The 1969 Season

The 1969 season would be another interesting one with Roller Games and Roller Derby.  Would the T-Birds (NSD) and the Bombers (IRDL) continue their domination in their respective leagues?

 

It appeared that the inter league play between the NSD and the IRDL was starting to become less and less.  The New Yorkers (New York Bombers) would be the only series that the Bombers would face during the Western season.

 

However, other than the usual teams in the Pioneers, Braves and Cardinals, there would be a new team skating in the IRDL.  They were known as the Southern Mustangs.  Their uniforms were something like you would see in stock car racing.

 

Also, the New England Braves would have a regional change to the Northeast Braves.  That would remain in their tenure in the IRDL.

 

The post season games did really well attendance-wise in Oakland and in Daly City.  The semi-final games at the Coliseum Arena drew over 11,700 fans.  The Braves would defeat the Pioneers and the Bombers would nip the Cardinals to reach the finals the next night on September 27th.

 

In the Championship Round, a crowd of 14,468 at the Cow Palace, including this blogger, were entertained well with two games.

 

The Pioneers outskated the Cardinals to gain third place.  In the championship game, the Braves would end the Bombers reign, 60-56.  It was one of the greatest Roller Derby games I've seen live! The defenses on both teams were good but both offenses really clicked that night!  The Northeast Braves would win their first, and only championship in the IRDL.

 

Meanwhile, in the NSD, the Los Angeles T-Birds would roll right along in Roller Games.

 

Avenging their two championship defeats in 1968, they would defeat the Detroit Devils in the President's Cup at the Sports Arena during the mid season.  That would be followed up with a win over the New York Bombers in the NSD Championship.

 

What would the off season be like for both the IRDL and NSD?  Well, in the IRDL, there would be a split of the Bomber team going into the fall and winter months.  There would still be the SF Bay Bombers.  However, the Oakland Bay Bombers would be formed.  The two teams would be skating in the East and the Midwest and would eventually meet in a championship game in St. Louis in early 1970.  More on this and what happened with the experiment in a future post.