The 1962 Season

The 1962 season was definitely an eye opener for both Roller Derby and Roller Games.

 

First with Roller Derby.  Kezar Pavillion would become the newest home for the National/International Roller Derby League on Sunday, April 1, 1962.  No, this is no April Fools Day joke either.

 

Kezar was built in 1924 and has been used more multiple events.  Besides Roller Derby and Games, pro wrestling, high school, NBA summer league and college basketball have played there.  Located on the southeast corner of Golden Gate Park, it is just a few feet from Kezar Stadium.  

 

Kezar will always be remembered for Roller Derby.  For the next few years, games would be televised on Sunday evenings (eventually afternoons).  Tapes of numerous games would be shown across the United States each week.  The great Walt Harris would be the man doing the play-by-play.

 

On to the 1962 season, the Bay Bombers would be coming off back-to-back NRDL Championships.  In their way for a three-peat would be the Brooklyn Red Devils, Los Angeles Braves, New York Chiefs, Honolulu Hawaiians, the Dixie Devils, and the returning Chicago Westerners.

 

However, things were not as smooth for the Northern California team.  It started with the improvements with three other teams in the league in the Hawaiians, Chiefs and Westerners.

 

The Hawaiians were probably the most consistent during the season.  They defeated the Bombers during the regular season matchup and would win the league pennant that season.

 

The Chiefs were better too with the addition of Ken Monte from the Red Devils.  They would overtake the Bombers and finish in second place.

 

The Bombers were beginning to show their age to say the least.  With O'Connell and Jensen leading their respective units, injuries would creep up at times during the season.  An injury to O'Connell would have knocked most teams out of the playoffs but they were deeper in talent than most. The team would hold on for third place.

 

Fourth place was really tight between the Westerners and the Dixie Devils.  The Westerners returned to the Western Season after one season away and nearly missed the post season this time.

 

The Dixie Devils really made things interesting.  They were a transplant from the Brooklyn Red Devils team that started the season.  The team skated a series of games in the South and eventually played a game in the San Francisco Bay Area in September.  The Devils missed out by .003 to the Westerners.

 

Despite some of the season struggles, the Bay Bombers found a way to win their third straight NRDL title.  No team in the history of the league had done that before.  They would, once again, defeat a spirited Hawaiians team in the championship game.

 

For more on the award winners, please check out the page NRDL/IRDL 1954-1973.  It will have the complete list of winners.

 

In Roller Games, the first full season would prove fruitful.  The Los Angeles Thunderbirds were officially born and the bulk of their games would be skated at the Olympic Auditorium.

 

To begin with, the league had a mid season game called the President's Cup.  It was a format similar to the Founder's Cup (1966-1973) in Roller Derby.

 

The Detroit Devils, one of the premier teams in the league, would defeat the home team - Los Angeles T-Birds in four overtimes, 21-20.

 

Late in November, the T-Birds would win Roller Games' first World Series, two games to none over the Texas Outlaws.  The final score of the second game was 59-55.

 

Finally, the American/Eastern Skating Derby was in its second year of operating.  There were a scattering number of games between the Jets and Raiders being skated in Asbury Park, New Jersey but no more reported.

 

There would be some additions and subtractions regarding some teams in both Roller Derby and Roller Games for the 1963 season.  Also, would the American/Eastern Skating Derby survive?  More on this in the next post.