Australian rules football in the United States
Australian rules football in the United States | |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Governing body | USAFL |
National team(s) | Men's Women's |
First played | 1906 |
Registered players | 2,000 (total) 1,000 (recreational) |
Clubs | 49[1] |
National competitions | |
Audience records | |
Single match | 14,787 (1990) Civic Stadium, Portland ) |
Australian rules football in the United States (most commonly referred to simply as "Footy" but sometimes "Aussie Rules" or AFL) is a team and spectator sport which has grown rapidly since the late 1990s.
It was originally introduced in 1906 and by 1910 "field ball" or "fieldball", as it was then called in San Francisco Bay area schools, filled a niche later occupied by
Today there are numerous leagues around the country. The
AFL clubs began taking interest in converting American athletes, particularly
History
Australian football player Pat O'Dea moved to America in 1898[6] to visit his brother in Wisconsin and quickly became a legendary gridiron punter.[7] O'Dea made headlines as the "Kangaroo Kicker" in the late 1890s. Yet rarely any received any mention of developing his kicking prowess through the Australian game, let alone his previous career in Australia with the Melbourne Football Club.[8]
A 1905
Following the VFL's failed attempt to convert the colleges, and its underestimation of the pull of global rugby, the league resolved not to respond to any further requests for copies of the game's laws.[11] It successfully lobbied the AFC not to support the game being played outside Australasia, much to the frustration of proponents such as West Australian Football League secretary John J Simons.[12]
Simons, while organizing a promotional Australian Football tour of England, had sought to include the U.S. and wrote to various football groups including expatriate Australians in North America to express interest in fielding teams against the Australians. He initially wrote to Con Hickey, chairman of the VFL for assistance, proposing the league send a touring side and provide funding, however Hickey replied that the VFL would not support the initiative believing it would be a failure.[13] While the tour never went ahead, Simons was instrumental in the formation of teams in Vancouver and several Australians in America also answered the call.
First introduction: 1906–1909
In 1906 Pat O'Dea along with his older brother and kicking mentor Andrew (of the Wisconsin University Athletic Club and its American Football coach)
Lynan decided that teaching younger players would be more effective to differentiate it and engaged O'Dea (following his move to San Francisco to practice law[20]) to assist him to popularize it.[21] By January 1909, they had trained more than 450 junior athletes to choose the best to form a squad.[22] Having gained the support of the Public Schools Athletic Association of San Francisco president and founder of the Columbia Park Boys' Club Major Sidney Piexotto, Lynan and O'Dea, in correspondence with Australian football organizations including the WAFL and Young Australia League (YAFL) (who earlier had donated two footballs to the school) organized a cross-cultural excursion, feeling that their American boys were ready to take on Australia.
Simons once again applied to the VFL to provide a week's board, to which the league telegraphed that it was "totally opposed to the scheme" and refused any support.[23] Undeterred, Simons as chairman of both the WAFL and YAFL, arranged for these leagues to fully fund the American's travel and board, providing £3,000 for an exchange visit.[24] A management committee was formed consisting of: Lynan, B. Free, L. Resleur, R. Buchanan, William McCann and T. Wood with a coaching panel consisting of Pat O'Dea, Lynan, Buchanan and Price.[25] The 40 selected schoolboys, most of them also baseball players set sail on the SS Mariposa on May 21, 1909.[26]
First schoolboys tour of Australia: 1909
The initial tour was ambitious, and intended to visit many nations of the Commonwealth including all Australian states and play football matches, however in addition to the WAFL and YAFL reply invitations were received only from the
From a football perspective, the tour was an outstanding success. The team won an impressive 25 of the total 38 matches scheduled. The young side learned quickly and returned very keen to introduce the game to the States.
New Zealand
En route via
New South Wales
The Americans arrived in Sydney in July and played against Sydney Public Schools on the 7 July.[35] Their first match was against Sydney combined schools which had won the most recent Australian schoolboys championship. The Sydney tour did not have the desired promotional effect in Sydney with the rugby dominated media, unaware of Australian rules being played in the United States, mistakenly describing them as a touring American football, or rugby team.
Tour Date | Location | Result |
---|---|---|
7 July 1909 | Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales | U.S. 6.7 (43) def. by Sydney combined schools 13.15 (93)[36] |
11 July 1909 | Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales | U.S. 2.6 (18) def. by Sydney combined schools 11.18 (84)[36] |
12 July 1909 | Moore Park, New South Wales | U.S. 20 def Sydney YMCA 8[36][37] |
Victoria
En route to
Tour Date | Location | Result |
---|---|---|
Wangaratta, Victoria |
U.S. 4.7 (31) def. by Wangaratta 3.7 (33) | |
Benalla, Victoria |
U.S. 7.13 (55) def Benalla 7.3 (45) | |
Beechworth, Victoria |
U.S. 7.9 (51) def Beechworth 1.4 (10) | |
27 July 1909 | Melbourne Cricket Ground | U.S. 4.6 (30) def Melbourne north combined schools 0.9 (9)[43] |
U.S. 3.5 (23) def. by Melbourne south combined schools 5.6 (36) | ||
Christian Brothers | U.S. 7.10 (52) def Christian Brothers 4.3 (27) | |
Ballarat, Victoria |
U.S. 2.2 (14) def. by Ballarat 4.2 (26) | |
Geelong, Victoria |
U.S. 14.9 (93) def Geelong 1.2 (26) |
The Americans shocked Melbourne with an embarrassing win in front of a sizeable crowd, in which the visitors kept them goal-less.
Western Australia
The troupe arrived in
Tour Date | Location | Result |
---|---|---|
23 August 1909 | Fremantle Oval | U.S. 7.10 (52) def Fremantle 2.2 (14)[50] |
25 August 1909 | Perth |
U.S. 6.6 (42) def. by Perth 12.12 (84)[50] |
26 August 1909 | Midland Junction |
U.S. 8.3 (51) def. by Midland Junction 11.11 (77) [51][52] |
28 August 1909 | Bunbury | U.S. 8.11 (59) def. by Bunbury 13.26 (83)[53] |
Collie | U.S. 7.9 (51) def Collie 6.9 (45) | |
31 August 1909 | Collie | USA 6.3 (42) def. by Collie 10.19 (63)[54] |
3 September 1909 | Narrogin | U.S. 7.10 (52) def Narrogin 3.3 (21) [55][49] |
Narrogin | U.S. 3.11 (29) def Narrogin 0.4 (4) | |
Pingelly | U.S. 7.1 (43) def Pingelly 4.10 (34) | |
Beverley | U.S. 3.9 (27) def Beverley 2.5 (17) | |
9 September 1909 | Beverley | U.S. 3.7 (25) def. by Beverley 6.10 (46) [55] |
Northam | U.S. 6.10 (46) def Northam 4.4 (28) | |
Toodyay, Western Australia[56] | U.S. 4.5 (29) def. by Newcastle 6.12 (48) | |
Southern Cross | U.S. 6.10 (46) def Southern Cross 6.6 (42) | |
18 September 1909 | Coolgardie | U.S. 7.11 (43) def Coolgardie 1.4 (10) [55] |
Christian Brothers, Kalgoorlie | U.S. 5.10 (40) def Christian Brothers 1.1 (7) | |
Boulder | U.S. 7.9 (51) def Boulder 5.3 (33) | |
Kalgoorlie |
U.S. 7.12 (54) def Kalgoorlie 3.4 (22) | |
Christian Brothers, Kalgoorlie | U.S. 3.4 (22) def. by Christian Brothers 4.6 (30) |
South Australia
The Americans arrived in Port Adelaide on the Kyarra in October 1909 for the start of their South Australian tour.[57] With the South Australian Football Association aligning with the VFL and the AFC, beyond a lukewarm reception upon the visitors initial arrival, interest and media coverage in Adelaide was virtually nonexistent. Despite this, the Americans won the majority of their matches against the South Australians.
Tour Date | Location | Result |
---|---|---|
Port Adelaide | U.S. 14.22 (106) def Port Adelaide 6.6 (42) | |
Adelaide | U.S. 7.12 (51) def Adelaide 6.13 (49) | |
Peterborough[56] | U.S. 5.8 (38) def Petersburg 1.4 (10) | |
Broken Hill[58] | U.S. 6.6 (42) def Broken Hill 2.11 (23) | |
Broken Hill[58] | U.S. 0.4 (4) def. by Broken Hill 4.4 (28) | |
Port Pirie | U.S. 6.10 (40) def. by Port Pirie 5.11 (41) | |
Kadina | U.S. 6.15 (51) def Kadina 3.3 (21) | |
Moonta | U.S. 6.12 (48) def Kadina 4.4 (28) |
The tourists finally reached Brisbane and Queensland on 19 January 1910, for a rushed, low key visit and were, by that time, too exhausted from the oppressive outback heat to play any further football matches in Australia.[59] The also visited Tasmania before returning to San Francisco on the Makura on January 17, 1910.[60]
"Field Ball" takes off in American schools: 1910–1914
The return of Columbia Park boys and the arrival of Cullen-Ward from Sydney who traveled along with them
Reference to Australia in the name was disfavored and grammar schools had decided to call it "Field Ball" in an effort to distance it from rugby and give it more local appeal and the name stuck.[71] Cullen Ward was to go on to teach, coach, play and officiate field ball at several dozen schools across the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver in June 1911 and went on to coach an All-American team against visiting sides. He married an American in 1912 and intended to settle permanently in California.[72]
Field Ball, now being promoted as "the ideal game for grammar school students" was played by Hancock against Crocker schools in front of a crowd of around 4,000 students
Young Australia League tour of North America: 1910–1911
Plans for a Young Australia League reciprocal tour of the U.S. to play against an American side began as early as April 1910, Simons originally proposed that the team be represented by players from all states of Australia,[87] but without support from the Eastern States the proposed interstate quota was dropped to 10.[88] As it became obvious that AFC affiliated states were not coming to the party, a contingency plan was set in place for it to be Western Australia only, consisting of a balance of half city and half country players.[86] In the end an agreement was reached with the governing bodies of the eastern states that the final team would feature 40 West Australians, one South Australian and one Victorian and the touring party was to detour to Adelaide and Melbourne prior to departure at the tour manager's expense to receive the two interstate players.[89][90]
Three matches with the Young Australian League were set for September at the Presidio of San Francisco[91] Cullen-Ward was appointed head coach of the national team.[92] The Australian team arrived on the Matai. They were received with much fanfare with a full page photo of the Australian team featuring in the papers,[93] along with the local boys captained by Henry Behre.[94] The Australian team guernsey was a variation of the West Australian Black Swan emblem acknowledging the West Australian contribution to the tour but featuring a map of Australia to also acknowledge the national nature of the side, while the American team wore the colors and monogram of the Columbia Park Athletic Club. The match was won 95 to 44 at Lincoln Park in front of a crowd of 5,000 including most of the school children in the city and photos of gameplay were featured in The San Francisco Call.[95] In the second match, the Americans took it up to the Australians with the match decided by just 8 points Australia 9.16 (70) to San Francisco 8.14 (62).[96] The match also stimulated interest in the Australian expatriate community, and a third match was played between a combined residents side and the visitors which the visitors won convincingly 125 to 30.[97] The showcase attracted the attention of The New York Times which featured it in an article "Australian Game of Football is the Best".[98]
Tour Date | Location | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|
24 September 1911 | Lincoln Park, San Francisco | U.S. 44 def. by Young Australia 95 | 5,000 |
24 September 1911 | Lincoln Park, San Francisco | U.S. 8.14 (62) def. by Young Australia 9.16 (70) | |
24 September 1911 | Lincoln Park, San Francisco | San Francisco residents 30 def. by Australia 125 |
Senior competition established: 1911–1913
Following the success of the Young Australia League tour, four clubs were formed to give maturing students and expatriate men an opportunity to play open age football in a championship competition including a proposed expatriate Australian club with two teams.[99][100] The game was also played on Stanford University campus with the aim of establishing a club there.[101] On December 5, 1911, the Public Schools Athletic League endorsed Field Ball as an official school sport, establishing an all-schools tournament.[102]
By August 1911, the game was proving so popular that there weren't enough officials to support its growth.[103] Cullen Ward and the Columbia Park Club had departed for Vancouver in Canada where schools had also been taking it up in recent years.[104] En route to Vancouver the party visited Portland, Oregon and played an exhibition match at the University of Oregon.[105] The touring party helped ready Canadian players from Fort Vancouver High School to compete against a touring Young Australian League.[106][107] This tour was highly successful and plans were begun for a second tour of Australia in 1914, with a request made to the Australasian Football Council for a senior Australian team to tour the U.S.[108]
The popular schools competition in 1913 had grown to 150 boys with new teams including
Australia withdraws support & second schoolboys tour: 1913–1914
In 1913, the Americans once again toured with a new group, and had planned a series of around 40 matches, however with funding for only 12 in the touring party, there was not enough of them to field a full team of 22.[112] This time they visited Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.[113] The Young Australia League once again hosted the American side, however the WAFL, facing backlash from the AFC, began to distance itself from the venture and withdrew financial commitment to the tour.[114] Though media interest for the tour was scant, they did play matches against local sides, including one in Broken Hill,[115] and at Norwood Oval in Adelaide.[116] In November, 1913, they arrived in Melbourne on the Loongana. When asked of how the game in America was faring, the group cited the biggest challenges to its survival being access to fields and funding.[117]
Tour Date | Location | Result |
---|---|---|
16 July 1913 | WACA Ground | Young Australia League 3.1 (19) def U.S. 1.1 (7) [118] |
The YAL and Columbia Club began to organise a third tour for 1915 with plans for reciprocal tours every 3 years.[119]
In response to the Americans' 1912 request, a proposal was debated in 1914 by the Australasian Football Council to send a team the U.S., however a decision was deferred until after the war.[120] The council never approved the motion.
The Young Australia League, did send 32 boys to tour the U.S. and Canada in 1915, playing football matches.[121]
World War I and third schoolboys tour: 1914–1919
Following news of his father's death[122] Cullen Ward returned to Sydney via the U.S. during the war.[123] O'Dea disappeared completely from the public eye in 1917.[20]
In 1915 Harry Bromley visited America in 1915 to promote the idea of a "national football" code, a hybrid version of Australian football played on American gridiron fields which allowed throwing of the ball. He wished to capitalize on the growing popularity of Gaelic football, Australian football and American football in the States and gained the support of Irish American Athletic Club member James Sullivan to help promote it.[124] However America's entry to the war put an end to the plans.
A third schoolboys tour to Australia was organized in 1919 following the war and managed by E.D Grace, with many of the original team members now of high school age. However except when in Western Australia, Australian Football was now rarely part of the visitors program. In Western Australia, however they defeated a team from the new Northam Senior High School by 3 points,[125] also played a game at Beverley who won by one point[126] and one in Katanning.[127]
Recess and revival attempts: 1920–1947
Commentators in Australia however noted that by the 1920s it was in dire trouble with soccer now being adopted by most of the junior schools, it had better access to fields and required less players to hold a match. These were the last reports of it being played both in schools and at senior level.
In 1926 the Australian Football Council's Con Hickey received a letter inviting Australian teams to play test matches against visiting
With growth of American football in the colleges causing rugby popularity to wane, attempting to establish Australian Football in high schools and colleges seemed like a better option. Hopes were pinned on Carji Greeves (1924 Brownlow Medal winner) arrival to California to resurrect it.[130] Greeves was appointed kicking coach at UCLA in 1928.[131] He would study at Stanford University, where he delivered on his promise to coach students there in Australian Rules.[20][132] However it continued to be confused with rugby and as such did not set down firm roots in the colleges.
Speaking in 1929 on its status, the Australian Football Council's Con Hickey mused that efforts to establish it there had failed but cited Gaelic Football's rapid growth in the U.S. in the 1920s as an example of how Australian Football might one day carve a niche, though reiterated that the council had no interest in promoting it and was sufficiently pleased so long as its popularity continued to grow in Australia.[133]
In 1932, a tour by two Australian teams was proposed supported by former VFL players living in the U.S.[131] including Carji Greeves.[134] The idea was boosted when a touring Young American League in Melbourne commented that it would be ideal for high schools and proposed that the VFL invest in promoting the game.[135] Melbourne Councillor Beaurepaire visiting the USA also urged the Australian Football Council to consider sending teams to America to play either Australian rules or the increasingly popular Gaelic code.[136] Former Port Adelaide player Gordon Inkster also got behind the idea.[137] The VFL, however showed little interest, and the AFC lacked support for the idea and the game faded into obscurity.
In 1934, the Los Angeles Daily News published photos of Geelong and South Melbourne Football Club VFL players flying in a pack marking contest mistakenly labelling it a game of "soccer".[138]
In 1938, a proposal was put to the Australian National Football Council to send teams to California for an exhibition match to stimulate grassroots interest in the game, however Victorian president Bob Rush refused to take the idea seriously citing access to suitable grounds and that he would not endorse funding the venture.[139]
In 1939, the VFL signed on to the Californian Universities International Kicking Competition to be held at Stanford University. However the league caused significant embarrassment when it backed out of their contract blaming the Australian National Football Council for its withdrawal.[140] The VFL had been required to send footballs to UCLA Berkely, but failed to. When the Americans invited the VFA to participate, the ANFC blocked the invitation. Seen as a major opportunity to promote the code in the U.S. instead it left the colleges extremely unsatisfied with the Australian code.
In response to a gridiron exhibition match in Melbourne in 1943, Harry Dyke the president of the Richmond VFL Club proposed a scheme which would coach the Americans in Australian Rules.[141]
In 1943, 40 years after the AFC promoted the hybrid code of Universal Football, Melbourne Sports Globe sports writer Ern Cowley invented the game of Austus, a compromise game between gridiron and Australian rules were played in Australia between servicemen of both countries in the Australian city of Geelong. The visiting Americans were reported to be excited by the Australian game.[142] Despite a series of popular matches which attracted U.S. media attention, and an award for its inventor, the hybrid code did not take off outside of the military.
Date | Location | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|
1943, 18 July | Punt Road Oval | Australian Explosives Factory 5.8 (38) def by U.S. Marines 8.4 (52) | [143] |
1943, 2 August | Punt Road Oval | Victorian Football League 17.23 (125) def US Marines 8.1 (49) | YouTube
|
U.S. marines 69 def Geelong 38 | 40,000 | ||
U.S. marines 115 def Australian All-Stars 78 | 6,000 | ||
U.S. marines 75 def Australian Army 52 | 8,000 |
Push into the colleges and proposed tour: 1948–1959
A major shift in attitude from the governing body in Australia occurred under the West Australian presidency of Wally Stooke. In 1948 when Carl K. Dellmuth, Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania after seen the game in Melbourne[145] requested assistance from the governing body to introduce it to colleges[146][147] citing the spectator appeal, the transferrable skills and the low entry cost of equipment.[148] He succeeded in starting teams in his college.[149] and in gaining cooperation from the Australian Football Council which responded by sending footballs, rule books and a wealth of promotional items. NSW association and AFC secretary K. G. Ferguson extolled that with its introduction into the college system the United States would be capable of sending a national team to Australia within 5 years. The AFC debated sending a touring side for an exhibition match at its national conference in Adelaide.[150] Once again, Western Australia was in support of the idea and had formalized plans to send teams and budgeted £40,000 for the initiative to send a squad of 50 players consisting of contributions from all states (though with the majority of non-Victorians from West and South Australia).[151] For the first time in decades, South Australia also voted in favor, however they could not garner the support of the VFL and other states so opted not to. This was not helped by the media in Australia which argued that it was destined to fail and that the league was better of spending the money at home.[152] As a result of the lack of support from Australia, the proposed Swarthmore College - Haverford College clash was first postponed to 1949, then never went ahead. Enthusiasm in American colleges soon waned.
In the 1950s, the AFC's focus would increasingly shift toward to the idea of touring teams playing Gaelic Football in New York instead, due partly to the growth of the Gaelic code there, but also due primarily to the available fields and reduced investment of sending a much smaller side.[153] The idea of a US tour was revived by council members in 1954 but with a reduction in the size of the playing lists to 14 to reduce costs.[154] This idea eventually manifest into the Australian Football World Tour with a focus on capitalizing on Gaelic Football's growth in the U.S.
First VFL exhibition matches and Australian football world tour: 1960–1978
From the 1960s, having negotiated its first television broadcast rights the VFL and its clubs began to take an interest in the U.S. as a means of further growing its audience (even a small television audience in the U.S. could have been worth more than the league made out of the entire state of Victoria). Both Melbourne and Geelong had taken an interest in the American market and in 1963 the first VFL exhibition games were played in major U.S. cities to test its potential international audience. The matches were very low key and were not successful in terms of attention or publicity.
Date | Location | Stadium | Teams/Score | Crowd |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct. 20, 1963 | Honolulu | Honolulu Stadium | Geelong 15.21 (111) v Melbourne 17.21 (123) | 1,500[155] |
Oct. 26, 1963 | San Francisco | Kezar Stadium | Geelong 9.12 (66) v Melbourne 10.11 (71) | 3,500[156] |
On October 27, Geelong also played an extra intraclub exhibition match at "Big Rec" Golden Gate Park.[157]
In 1965, former
The Australian Football World Tour visited New York on Sunday, 5 November 1967 with the Australian Galahs playing International Rules at Gaelic Park against the New York GAA at Gaelic Park, New York City. The Galahs lost the match 4-8 (20) to 0-5 (5), the visitors not managing a score after half time.[158] There were many brawls during the match, with the Galahs coming off second best in all of them. Hassa Mann, sucker punched behind the play, had his jaw broken in three places. Playing coach Ron Barassi had his nose broken by a giant New York narcotics detective (Brendan Tumulty), who broke his own thumb in the process of hitting Barassi.[159] An exhibition match of Australian Football was played in addition to Gaelic Football.
Television, ESPN and the AFL: 1979–1990
Television was the biggest breakthrough for Australian football in the United States. In late 1979, the brand new ESPN cable network signed its first international TV contract with the Victorian Football League (in 1990, it became the Australian Football League). Coverage began with the 1980 season with matches airing on late Friday and Saturday nights, sometimes live but usually one or two week tape delayed to up to 2.5 million subscribers.[160] At the time, reports indicated ESPN paid the VFL nearly $100,000 (the VFL's Australian TV rights deal at the time was just $600,000[161]). The 1983 VFL Grand Final was the first time in history that the Grand Final was broadcast live into the U.S.[162] The VFL wasn't the only Australian rules on American screens. The South Australian National Football League also had a broadcast rights deal with American cable television and by 1984 was attracting around 40 million viewers to its weekly 1 hour highlights segment.[163]
VFL coverage continued on ESPN until 1986, when it was dropped. This exposure on ESPN is credited with creating a generation of fans in the United States (and providing the foundation for the formation of
In 1987 an ambitious $10 million proposal from Perth magnate Errol Marron was put forward for a VFL expansion club based partly in Los Angeles named the Los Angeles Crocodiles with profits from increased television rights to fund a local league. Stadiums in the proposal included the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In October 1987 Ross Oakley announced that the VFL had rejected the bid.[164][165][166]
Despite the rejected bid, the VFL showed a renewed interest in rekindling its U.S. broadcast deal and scheduled more exhibition matches to grow the audience. The locations played at were largely the product of the available venues more than anything. VFL and club promoters hyped their predictions of the crowds of more than 20,000, sending star players Darren Millane and Damian Bourke to promote the games,[167] however the final attendance and interest fell way short of expectations. It wasn't until the league rebranded as the national AFL in 1990 and featured capital city branded teams from the Australian East and West coast that the league attracted a respectable attendance and interest.
Date | Location | Stadium | Teams/Score | Crowd |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oct. 8, 1988 | Miami, Florida | Joe Robbie Stadium |
Collingwood 18.16 (124) v Geelong 10.18 (78) | 7,500 |
Oct. 14, 1989 | Miami, Florida | Joe Robbie Stadium |
Essendon 18.16 (124) v Hawthorn 15.20 (110) | 10,069 |
Oct. 12, 1990 | Portland, Oregon | Civic Stadium |
Melbourne 24.16 (160) v West Coast 11.13 (79) | 14,787 |
The first American born player in the AFL,
Punt into America: 1991–1995
In 1995,
Against the flow, Essendon Football Club coach Kevin Sheedy enticed former Oakland Raiders National Football League player Dwayne Armstrong to switch codes to Australian rules.[168] The experiment was largely unsuccessful, with Armstrong not debuting at senior level, but nevertheless created media interest in Australia about the possibility of American athletes playing the Australian game.
U.S. local games and National League: 1996–1998
The first match between two local U.S. clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville.[169] In the first year the Mid American Australian Football League was formed. Many of the local players had found out about the game in the 1980s on television and ESPN. Although the local game grew, ESPN no longer broadcast AFL matches, and in response the lobby group
In 1997, the first club national championships were held in Cincinnati. Nashville hosted the first Australian Grand Final Festival in the same year. The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) was formed in 1997 to govern the code in the country.
In the early years prior to affiliating with the AFL, the USAFL chose to brand the game as "Footy" to differentiate it from rugby and was the governing body promoted itself by the informal name "US Footy", this is what many players and the media also refer to it as.[170]
Steady growth: 1999–2015
A national team, the
In the same year, a record crowd of 1,000 attended an MAAFL match between the Nashville Kangaroos and Chicago Swans at Nashville in Tennessee.[citation needed]
In 1999, the first U.S. college Australian rules football clubs formed in North Carolina when the UNC-Chapel Hill club is organized in the spring semester and the NC State club is established the following fall.[171] These two clubs established a rivalry that lasted for over a decade.
In 2001, the first college Australian rules football club outside of North Carolina began at Vanderbilt University. In the following years, several new clubs emerged in universities across the state, many of them affiliated with USAFL clubs.
The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup with an All-American side and finished fifth out of eleven countries.
In 2002, the Australian Football League began to recognize the potential of the U.S. as a pool of talent and began providing a small amount of international funding to the USAFL. An offshoot was the US Footy Kids junior program, with strong similarities to AFL Auskick. The Australian Defence Force formed a relationship with the USAFL for Australian personnel on US postings to help make up the 30% of Australians allowed for a USAFL roster.[172]
In 2003, clear weather at a Nashville home game against the St. Louis Blues and Kangaroos saw the match set a new league crowd record.[173]
In 2004, Vanderbilt University hosted the first US College Invitational. This tournament was held in Nashville and was attended by representatives of Arizona State University, Belmont University, Middle Tennessee State University, North Carolina State University, University of Missouri - Kansas City, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilty University. The Tar Heels of UNC were crowned the first collegiate National Champions.[174]
In 2005, the Revolution attended the 2005 International Cup finishing third out of ten countries.
In 2005, the USAFL struck a deal with the ASTN television station for rights to the game, however although the station has filmed local matches, they have not been televised.
Also in that year former Geelong Football Club player Ben Graham joined the New York Jets, bringing media exposure for the Australian sport. On a multimillion-dollar NFL contract, Graham joined with the local New York Magpies club in fundraising activities.
In January 2006, an AFL promotional pre-season match was played in Los Angeles at
Jan. 15, 2006 | Los Angeles | Intramural Field, UCLA |
North Melbourne 13.8 (86) v Sydney 6.2 (38) | 3,200 |
Kevin Sheedy and Stephen Silvagni visited in 2007 on a tour of North America as AFL ambassador, attending the USAFL Nationals.[176]
In 2008, a second US College Invitational was hosted by Vanderbilt University. St. John's University at Minnesota were premiers, with UNC-Chapel Hill as runner-up, and Vanderbilt University placing third. These were the only three sides attending the tournament.[177]
In 2014, the USAFL organized a collegiate tournament in Texas featuring only Texas colleges. Teams representing Texas A&M, Texas Tech, University of Houston, and University of Texas-Austin took part in the event. Texas A&M and Texas Tech both won two matches and drew the game between them. Texas Tech had the better percentage on the day.[178]
Mason Cox era: 2016–present
In 2016 former Texan basketball player
Exposure generated by Cox increased media interest from American broadcasters and celebrities. In particular Conan O'Brien in 2019 featured a segment featuring the Sydney Swans with Conan learning how to play the game on his popular show which was viewed by millions.[185] Former American football player Pat McAfee announced a new found passion for Australian rules during the COVID pandemic in 2020, interviewing Mason Cox on his popular channel and adopting Mason Cox's club Collingwood as a supporter.[186]
In 2020 the AFL signed a broadcasting rights deal with ESPN via ESPN2 and ESPN3. The move was a big hit.[187] In 2022 American streaming companies Amazon, Paramount+ and YouTube expressed interest in bidding for the U.S. broadcasting rights for the AFL beyond 2024.[188]
In April 2023, Mason Cox appeared in a
Players
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Tim Taranto playing for the Giants in 2017
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Harry Himmelberg in 2017 as 6 ft 4 in (194 cm) Giants forward
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Touk Miller All-Australian and captain for the Gold Coast Suns
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Mason Cox in 2017 as 6 ft 11 in (211.5 cm) Collingwood ruck/forward Texas born and raised to the age of 23
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Archie Smith in 2019 as 6 ft 8 in (202 cm) Brisbane Lions ruck is the son of NBA basketball player Andre Moore
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Kyle Langford in 2018 playing for Essendon
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Zac Clarke in 2015 as 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) Fremantle ruck
-
Peter Bell in 2006 as 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) Fremantle captain
-
Tom Banks depicted in 1905
Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list |
Player | Connection to United States | AFL Years* | AFL Matches* | AFL Goals* | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brodie Kemp | Parent[190] | 2022– | 23 | 1 | |
Elliott Himmelberg | Father[191] | 2018– | 41 | 41 | American family from New York
|
Tim Taranto | Father[192] | 2017– | 137 | 67 | American family from Texas |
Conor Nash | Parent[193] | 2017– | 73 | 16 | |
Harry Himmelberg | Father, lived in New York[191] | 2016– | 152 | 161 | Also spent some of his childhood living in New York City with his father |
Brandon Kaufman | Born and raised to U.S. parents | 2016–2017 | - | Former NFL wide receiver from Colorado contracted as international rookie for Gold Coast Suns[194] Played for USAFL club Denver Bulldogs on return to the U.S. | |
Touk Miller | Father(African-American)[195] | 2015– | 173 | 51 | American family from Ohio |
Kyle Langford | Parent[196] | 2015– | 130 | 128 | |
Mason Cox | Born and raised to age of 23 by U.S. parents | 2015– | 113 | 117 | Former NCAA Division I basketball player, taken #60 Rookie 2014 by Collingwood Football Club. American family from Texas |
Matt Korcheck | Born and raised in U.S. | 2015–2017 | - | Former Arizona Wildcats basketball player taken #37 Rookie 2015 by the Carlton Football Club.[197] from Tucson, Arizona | |
Archie Smith | Father (African-American) | 2014–2021 | 16 | 4 | Son of NBA basketball player Andre Moore |
Jason Holmes | Born and raised to U.S. parents | 2014–2017 | 5 | 0 | Former NCAA Division I basketball player taken #36 Rookie 2013 by St Kilda Football Club. |
Patrick Mitchell | Born and raised to age of 24 by U.S. parents | 2013–2014 | - | Former NCAA Division I basketball player with University of North Dakota taken #45 Rookie 2013 by Sydney Swans. From Des Moines, Iowa[198] | |
Alex Starling | Born and raised to U.S. parents | 2012–2014 | - | Former NCAA Division I basketball player, recruited on Port Adelaide Power to play basketball with the NBL1 Central
| |
Eric Wallace | Born and raised to U.S. parents | 2012–2015 | - | Former NCAA Division I basketball player, recruited on North Melbourne Football Club International scholarship, played VFL, went on to become tight end at Carolina Panthers (NFL) | |
Shae McNamara | Born and raised to U.S. parents | 2010–2012 | - | Former NCAA Division I basketball player, taken #47 Rookie 2009 by Collingwood Football Club in VFL (AFL reserves) and pre-season competition | |
Zac Clarke | Father (African-American)[199] | 2009–2019 | 110 | 46 | Former NBL1 South basketball player[200] |
Dwayne Armstrong | Born and raised to U.S. parents | 1996–1997 | - | Former NFL practice squad player recruited by Essendon Football Club, played at reserves (VFL) level | |
Peter Bell | Father (Indigenous American Navajo)[201] | 1995–2008 | 286 | 250 | Australian Football Hall of Famer |
Sanford Wheeler | Born, African-American mother | 1989–1994 | 43 | 7 | Moved to Australia at age 5, played with the Sydney Swans. Died 2020. Debuted in Round 6, 1989 |
Don Pyke | Born, to Australian parents | 1989–1996 | 132 | 97 | Moved to Australia at age 4, played with the West Coast Eagles, 2 time AFL Premiership player. Debuted in Round 1, 1989 |
Tom Banks | Father (African-American) | 1897 | 8 | 0 |
Currently on an AFLW senior or rookie list |
Player | Connection to United States | Years* | AFLW Matches* | AFLW Goals* | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Katrina Stone | Born and raised | 2021 | - | North London Lions (AFL London)
| |
Danielle Marshall | Born and raised to US parents, played there | 2020–2023 | 23 | 4 | Western Bulldogs (AFLW), Essendon Football Club (AFLW). From Arizona Hawks (USAFL)[202] |
April Lewis | Born and raised, played there | 2019 | - | Essendon Football Club (VFLW) from Seattle Grizzlies (USAFL) | |
Jessica Blecher | Born and raised, played there | 2019 | - | Portland Sockeyes (USAFL), currently with San Francisco Iron Maidens (USAFL)
| |
Erin McLaughlin | Born and raised | 2019 | - | Darebin Falcons (VFLW) | |
Jessica Anderson | Parent[196] | 2017–2018 | 6 | 1 | Western Bulldogs (AFLW) |
Katie Klatt | Born and raised, played there | 2017 | - | Melbourne University Football Club (VFLW) from Sacramento Suns (USAFL), currently with San Francisco Iron Maidens (USAFL) |
Administration and governing body
The
The USAFL Umpires Association (USAFLUA) represents the field of umpiring and the interpretation of the laws of the game.USAFL Umpires Association
National team
The national teams are the
Major tournaments
- USAFL National Championships – Held 2nd weekend of October every year
- 49th Parallel Cup – Held each non-International Cup year, alternating between U.S. & Canadian soil.
- AFL International Cup– Held every 3 years, began 2002.
Domestic representative tournaments
Participation
There are currently 49 active clubs across the country, 32 of which participated in the USAFL Nationals in 2018.[203]
In 2004, there were 855 senior players in 38 active clubs.[204] By 2006, the league had grown to 40 affiliated clubs, with 1,048 registered USAFL players and 340 USAFL sanctioned matches were played. Of the 709 players who competed at the USAFL National Championships, 77.4% were non-Australian, and over 60% were American.[205]
The 2007 AFL International Census did not indicate any growth to these figures over 2006.[206] The club numbers decreased to 32 in 2011, but player registrations remained at approximately 1,000.[207]
Leagues
Men's
Women's
- See also Metro FootyLeagues
Former leagues
- Many of the CAFL's clubs and former players still compete, either in the SCAFL or GGAFL. The SEAFL and NEAFL formed the EAFL.
- Californian Australian Football League
- South East Australian Football League
- North East Australian Football League
Audience
Television
Since 2020, the AFL has been shown on ESPN via ESPN2 and ESPN3.[187]
Since 2006, due to growing demand and lobbying by
Australian rules has a nominal but growing international audience. According to Roy Morgan Polls 7,496,000 North Americans watch Australian rules football at least occasionally on television.[208] This number is twice as many as watch it on television in Australia, but small by US standards.[citation needed]
Notable attendances
Local competitions
- 1,000 (2004) – Nashville Kangaroos v Chicago Swans (Nashville, Tennessee)[citation needed]
- 5,000 (1911) – San Francisco v Young Australia League (Lincoln Park, San Francisco)[95]
Exhibition matches
- 14,787 (1990) – Civic Stadium, Portland)
See also
Books
- de Moore, Greg; Hess, Rob; Nicholson, Matthew; Stewart, Bob (2021). Australia's Game: The History of Australian Football. Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 9781-74379-657-3.
References
- ^ "USAFL Club List 2021".
- ^ "MAAFL History". Mid American Australian Football League. 2005. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ A Man with a Vision from USAFL 8 March 2007
- ^ What is AFL? Aussie Rules Explained, retrieved September 12, 2022
- ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 71, Number 111, 21 March 1892
- ^ "AN AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALLER IN AMERICA". The Umpire. Vol. 3, no. 21. Western Australia. June 4, 1898. p. 3. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "GREATEST GOAL KICKER IN UNITED STATES". The Evening News. No. 4072. Queensland, Australia. November 21, 1934. p. 16. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ PAT ODEA IS THE KING OF KICKERS. San Francisco Call, Volume 84, Number 178, 25 November 1898
- ^ de Moore et al. 2021, p. 247.
- ^ de Moore et al. 2021, p. 248.
- ^ a b "FOOTBALL". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 526. Western Australia. February 26, 1909. p. 9. Retrieved October 8, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Young Australia League". Sporting Life : Dryblower's Journal. Vol. 2, no. 60. Western Australia. June 9, 1906. p. 4. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) 12 Apr 1909 Page 11
- ^ "AUSTRALIANS ABROAD". The Herald. No. 15673. Victoria, Australia. August 12, 1927. p. 13. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Game in America". The Evening Mail. No. 752. Western Australia. June 13, 1906. p. 4. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL". The Australian Star. No. 5726. New South Wales, Australia. June 21, 1906. p. 4 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved October 27, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Little Brothers in America". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 503. Western Australia. January 30, 1909. p. 2. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "UNIVERSAL FOOTBALL". The Empire. Vol. II, no. 67. Western Australia. August 29, 1908. p. 3. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 103, Number 178, 26 May 1908
- ^ TheGuardian.com. March 8, 2014. by Adam Woolcock for The Guardian 8 Mar 2014
- ^ "Touring Australians". The Age. No. 16, 813. Victoria, Australia. February 1, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- The Daily News (Perth, Western Australia). Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 482. Western Australia. January 6, 1909. p. 8. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "FOOTBALL". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 526. Western Australia. February 26, 1909. p. 9. Retrieved October 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Evening bulletin. January 21, 1910, 3:30 Edition, Page 7, Image 7
- ^ The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) 13 Jun 1908 Page 11
- ^ 40 Youngsters Will Sail for Australia. San Francisco Call, Volume 105, Number 125, 4 April 1909
- ^ NEW FOOTBALL MAY REPLACE OLD GAME Columbia Park Boys Master the "Victorian Style" During Australian visit. San Francisco Call, Volume 107, Number 82, 20 February 1910
- Barrier Miner. Vol. XXII, no. 6586. New South Wales, Australia. September 1, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Eric Cullen Ward". The Sun. No. 18. New South Wales, Australia. July 21, 1910. p. 6 (LATE EDITION). Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 476, 7 April 1909, Page 4
- ^ Overseas Tour. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, issue 7887, 24 August 1911, page 5
- ^ Auckland Star, Volume XL, issue 136, 9 June 1909, page 7
- ^ Football. Rugby. Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, issue 145, 21 June 1909, page 3
- ^ Southland Times, issue 14092, 26 April 1909, page 2
- ^ "Australian". Sydney Sportsman. Vol. VIII, no. 470. New South Wales, Australia. July 7, 1909. p. 8. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b c "New South Wales Notes". Referee. No. 1184. New South Wales, Australia. July 14, 1909. p. 10. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Match halted due to poor weather
- ^ "Visit of the California Boys". Benalla Standard. No. 3407. Victoria, Australia. July 20, 1909. p. 3. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Next Saturday's Matches". Sydney Sportsman. Vol. VIII, no. 471. New South Wales, Australia. July 14, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The American Boys in Melbourne". Southern Cross. Vol. XXI, no. 1045. South Australia. August 13, 1909. p. 12. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ EVENING POST, VOLUME LXXVIII, ISSUE 39, 14 AUGUST 1909, PAGE 6
- ^ a b "Football". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 686. Western Australia. September 3, 1909. p. 7 (Third Edition). Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The American Boys". The Advertiser. Vol. LII, no. 15, 844. South Australia. July 29, 1909. p. 10. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- The Ballarat Star. Vol. 55, no. 16694. Victoria, Australia. November 27, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved October 5, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Football". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 662. Western Australia. August 6, 1909. p. 7. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Football". The West Australian. Vol. XXV, no. 7, 297. Western Australia. August 14, 1909. p. 13. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Columbia Park Boys". The Daily Telegraph. No. 9424. New South Wales, Australia. August 12, 1909. p. 6. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Football". The Mirror. Vol. 4, no. 229. Western Australia. September 10, 1909. p. 22. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b "Football". Referee. No. 1202. New South Wales, Australia. November 17, 1909. p. 11. Retrieved October 5, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ The Register (Adelaide). Vol. LXXIV, no. 19, 587. South Australia. August 23, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "American Boys' Visit". Kalgoorlie Miner. Vol. 15, no. 4339. Western Australia. August 26, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The American Boys Visit Midland Junction". Western Mail. Vol. XXIV, no. 1, 238. Western Australia. September 18, 1909. p. 30. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Bunbury Herald. Vol. XIX, no. 3199. Western Australia. August 31, 1909. p. 3. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Reception". Collie Mail. Vol. 2, no. 58. Western Australia. September 4, 1909. p. 3 (Paper format edition). Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b c "News and Notes". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 688. Western Australia. September 6, 1909. p. 5 (Third Edition). Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b Town name has changed since
- ^ "THE AMERICAN BOYS". The Express & Telegraph. Vol. XLVI, no. 13, 828. South Australia. October 7, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b Was part of South Australia at the time
- ^ "Major Peixotto and His American Boys". The Brisbane Courier. No. 16, 232. Queensland, Australia. January 20, 1910. p. 6. Retrieved October 5, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- San Francisco Call18 March 1910 page 3
- ^ The San Francisco call. February 20, 1910, Page 72, Image 72
- ^ "GENERAL NEWS". The Advertiser. Vol. LIII, no. 16, 303. South Australia. January 17, 1911. p. 6. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ What an Australian Schoolboy is doing in the city. The San Francisco call. May 29, 1910, Page 3, Image 3
- ^ The San Francisco call. July 17, 1910, Page 48, Image 48
- ^ "Australian Game". The Daily Telegraph. No. 9686. New South Wales, Australia. June 14, 1910. p. 10. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Australian Football". The Star. No. 394. New South Wales, Australia. June 18, 1910. p. 2 (Fintal Sporting). Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Football". The Daily News. Vol. XXIX, no. 11, 030. Western Australia. October 15, 1910. p. 9. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ The San Francisco call. April 23, 1910, Page 1, Image 1
- ^ NEW FOOTBALL TO BE GIVEN TRYOUT. San Francisco Call, Volume 108, Number 68, 7 August 1910
- ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 108, Number 70, 9 August 1910
- ^ a b The San Francisco call. August 11, 1910, Page 10, Image 10
- ^ "New South Wales Notes". Referee. No. 1340. New South Wales, Australia. July 10, 1912. p. 13. Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Hancock Victor at Field Ball. The San Francisco call. September 02, 1910, Page 14, Image 14
- ^ The San Francisco call. (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, September 01, 1910, Image 7
- ^ Field Ball will be on Card Today. The San Francisco call. September 1, 1910, Page 12, Image 12
- ^ The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California) 21 Aug 1910 Page 46
- ^ Local Field Ball Team to Visit Stockton. The San Francisco call. November 02, 1910, Page 10, Image 10
- ^ The San Francisco call. (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, December 11, 1910, Image 53
- ^ The San Francisco call. [volume], January 11, 1911, Page 10, Image 10
- ^ "Football". The Daily News. Vol. XXX, no. 11, 245. Western Australia. June 30, 1911. p. 7 (Third Edition). Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Field Ball" will be adopted here. The San Francisco call. April 07, 1911, Page 12, Image 12
- ^ Field Ball Due for a Boom. The San Francisco call. [volume], April 25, 1911, Page 12, Image 12
- ^ Field Ball Will Get Fine Boost. San Francisco Call, Volume 109, Number 156, 5 May 1911
- ^ Field Ball Gets Good Big Boost. The San Francisco call. May 27, 1911, Page 17, Image 17
- ^ Playing In Order to Do Life's Work Well. The San Francisco call. June 04, 1911, Image 5
- ^ a b The San Francisco call. June 25, 1911, Page 38, Image 38
- ^ "YOUNG AUSTRALIA". The Evening Star. Vol. 13, no. 3730. Western Australia. April 30, 1910. p. 3. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "AUSTRALIAN BOYS". The Daily Telegraph. No. 9669. New South Wales, Australia. May 25, 1910. p. 11. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Young Australia League". The Beverley Times. Vol. VI, no. 303. Western Australia. June 17, 1911. p. 5. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "YOUNG AUSTRALIA LEAGUE". The Advertiser. South Australia. January 26, 1912. p. 12. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Field Ball Players Are Getting In Trim. The San Francisco call. June 25, 1911, Page 38, Image 38
- ^ Ward Appointed Coach. The San Francisco call. August 18, 1911, Page 10, Image 10
- ^ The Hope of Australia 42 Picked Boys. San Francisco Call, Volume 110, Number 104, 12 September 1911
- ^ Australian Boys Will Line Up Against Columbia Park Lads in Fieldball Game. Youngsters From Antipodes Are All Experts in Sport Which Has Recently Been Introduced Here. The San Francisco call. September 24, 1911, Page 38, Image 38
- ^ a b Australian Boys Give Local Team a Fine Lesson in Fieldball. The San Francisco call. September 25, 1911, Page 9, Image 9
- ^ Fine Fieldball by Local Boys. The San Francisco call. [volume], October 01, 1911, Image 51
- ^ Young Australians Beat Former Countrymen at Fieldball. The San Francisco call. October 02, 1911, Page 8, Image 8
- ^ "Australian Game of Football Is Best – So Says Major Peixotto, the Pacific Coast Amateur Athletic Union Leader" (PDF). The New York Times. October 23, 1910. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 110, Number 93, 1 September 1911
- ^ Field Ball Games Being Arranged. The San Francisco call. October 03, 1911, Page 12, Image 12
- ^ The San Francisco call. September 27, 1911, Image 18
- ^ Field Ball Now A School Sport. San Francisco Call, Volume 111, Number 6, 6 December 1911
- ^ Fieldball gains favor among schools. The San Francisco call. August 24, 1911, Page 13, Image 13
- ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 115, Number 151, 23 December 1913
- ^ "Booming in America". Evening News. No. 13, 929. New South Wales, Australia. January 30, 1912. p. 9. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Y. A. L. Boys on Tour". The Evening Star. Vol. 15, no. 4316. Western Australia. March 21, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "News of the World by Our Independent Cable Service". The Sun. No. 560. New South Wales, Australia. April 16, 1912. p. 1 (FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Local and General". The Narrogin Observer And Williams District Representative. Vol. 7, no. 373. Western Australia. June 1, 1912. p. 2. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ The Field Ball Championships. San Francisco Call, Volume 114, Number 142, 28 October 1913
- ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 114, Number 142, 28 October 1913
- ^ Columbia Boys Will Show All The World. The San Francisco call. March 23, 1913, Page 46, Image 46
- ^ "American Boys". The Advertiser. Vol. LVI, no. 17, 118. South Australia. August 27, 1913. p. 18. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The American Boys". The Mercury. Vol. XCIX, no. 13, 626. Tasmania, Australia. October 15, 1913. p. 5. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "FOOTBALL". The West Australian. Vol. XXIX, no. 3, 535. Western Australia. August 12, 1913. p. 4. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Barrier Miner. Vol. XXVI, no. 7836. New South Wales, Australia. September 20, 1913. p. 4. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The American Boys". Southern Cross. Vol. XXV, no. 1255. South Australia. September 19, 1913. p. 11. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 2, no. 72. South Australia. September 13, 1913. p. 7 (SEVENTH SECTION.). Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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- ^ "THE AMERICANS". The West Australian. Vol. XXIX, no. 3, 557. Western Australia. September 6, 1913. p. 11. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Cairns Post. No. 12, 877. Queensland, Australia. June 4, 1943. p. 6. Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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- ^ "The American Boys". Goomalling-dowerin Mail. Vol. VIII, no. 854. Western Australia. November 7, 1919. p. 3. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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- ^ "FOOTBALL IN AMERICA". The Daily News. Vol. XLVII, no. 16, 601. Western Australia. July 16, 1928. p. 1 (HOME (FINAL) EDITION). Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
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- ^ "Our Game in America". The Herald. No. 15, 996. Victoria, Australia. August 24, 1928. p. 15. Retrieved October 6, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "CON HICKEY TALKS ON AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL". Call News-pictorial. No. 296. Western Australia. May 10, 1929. p. 19. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Sporting Globe. No. 1027. Victoria, Australia. June 11, 1932. p. 6 (FINALEDITION). Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- Sporting Globe. No. 1046. Victoria, Australia. August 17, 1932. p. 10 (Edition1). Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "EXHIBITION GAME IN U.S.A." The Daily News. Vol. LI, no. 17, 776. Western Australia. April 29, 1932. p. 2 (HOME (FINAL) EDITION). Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Sporting Globe. No. 1016. Victoria, Australia. May 4, 1932. p. 1 (Edition1). Retrieved February 13, 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Daily News (Los Angeles), Volume 11, Number 291, 8 August 1934
- ^ "FOOTBALL". The Daily News. Vol. LVI, no. 19, 743. Western Australia. July 6, 1938. p. 8 (CITY FINAL). Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Sporting Globe. No. 1734. Victoria, Australia. February 8, 1939. p. 1 (Edition1). Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Football". The Age. No. 27431. Victoria, Australia. March 20, 1943. p. 3. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) 26 Mar 1944 Page 20
- ^ "Football – or not?". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. July 19, 1943. p. 9.
- ^ "Australia d. Yanks". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. August 2, 1943. p. 4.
- Sporting Globe. No. 2743. Victoria, Australia. October 2, 1948. p. 7. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "AUST. FOOTBALL IN USA NOW POSSIBILITY". North-eastern Courier. Vol. 24, no. 1310. Western Australia. November 26, 1948. p. 8 (MODERN WEEKLY News Magazine). Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Popularising the Game Overseas". The Age. No. 28944. Victoria, Australia. January 31, 1948. p. 3. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "AUSTRALIAN GAME IN AMERICA". The West Australian. Vol. 64, no. 19, 260. Western Australia. April 8, 1948. p. 16. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "'Rules Teams For America". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XII, no. 274. New South Wales, Australia. February 9, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- The Courier-mail. No. 3346. Queensland, Australia. August 15, 1947. p. 3 (SPORTING SUPPLEMENT). Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL". The West Australian. Vol. 64, no. 19, 227. Western Australia. February 28, 1948. p. 9. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Sporting Globe. No. 2705. Victoria, Australia. May 22, 1948. p. 7. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- Sporting Globe. No. 2932. Victoria, Australia. July 22, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Overseas Tour Football Move". The Age. No. 30950. Victoria, Australia. July 14, 1954. p. 14. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Demonwiki ""1963 Exhibition Match 1 vs. Geelong"." Demonwiki.org, Access Date: 2018-11-25.
- ^ Demonwiki ""1963 Exhibition Match 2 vs. Geelong"." Demonwiki.org, Access Date: 2018-11-25.
- ^ Madera Tribune, Volume 72, Number 96, 27 September 1963
- ISBN 9780717163694. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
- ^ Burke, 1998, p.15. Burke does not supply the match's final score except to say that the New York Irish were in front 11-5 at half-time, and that the Galahs were unable to add to their half-time score. For more on Barassi's injury and his later friendship with Brendan Tumulty, see "Reference at www.ronbarassi.com.au".
- ^ "VFL on American TV". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 267. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. April 9, 1980. p. 36. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
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