Hartford Knights
 | |
| Founded | 1968 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1973 |
| League | Atlantic Coast Football League Seaboard Football League |
| Based in | Hartford, Connecticut |
| Arena | Dillon Stadium |
| Championships | 1968,[1] 1972 |
| Division titles | 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 |
| Affiliation | Buffalo Bills |
The Hartford Knights were a professional American football team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They began play in 1968 as a member of the Atlantic Coast Football League, replacing the Hartford Charter Oaks.[2] For the 1969 season, they became the affiliate for the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League. One of the best minor-league football teams of its era, the Knights never finished below second place in their league, won every division title they contested, and had a winning record every season they played (including a 17-win perfect season in 1972).
The Knights' most prominent alumnus was fullback Marv Hubbard, who played his first professional season with the team in 1968 before appearing in multiple Pro Bowls as a member of the Oakland Raiders.[3] Other notable players included Manch Wheeler, the team's first starting quarterback who had previously played for the Bills; and Mel Meeks, a power-runner who was one of the league's best running backs.
Season-by-season results
| Year | League | W | L | T | Finish | Head Coach | Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Atlantic Coast Football League | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1st | Fred Wallner | [1] |
| 1969 | ACFL | 13 | 3 | 0 | 2nd | [4] | |
| 1970 | ACFL | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2nd | [5] | |
| 1971 | ACFL | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2nd | [6] | |
| 1972 | Seaboard Football League | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1st | Nick Cutro | [7] |
| 1973 | ACFL | 8 | 4 | 0 | 2nd | [8] |
References
- ^ a b "1968 Hartford Knights - The Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.
- ^ "1968-1973 Hartford Knights • Fun While It Lasted". 27 October 2012.
- ^ Canfield, Owen (August 16, 1992). "ON COURSE FOR SEVERAL HAPPY RETURNS". Hartford Courant.
- ^ "1969 Hartford Knights - The Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.
- ^ "1970 Hartford Knights - The Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.
- ^ "1971 Hartford Knights - The Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.
- ^ Steven Brainerd (2010). Minor league football records - Winning streaks.
- ^ "1973 Hartford Knights - The Pro Football Archives". www.profootballarchives.com.
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- Atlantic Coast Football League teams
- American football teams in Connecticut
- Defunct sports clubs and teams in Connecticut
- Sports in Hartford, Connecticut
- 1968 establishments in Connecticut
- 1973 disestablishments in Connecticut
- American football teams established in 1968
- American football teams disestablished in 1973
- Connecticut sports team stubs
- American football team stubs
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