The 1949-1950 Season

The 1949-1950 season would be the first one with six teams in the division.  

 

As agreed upon regarding the Roller Derby World Series, the team with the league's best record would receive a bye until the semi-final round.  The second place through fifth place teams during the regular season would play a round robin format.  The first team losing three games in this format was eliminated from the semi final round.  The team that finished sixth during the regular season would not participate in the World Series.

 

The World Series would take place at New York's Madison Square Garden between June 3-8, 1950.  There would be two games each night except for the Championship Game on June 8th.

 

As mentioned in the previous post, the NRDL season started late in September 1949.  There would be a change of televising games this particular season.  ABC Television would televise games, not just locally, but throughout the United States.  This would last until 1951 when Leo Seltzer terminated the contract over scheduling disputes.  More on that in a future post.

 

By the time in about mid 1950, all of the teams would play at least one series in their home arena.  It looked from scores of games and actual series, the league was in really good standing.

 

Then in March, there was a shake up of sorts within the Jersey Jolters organization.  Coach, Carl Mayne resigned as coach but would stay in the organization through the end of the season.  Johnny Karp, captain of the team, was promoted to head coach.   More on Payne following the Roller Derby World Series.

 

The Philadelphia Panthers would win the 1949-1950 pennant and had a bye until the semi final round.  The Washington Jets, unfortunately, finished sixth and missed the playoffs.

 

This meant that the Chiefs (2nd place), Red Devils, Jolters and Westerners would be in the round robin tournament to see who would get to the semi-final round.

 

After several days, the Chicago Westerners would be eliminated by losing all three games that they played.  Going into the semi final round, the pennant winning Panthers took on the Red Devils and the Jolters faced the 1949 Champion Chiefs.

 

There would be two upsets in the semi final round.  The Red Devils and Jolters both won and would set up a classic final.  The Brooklyn Red Devil win would have them in the championship game for the second year in a row.

 

Before a, then, Roller Derby crowd of 16,877, the Jolters would win their first Roller Derby World Series, 24-22 over the Red Devils.  Carl Payne of the winning Jolters, and Midge "Toughie" Brasuhn of the Red Devils were named men's/women's MVPs.

 

Though the state of New Jersey was ecstatic about the Jolters and their triumph, things would drastically change by late summer 1950.

 

Carl Payne would soon form an outlaw league.  There were several titles mentioned of the same  league.  It was either known as the American League Of Roller Skating, Roller Skating Derby or the Roller Relay Derby.

 

Several of Payne's teammates and other skaters in the NRDL joined this league.  The reason for this league was because of labor disputes between skaters and the league.

 

There would be two teams in this league.  They were known as the New York Americans and New Jersey Americans.  On August 24 through early October, the two teams skated a series of games at Braybook Stadium in the borough of Staten Island.  They traveled to Baltimore, Maryland and skated a bit at Carlin's Iceland.  It was an artificial indoor ice arena that was part of an amusement park known as Carlin's Park.

 

The full rosters of both teams is listed on the page known as the American League Of Roller Skating.

 

Eventually, the league folded and many of the skaters applied for reinstatement into the NRDL.  By now, there was a players association headed by Billy Bogash.  However, Leo Seltzer was running the show.

 

Not every skater returned to Roller Derby.  However, those that skated in the outlaw league were fined, suspended, or both before returning in time for the 1950-1951 season.

 

In Roller Derby's off season from the Eastern area, two teams would travel west for skating series.  The Chicago Westerners and Philadelphia Panthers were two of the NRDL teams that would travel to California.

 

There would be one series of note that was skated in San Francisco at Winterland.  According to the San Francisco Examiner, it would be the first time Roller Derby would be skated there since 1942!

 

The arena was used for numerous events such as Roller Derby/Games, Wrestling, Boxing, the Ice Capades and concerts over the years.  Today, it is a housing complex.  

 

The Panthers, as the road team, would win the 19 game series, 10 games to nine.  

 

The games were well contested and often was well attended.  Several times, crowds of over 6,000 attended games there.  Definitely, Roller Derby was liked in Northern California.  I'm sure that Leo Seltzer and his family may have been taking notes on what they were seeing.