[AH Fiction] 75 Years of Driveball (1950-2025)
- Thread starter OldNavy1988
- Start date
I'll wait to hear what other users say.
Because I have a feeling some users might feel the DANA should wait till they get some stable revenue from television, gate receipts and some early merchandise.
Sorry for being late to reply to this series, but please wait til the 1980s to bring Driveball and DANA (if it still called that by the 80s) to Japan. I think the Philippines might wait till the mid-90s if I'm being honest.
I think other places that Driveball might succeeded in would be like rugby playing countries like France, Australia, and New Zealand to places like West Germany (There first then spread to other Eastern Bloc countries after USSR demised), India (Maybe around 2000s for them) and South Korea and China during the 90s.
So far the story is looking good but that's my two cents on international expansion of Driveball.
Honestly up to you on that but I would pick 1996 after the Olympics. But that's just me.
Another good choice would be after the 50th anniversary in 2000 after the Sydney Olympics.
Yeah 96 sounds just about right.
Some of the other users say Late 70's/early 80's.
Probably to Canada (and maybe Australia and possibly the UK) in the '60s, but '70s sounds about right otherwise IMO
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I think it would make sense if the CBC aired games as part of an agreement between DANA and the network. Say around the 1962 season just in time for the playoffs? Testing the waters to see if Driveball could expand to Canada or if the sport would take off for its own league to debut in the late 1960s.
UK and Australia are the same as Canada but I would have the Aussies get Driveball first given the sports history and roots in Austus and Australian Rules Football. I think the UK would adopt the game faster due to Australian Football fans being defensive to the sport, similar to how they look at American Football to either Rugby League or Aussies Rules.
Though I see Driveball getting its own league in Australia by the mid-70s. Just my two cents on this.
IOTL, from what I understand DuMont was way behind the eightball financially when TV was in its infancy, and I guess the old Mutual radio network couldn't afford to really expand into TV IOTL....
I'm picturing by 1954 or '55, maybe CBS wants to play it safe with either MLB or the NFL, so maybe when ABC finds its footing maybe the DANA could thrive there? Or could NBC still be an option? Or could the DANA miraculously save DuMont?
Or would ABC have to wait till after Disney launches both the anthology series and the Mickey Mouse Club?
I'm picturing by 1954 or '55, maybe CBS wants to play it safe with either MLB or the NFL, so maybe when ABC finds its footing maybe the DANA could thrive there? Or could NBC still be an option? Or could the DANA miraculously save DuMont?
Or would ABC have to wait till after Disney launches both the anthology series and the Mickey Mouse Club?
Opening Weekend 1950 (Part One)
Opening Weekend of the Driveball Association of North America came on March 3rd, 4th and 5th of 1950.
March 3, 1950
Brooklyn Coasters at New York Marvels
The DANA made its debut on a Friday night, March 3, 1950, at the Polo Grounds in New York City.
The first points in the history of the DANA was an over that came off the foot of Marvels front pocket Steve Bednarski early in the first half. In the second half, the game turned around completely when Brooklyn's struggling goalie Dick Wolcott was benched in favor of Jackie Schmidt. After trailing by 36-12 at halftime, the Coasters rallied and completely shut down the Marvels' attack to win 55 to 45.
March 3, 1950
Brooklyn Coasters at New York Marvels
The DANA made its debut on a Friday night, March 3, 1950, at the Polo Grounds in New York City.
The first points in the history of the DANA was an over that came off the foot of Marvels front pocket Steve Bednarski early in the first half. In the second half, the game turned around completely when Brooklyn's struggling goalie Dick Wolcott was benched in favor of Jackie Schmidt. After trailing by 36-12 at halftime, the Coasters rallied and completely shut down the Marvels' attack to win 55 to 45.
| Goals | Overs | Behinds | Total Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Coasters | 3 (18 pts) | 11 (33 pts) | 4 (4 pts) | 55 |
| New York Marvels | 3 (18 pts) | 8 (24 pts) | 3 (3 pts) | 45 |
You could make DuMont an early ESPN for over the air Sports Network that broadcast different sports leagues and local teams. Sports were the last thing the network aired so it could work. Plus it could help Driveball grow nationally in markets that don't have a team yet.
You could move it to ABC after Disney launches both shows as a test for ABC Sports before the AFL debuts in 1960. I like the DuMont Sports Network idea more as DuMont early television library could be saved this say and not be mostly destroyed by idiots.
What was the attendance figures for the game debut? Honestly good showing for the game being close.
IOTL, the Polo Grounds' capacity was 55,000.
38,000 showed up, with the curiosity factor working in the game's favor.
Opening Weekend 1950 (Part Two)
March 4, 1950
Des Moines Haymakers at Detroit Roadsters
Briggs Stadium; Detroit, Michigan
Universal-International Newsreel Narration by Ed Herlihy: "Eleven years ago, Nile Kinnick and Tom Harmon were bitter rivals on the college gridiron. Now in 1950, Kinnick leads his Des Moines Haymakers into battle against Harmon's Detroit Roadsters to mark the birth of a brand new sport; Drive-Ball! Kinnick, serving as both coach and team captain, puts the Haymakers on the board early with a pass to Homer Feldman, who then kicks it over the head of goalie Cotton Franklin. As the game went on - and the points piled up - Des Moines prevails, proving to the big city crowd of the Detroit that the visiting Haymakers can be more than just a gang of country bumpkins."
Des Moines Haymakers at Detroit Roadsters
Briggs Stadium; Detroit, Michigan
Universal-International Newsreel Narration by Ed Herlihy: "Eleven years ago, Nile Kinnick and Tom Harmon were bitter rivals on the college gridiron. Now in 1950, Kinnick leads his Des Moines Haymakers into battle against Harmon's Detroit Roadsters to mark the birth of a brand new sport; Drive-Ball! Kinnick, serving as both coach and team captain, puts the Haymakers on the board early with a pass to Homer Feldman, who then kicks it over the head of goalie Cotton Franklin. As the game went on - and the points piled up - Des Moines prevails, proving to the big city crowd of the Detroit that the visiting Haymakers can be more than just a gang of country bumpkins."
| Team | Goals | Overs | Behinds | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines Haymakers | 5 (30 pts) | 8 (24 pts) | 9 | 63 |
| Detroit Roadsters | 4 (24 pts) | 6 (18 pts) | 7 | 49 |
Coming up next...
March 4, 1950
St. Louis Showboats at Buffalo Lakers from Buffalo Civic Stadium
March 5, 1950
Philadelphia Spirits at Providence Steamrollers from Brown Stadium
Cleveland Mad Hatters at Chicago Gaels from Soldier Field
March 4, 1950
St. Louis Showboats at Buffalo Lakers from Buffalo Civic Stadium
March 5, 1950
Philadelphia Spirits at Providence Steamrollers from Brown Stadium
Cleveland Mad Hatters at Chicago Gaels from Soldier Field
Opening Weekend 1950 (Part Three)
DANA Opening Weekend 1950
Part Three
March 4, 1950
St. Louis Showboats at Buffalo Lakers
Civic Stadium; Buffalo, NY
The Lakers led 85-80 with six minutes left when Abe Dreyfus connected with Art Palmer for the mark that sparked the Showboats' comeback. Two overs by Palmer and a goal by Ted Vardalos helped St. Louis pull off the nail biting victory in Drive-Ball's first-ever snow game.
Part Three
March 4, 1950
St. Louis Showboats at Buffalo Lakers
Civic Stadium; Buffalo, NY
The Lakers led 85-80 with six minutes left when Abe Dreyfus connected with Art Palmer for the mark that sparked the Showboats' comeback. Two overs by Palmer and a goal by Ted Vardalos helped St. Louis pull off the nail biting victory in Drive-Ball's first-ever snow game.
| Team | Goals | Overs | Behinds | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Showboats | 11 (66 pts) | 6 (18 pts) | 8 (8 pts) | 92 |
| Buffalo Lakers | 9 (54 pts) | 7 (21 pts) | 10 (10 pts) | 85 |
March 5, 1950
Philadelphia Spirits at Providence Steamrollers
Brown Stadium; Providence, RI
An offensive shootout that wasn't decided until the Spirts and Rollers were tied at 107 in the last minute of regulation. A defensive penalty by Providence fullback Edgar Perrault led Referee Saul Rubenfeld to give Philly an untimed free kick after the game clock ran to zero. Don Hughes' kick made one hop under the legs of goalie Alex Buchanan before bouncing into the back of the net to give the Spirits the 113-107 win.
| Team | Goals | Overs | Behinds | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Spirits | 12 (72 pts) | 10 (30 pts) | 11 (11 pts) | 113 |
| Providence Steamrollers | 9 (54 pts) | 11 (33 pts) | 20 (20 pts) | 107 |
Cleveland Mad Hatters at Chicago Gaels
Soldier Field; Chicago, IL
The Haymakers' blowout over the Roadsters was only a kiddie show compared to what will forever be called the Windy City Blowout. The Mad Hatters took the Soldier Field crowd out of the game early and never looked back. Meanwhile, the Gaels refused to quit, even while struggling to tighten the game after trailing by 40 at the half.
| Team | Goals | Overs | Behinds | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Mad Hatters | 18 (108 pts) | 19 (57 pts) | 11 (11 pts) | 176 |
| Chicago Gaels | 9 (54 pts) | 23 (69 pts) | 16 (16 pts) | 139 |
A lot of variation in scoring, I notice. Brooklyn wins with 55 points and Chicago loses with 139.
I suppose it’s no different from an NFL team winning 13-10 one week and losing 48-41 the following week, but you really notice the variance when there’s that many points being scored.
I suppose it’s no different from an NFL team winning 13-10 one week and losing 48-41 the following week, but you really notice the variance when there’s that many points being scored.
To be fair, the sport is still brand new and the players are still learning it as the season rolls on.
When the scoring tops 100, it's usually when teams are able to click offensively. The low score for Brooklyn in their game indicates that they and the New York Marvels slugged it out with their respective defense.