1967 UDA Playoffs
Injury problems continued to plague Admirals captain Jerry Rosenbach throughout 1966. But in 1967, Rosenbach hoped to get his career back on track. For a while, things looked good for the eight year veteran. Seven goals and 17 overs in the regular season put Rosenbach second in the UDA behind Cleveland's Tony Malcolm. Malcolm and Rosenbach met in the wild card round at Cleveland Stadium. The Mad Hatter fans were at full throat, hoping their songs and chants would intimidate the aging Admirals. But ultimately, Cleveland's taunts turned to tears when a defensive foul against Mad Hatters fullback Herman Riggs set up the game winning over off the foot of San Diego rookie forward Guy Kirkpatrick.
San Diego management selected Kirkpatrick out of Notre Dame with the intention of having Rosenbach serve as Kirkpatrick's mentor. So far, the younger Admiral has learned plenty. Kirkpatrick provided key assists to fellow forwards Glen Galloway and Bob Stanton to lift the Ads past the Milwaukee Voyagers and an aging Dwight Taylor. Unfortunately for San Diego fans, Kirkpatrick would be brought back down to earth as sixth-seed New York kept Kirkpatrick quiet in a 48-18 blowout loss. That playoff loss in the National Final would prove to be the Admirals' last game at Balboa Stadium. Next season, the Admirals will share the new Mission Valley Stadium with the AFL Chargers. Also moving in to the new facility are the Padres, the longtime PCL franchise that was accepted into MLB last season as part of the MLB/PCL merger.
On July 12, 1967, citing continued injury issues, Jerry Rosenbach announced his retirement in an interview with The San Diego Evening Tribune.
Over in the Continental circuit, the Washington Commanders lacked strong leadership in the immediate aftermath of Bernie Berman's retirement. Washington owner Abe Pollin has sought a successor for the last five years now, and he hopes he's found one in rookie midfielder Milt Hatfield, formerly of Penn State. In the wild card round, the Commanders visited the Boston Unicorns at Fenway Park. Hatfield one goal and five overs to seal the Commanders' win. That victory gave Washington a boost of confidence...or so they thought.
The following week in Kansas City, the Truman Dome would prove to be a House of Horrors for the Commanders. A hard hitting Rustler defense led by fullback Calvin Kurtz came to life after Washington led 18-3 at halftime. In the second half, the Commanders could only scratch out two behinds while KC mounted an impressive 16 point comeback. The final blow was dealt by Rustlers half-forward Jackie Costello. With his team trailing 20-19, Costello nailed the post-siren kick for a three point over that helped KC advance to the Continental final. After three consecutive losing seasons, the Rustlers' fans thought they had reasons for optimism in '67, but first, they had to escape Los Angeles with a win.
The Los Angeles Jaguars were a team of destiny in 1967. Ten years had passed since their last championship, a hard fought victory over the Pittsburgh Knights in the '57 Floyd Cup. Then in 1958, the Jags would return to the Floyd Cup, only to lose the rematch with Pittsburgh. Then, in the 1961 Floyd Cup, Bruno Diaz was a rookie when Bernie Berman and the Washington Commanders stonewalled the Jags. A few losing seasons ensued, including a 1-11 record in 1963.
Finally in '67, Diaz had the supporting cast he had been looking for. Through the draft, the Jags acquired defenseman Russell Sweeney and center Lynn Short. Through trades, the Jags acquired forward Ted Travis from the Flamingos and midfielder Lester Kelley from the Voyagers. When many of the Jags' American-born players were drafted into the Vietnam War, the team brought in Randall Christopher and Wendell Bates from the dregs of the Victorian Football League in Australia. Christopher, 20 in 1967, was let go by the Melbourne Demons after half a season as an interchange player. Bates, also 20, comes to Los Angeles from Essendon after the Bombers cut him during last year's training camp.
New York blew out San Diego on July 8th, and the Jags welcomed the Kansas City Rustlers to the Coliseum the following Sunday. Kansas City played well in the first half, but the heroics of Costello and Kurtz were not enough to overcome the eruption of LA's attack in the second half. Trailing 18-13 with seconds to play in the third quarter, Lynn Short assisted Wendell Bates on a six point goal that gave LA the lead 19-18. With over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, a defensive foul called against KC's Jackie Costello set up Bruno Diaz's six point goal that made it 25-18. That goal would ultimately win the game for the Jags.
WILD CARD ROUND
NATIONAL
San Diego 44 - Cleveland 41
New York 30 - Miami 27
CONTINENTAL
New Orleans 18 - Houston 12
Washington 34 - Boston 25
DIVISIONAL ROUND
NATIONAL
San Diego 26 - Milwaukee 19
New York 18 - St Louis 15
CONTINENTAL
Los Angeles 30 - New Orleans 15
Kansas City 22 - Washington 20
NATIONAL FINAL at BALBOA STADIUM
New York 48 - San Diego 18
CONTINENTAL FINAL at the LA COLISEUM
Los Angeles 25 - Kansas City 18
20th FROSTY MUG
Sunday, July 16, 1967
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
Cleveland, Ohio
TV: CBS
Announcers: Ray Scott, Corky Liebowitz and Jimmy Pendelton
The twentieth Frosty Mug was held in the same city where the very first was played. Members of the 1948 Mad Hatters, the very first Driveball champion, were honored at halftime in a ceremony watched by the entire Cleveland Stadium crowd and millions more on TV. On the field, it would be the very first time that Driveball's New York and Los Angeles franchises would face off for the championship. The involvement of the two biggest markets in the country would make this year's Mug the highest rated Mug to date.
New York got on the board first with two six pointers by Alex Grigorian to make it 6-3 in favor of the Heroes in the first quarter. New York would ultimately lead 21-9 going into halftime, but Los Angeles would not take it laying down.
LA inbounded the ball to start the second half. After a seven minute possession, the Jags would give up the sixth tackle in the New York zone, giving the ball back to the Heroes. New York's first possession of the second half was a disaster. Heroes goalie Morris Kaplan inbounded the ball. Kaplan's pass was intended for halfback Rodney Klein, but was intercepted by the Jags' Bruno Diaz, who punched the ball into the net to pull LA to within 6.
For the remainder of the second half, the Heroes would not be able to advance the ball past their own zone. An over by LA's Lynn Short later in the third cut the deficit further 21-18. With under 4 minutes left to play, Bruno Diaz directed another Hollywood ending for the Jags, assisting Ted Travis on the six-pointer that would win the championship for the Jags 24-21.
Jaguars 24 - Heroes 21
MVP: Bruno Diaz (FF - Jaguars)