titles| Edmonds Warriors (2)
Related
competitions| Continental Football League

The North Pacific Football League is the collaboration name for two separate but related minor American football leagues - the Pacific Football League and Northern California League \- that operated in the Pacific Northwest region, between 1963 and 1966. The leagues published combined all-star team every year, but there was no inter-league or playoff play, except the 1966 season, when both league champions played for the "Pacific Coast Championship".[1]

The leagues supplied five of the seven members of the Continental Football League "Pacific Division", resulting in leagues disbandment after the 1966 season. It was the second football league (after the United Football League) to operate teams in both the United States and Canada.[2][3]

## History

[edit]

The Pacific Football League had a special "8-Point rule", stated that if a team was trailing by eight or more points, they could receive a kickoff from their opponent rather than kickoff. The league commissioner was former Hollywood Stars player Joe Huston with involvement of Frank Leahy Jr. during the 1966 season.[4]

The North Pacific Football League featured some notable names, including former Washington Redskins WR Hugh Smith, future Oakland Raiders Chon Gallegos (1965 NCL MVP), Grey Cup champion Pete Ohler, Kermit Jorgensen (two-time league MVP), former Oregon Ducks stars Mike Brundage and Paul Burleson, Raye Renfro and future Humboldt State Lumberjacks football head coach Mike Dolby.

After the 1966 season Eugene Bombers,[5] Sacramento Lancers, San Jose Apaches, Seattle Ramblers[6][7] and Victoria Steelers [8] joined the newly formed Continental Football League "Pacific Division". Portland Thunderbirds declined an opportunity to join the CoFL due to financial concerns.[1]

### 1963

[edit]

North Pacific Football League

Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Notes
Tacoma Tyees  | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 163 | 83 | Declared Champions[9]
Edmonds Warriors  | 3 | 5 | 0 | .375 | 100 | 116 |
Portland Thunderbirds | 2 | 5 | 0 | .285 | 104 | 96 |
Seattle Ramblers | 2 | 5 | 0 | .285 | 54 | 127 |

### 1964

[edit]

The Bellingham Jets dropped out of the league mid-season and forfeited the last four games.[10]

North Pacific Football League

Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Notes
Edmonds Warriors  | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 265 | 42 | Declared Champions[11]
Tacoma Tyees  | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | 240 | 82 |
Portland Thunderbirds | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 189 | 134 |
Forth Lewis Rangers[12] | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 193 | 99 |
Seattle Ramblers | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 40 | 157 |
Spokane Volunteers[13] | 1 | 8 | 0 | .111 | 20 | 312 |
Bellingham Jets  | 0 | 8 | 0 | .000 | 20 | 134 | Folded

### 1965

[edit]

It was the first year that two leagues coexist. Edmonds Warriors finished first in the PFL and San Jose Apaches won NCL title after beating Redwood City Ramblers in the league final. Kermit Jorgensen (RB, Edmonds) and Chon Gallegos (QB, San Jose) won their respective league MVP titles.[1] Frank Leahy Jr., son of the former Notre Dame coach, was appointed head coach for Lake Oswego Thunderbirds.

The North Pacific Football League changed its name to Northwest International Football League after adding Canada's Vancouver Kats. Alas, the Kats disbanded mid-season failing to score in any league games, became Rugby club and forfeited the last four games.[2]

Northwest International Football League

Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Notes
Edmonds Warriors  | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 238 | 46 | Declared Champions[11]
Lake Oswego Thunderbirds  | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 227 | 87 |
Tacoma Tyees  | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 53 | 167 |
Vancouver Kats  | 0 | 9 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 216 | Disbanded
Northern California League

Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA
San Jose Apaches | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | 271 | 65
Redwood City Ramblers  | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | 298 | 90
Sacramento Lancers | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 161 | 197
Oroville Beavers  | 2 | 7 | 1 | .250 | 118 | 201
Hayward Hawks  | 2 | 7 | 1 | .250 | 171 | 286
Eureka Foresters  | 2 | 8 | 0 | .200 | 130 | 312

NCL Championship Game: San Jose 7, Redwood City 6

### 1966

[edit]

Portland Thunderbirds signed a working agreement with the Denver Broncos for players development.[14]

Pacific Football League

Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Notes
Seattle Ramblers | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 216 | 60 | Declared Champions*
Eugene Bombers | 7 | 3 | 0 | .778 | 271 | 153 |
Portland Thunderbirds | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | 133 | 135 |
Tacoma Tyees  | 2 | 6 | 1 | .250 | 95 | 214 |
Edmonds Warriors  | 2 | 6 | 1 | .250 | 120 | 143 |
Victoria Steelers | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 132 | 237 |

* The Bombers chose not to play the 1966 PFL playoffs due to financial concerns.[15]

Northern California League

Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA | Notes
San Jose Apaches | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 238 | 46 | Declared Champions
Hayward Hawks  | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | 227 | 87 |
Sacramento Lancers | 3 | 6 | 0 | .333 | 53 | 167 |
Oroville Beavers  | 0 | 9 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 216 |

Pacific Coast Championship Game
Pacific Football League vs. Northern California League
Seattle Ramblers 48, San Jose Apaches 13
Kermit Jorgensen (RB, Seattle) won the Northern Pacific Football League MVP title.

## See also

[edit]

* Continental Football League
* Pacific Coast Professional Football League

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Bob Gill, with Tod Maher. Outsiders II: Minor League And Independent Football, 1951-1985, p. vii. St. Johann Press, 2010. ISBN 1878282654
2. ^ a b "Vancouver Kats (1965)".
3. ^ "Victoria Steelers (1966) Steelers/Tyees 1967)".
4. ^ "Pacific Football League (1966)".
5. ^ "1966-1967 Eugene Bombers". 28 June 2014.
6. ^ "1967-1969 Seattle Rangers". 21 November 2012.
7. ^ "Seattle Ramblers (1966) Seattle Rangers (1967 - 1969)".
8. ^ "1967 Victoria Steelers". 20 November 2015.
9. ^ "Tacoma Tyees (1961-1966)".
10. ^ "Bellingham Jets (1963-65)".
11. ^ a b "Edmonds Warriors (1962 - 1966)".
12. ^ "Fort Lewis Rangers (1961 - 1964)".
13. ^ "Spokane Volunteers (1959; 1961 - 1964)".
14. ^ "Lake Oswego/Portland Thunderbirds (1962-1966)".
15. ^ "Eugene Bombers (1966-1967)".

* v
* t
* e

Professional gridiron football leagues in North America

American football

| Major|

* National Football League (1920–present)

|

Other|

* American 7s Football League (2015-present)
* Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (2016–present)
* United Football League (2024–present)

Defunct national|

* American Football League (1926)²
* American Football League (1936–1937)²
* American Football League (1940–1941)
* All-America Football Conference² (1945–1949)
* American Football League (1960–1969)¹
* Continental Football League (1965–1969)
* World Football League (1974–1975)
* United States Football League (1983–1985)
* World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa³
* XFL (2001)
* United Football League (2009–2012)
* Alliance of American Football (2019)
* XFL (2020, 2023)*
* United States Football League (2022–2023)*

Defunct regional|

* American Football Union (1886–1895)
* Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit** (1890–1905)
* Ohio League² (1902–1919)
* New York Pro Football League² (1908–1919)
* National Football League (1902)
* Anthracite League² (1924)
* Eastern League of Professional Football (1926–1927)
* American Football League (1934)
* Midwest Football League (1935–1940)
* Dixie League³ (1936–1947)
* American Association (American football)³
* American Football League (1938–1939)
* Eastern Pennsylvania Football League (1938)
* Pacific Coast Professional Football League³ (1940–1948)
* American Football League (1944)
* American Football League (1946–1950)³
* American Football Conference (1959–1961)
* United Football League (1961–1964)
* Atlantic Coast Football League³ (1962–1973)
* Midwest Football League (1962–1978)
* Professional Football League of America (1965–1967)
* Texas Football League (1966–1971)
* Seaboard Football League (1971–1974)
* American Football Association (1977–1983)
* Regional Football League (1999)
* Spring Football League (2000)
* World Football League (2008–2010)
* Stars Football League (2011–2013)
* Fall Experimental Football League (2014–2016)
* Fútbol Americano de México (2019–2022)

* ¹ Merged into the NFL. All teams still active as members of the NFL's American Football Conference.
* ² Teams moved to NFL
* ³ Official NFL minor league; see also Association of Professional Football Leagues
* * Merged into the UFL, still active as conferences within

Canadian football

| Major|

* Canadian Football League

|

Predecessors|

* Direct
* Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
* Western Interprovincial Football Union
* Other
* Ontario Rugby Football Union
* Quebec Rugby Football Union

Junior|

* Atlantic Football League
* Canadian Junior Football League
* Quebec Junior Football League

Arena football

| Current|

* American Arena League 2
* Arena Football One
* Great Lakes Arena Football
* Indoor Football League
* National Arena League
* The Arena League

|

Defunct|

* American Indoor Football
* American Indoor Football Alliance
* American Professional Football League
* American West Football Conference
* Arena Football Association
* Arena Football League (1987–2008, 2010–2019)
* Arena Football League (2024)
* arenafootball2
* Arena Pro Football
* Can-Am Indoor Football League
* Champions Indoor Football
* Champions Professional Indoor Football League
* Continental Indoor Football League
* Independent Indoor Football Alliance
* Indoor Football League (1999–2000)
* Indoor Professional Football League
* Intense Football League
* Lone Star Football League
* National Indoor Football League
* Professional Indoor Football League (1998)
* Professional Indoor Football League (2012)
* Southern Indoor Football League
* Supreme Indoor Football
* Ultimate Indoor Football League
* United Indoor Football
* X-League Indoor Football
* World Indoor Football League (2007)
* World Series of Football (1902–03)

On hiatus|

* Fan Controlled Football

Women's football

| Outdoor|

* Women's Football Alliance (2009–present)
* United States Women's Football League (2009–present)
* Women's National Football Conference (2018–present)

|

Defunct Outdoor|

* Women's Professional Football League (1965–1973)
* National Women's Football League (1974–1982)
* Women's Professional Football League (1999–2007)
* National Women's Football Association (2000–2008)
* Independent Women's Football League (2000-2018)

Arena football|

* X League (2009-present)

* v
* t
* e

American football in the United States

History|

| Early|

* American Football Union
* Intercollegiate Football Association
* National Football League (1902)
* New York Pro Football League
* Ohio League
* Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit
* World Series of Football (1902–03)

|

Modern|

| Major|

* All-America Football Conference
* American Football League (1926)
* American Football League
* American Football League (1936)
* American Football League (1940)
* United States Football League
* World Football League

|

Minor|

* Alliance of American Football
* American Association
* Anthracite League
* Atlantic Coast Football League
* Continental Football League
* Dixie League
* Midwest Football League
* NFL Europe
* Pacific Coast Professional Football League
* United Football League (1961–1964)
* United Football League
* United States Football League
* XFL (2001)
* XFL (2020)

Developmental|

* The Spring League
* Your Call Football

Halls of fame|

* Professional
* College
* Arena
* Indoor

Professional|

| NFL|

* History
* Playoffs
* AFC Championship Game
* NFC Championship Game
* Pro Bowl
* Super Bowl

|

Other outdoor|

* American 7s Football League
* United Football League

Indoor leagues|

* American Arena League
* Arena Football Association
* American West Football Conference
* Arena Football League
* American Indoor Football
* Champions Indoor Football
* Indoor Football League
* National Arena League
* Great Lakes Arena Football
* Fan Controlled Football

Proposed leagues|

* American Patriot League
* American Spring Football League
* Freedom Football League
* The Arena League

Related topics|

* Researchers Association

College|

| NCAA|

| FBS|

* National championship
* Playoff National Championship
* Playoff
* Bowl game

|

FCS|

* Championship

Other|

* NAIA
* National Championship
* NJCAA
* Championship
* National Signing Day

Junior|

| High school|

* High School Football National Championship
* National Federation of State High School Associations
* National Signing Day

|

Youth / middle|

* American Youth Football
* Pop Warner

Women's|

* Extreme Football League
* United States Women's Football League
* Women's Football Alliance
* Women's National Football Conference

International|

* USA Football
* National men's team
* National women's team

Related|

* List of American football films
* Donald Trump and American football

* Category
* Commons
* Portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template