The soldiers' italian gridiron !
This is the front page of ITALIAN GRIDIRON. It's part of the historical project regarding the history of american football in Italy.
First ever game of football was played in GENOVA before WWI between two Navy teams formed by sailors of two Us Navy ships in port.
Finally football landed in Italy during WWII and the soldiers played their first official game in Bari (Puglia) in 1944: THE BAMBINO BOWL .
The 2nd ever game was played in Florence (Tuscany) in January 1945, this was probably the last football game in war period: THE SPAGHETTI BOWL.
From that moment on the U.s. soldiers started to play regularly along the Italian boot till 1986 when the "ADULT" football program was abandoned.High School football is still played.
We will go through all the possible informations that we will find like the 88th & TRUST CHAMPIONSHIPS (1945-1954 in Trieste Area) or the NIFL (North Italy Football League) that was played in Italy till 1986 (maybe more ?).
Due to our researches seems that GERONIMOS VICENZA were active on a European level till the beginning of the 90's.
We have to remember also the GRIFONI BELLUNO an italian managed team where most of the players were americans from AVIANO AIR BASE. They played with success from 2001 till 2005 in the ALPEADRIA LEAGUE (managed by the AFBO Austrian Federation). They also stayed in activity with some friendship games in 2006, 2007 and in 2008 they participated officially to the FIDAF CUP ( www.fidafcup.org ). By 2009 Grifoni disappeared.
Decades of football that have to be remembered.
But the effort of those football passionate soldiers is not forgot as their teams were the first opponents for the newly formed "italian" american football teams. All this started in the mid seventies, many soldiers played in the italian teams and championships, other soldiers were the coaches and the first coach of the Italian National Team (THE BLUE TEAM) Mr. Ray Semko was in the military.
The roots of the Italian american football is in the U.s. military football.
Hope you'll enjoy this website.
The webmaster - webmaster@americanfootballitalia.com
p.s.: as i am italian .... do not hesitate to contact me to correct all the errors.
1973 - (Naples) - SPAGHETTI BOWL XII
ALL STAR NAPLES VS SPARTANS ALCONBURY 0 - 26
Vicenza - SIngle Game (Pre NIFL)
1972 - Vicenza - SIngle Game (Pre NIFL)
1971 - Vicenza - SIngle Game (Pre NIFL)
1970 - (Naples) - SPAGHETTI BOWL
ALL STAR NAPLES VS SPARTANS ALCONBURY 19 - 18
Vicenza - SIngle Game (Pre NIFL)
1969 - Vicenza - SIngle Game (Pre NIFL)
1968 1955 NO DATAS AVAILABLE
1954 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1953 - 1st January (Leghorn) - SPAGHETTI BOWL - ARMY (Usfa Salzburg) VS Wiesbaden AFC
1953 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1952 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1951 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1950 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1949 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1948 - TRUST CHAMPIONSHIP
1947 - 88TH & TRUST LEAGUE - FOLDED DUE TO PEACE TREATY OF 1947
1946 - 88TH LEAGUE
1945 - 1st January (Florence) - SPAGHETTI BOWL I
5TH ARMY VS 12TH AIR FORCE 20 - 4
1945 - 88TH LEAGUE
1944 - 23rd November (Bari) - BAMBINO BOWL
TECHNICAL SCHOOL VS PLAYBOYS 13 - 0