Portland Loggers
Founded1969
LeagueContinental Football League
Based inPortland, Oregon
ArenaMultnomah Stadium
Head coachChuck Fenenbock
General managerAl King
Championshipsnone
Division titlesnone

The Portland Loggers were a professional American football team based in Portland, Oregon. They were members of the Continental Football League and only lasted one year. Featuring much of the roster of the defunct Orange County Ramblers, the team was originally known as the Hawaii Warriors, but were relocated from Honolulu to Portland just 18 days before the start of the 1969 season.[1] The team played at Multnomah Stadium in the Goose Hollow neighborhood of Portland. They were coached by retired running back Chuck Fenenbock.[2][3] New York Giants alum Len Younce served as Portland's linebackers coach.[4] Al King, who was formerly the director of promotions of the Denver Broncos, served as the Loggers general manager and Paul O' Halloran was the team's president.[5]

During the Loggers first game, a pre-season matchup against the Las Vegas Cowboys at Cashman Field on August 10, 1969, an electrical storm caused a power outage to the stadium. After waiting 45 minutes in vain for the power to be restored, officials called the game final at a score of 34–7, in favor of the Cowboys, with 9:45 left in the contest.[6]

To boost attendance towards the end of the season, team owners held several promotions at one game, including their November 16 game against the Spokane Shockers where it was "Ladies Night", "Boy Scout Night", "Chamber of Commerce Night" and "Picture Night".[7] In October the team stopped holding their practices at Multnomah Stadium and started using the football field at Central Catholic High School.[8] In late October the Loggers received placekicker Momčilo Gavrić on loan from the National Football League (NFL) San Francisco 49ers.[9] Ultimately, only 25,157 fans attended the Loggers' six home games, or 4,192 per contest.[10]

The Loggers were mentioned as a team that could have potentially played in a 1970 iteration of the Continental Football League, one that would have been based only in the western United States. The team was shut down in April 1970.[11]

Roster

1969 Portland Loggers roster
Quarterbacks
  • 11 John Erdhaus
  • 11 Mike Fair
  • 11 Dick Groth
  • 12 Jerry Otterson

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

  • 95 McKinley Reynolds
  • 84 Gene Williams
 Offensive linemen
  • 69 John Bobich C / RG
  • 73 Tom Fee LOT
  • 65 Harry Halverstadt LOT / RG
  • 55 Steve Hodoway C
  • 64 Joe Scanlan LOG / ROG
  • 75 Steve Van Sinderen ROT
  • 77 Roger Stalick ROG / LOG

Defensive linemen

  • 90 Vern Butcher DE
  • 88 Warren Desadier RDE / LDE
  • 63 Skip Diaz LDT
  • –– Ray Johnson DT
  • 76 Dan Kubelka DT
  • 66 Bill Lamond DT
  • 62 Jerry Pope RDT / LDT
  • 53 Harland Reed RDE
  • –– Cal Reehl DT
  • 89 Jon Sandstrom LDE / MLB / RDE
 Linebackers
  • 50 Gregg Cureton RLB / LBB
  • 51 Dick Degen MLB / RLB
  • –– Mickey Doyle MLB
  • 68 Charles Hollis RLB / MLB
  • 66 Mike Kellogg LB
  • 57 Herb Moriyama LLB

Defensive backs

  • 25 Steve Auerbach LCB
  • 46 Steve Conley SS
  • 25 Bernie Corbin FS
  • 24 John Hall LCB
  • 45 Jim Lawson CB
  • 48 Dave Plump FS / SS / HB
  • 74 Lonnie Williams RCB / P

Special teams

Reserve lists
  • N/A


Practice squad

  • N/A


Rookies in italics

Source[12]

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance
E1 August 9 at Las Vegas Cowboys L 7–34 0–0 Cashman Field 7,000
1 August 24 Fort Worth Braves W 17–10 1–0 Multnomah Stadium 2,316
2 August 30 at Fort Worth Braves L 22–30 1–1 Farrington Field 10,266
3 September 7 Spokane Shockers W 32–14 2–1 Multnomah Stadium 4,303
4 September 13 at Seattle Rangers L 20–23 2–2 Memorial Stadium 6,065
5 September 20 at Spokane Shockers L 17–23 2–3 Joe Albi Stadium 2,300
6 September 28 Sacramento Capitols L 7–18 2–4 Multnomah Stadium 3,308
7 October 14 at Sacramento Capitols L 7–27 2–5 Charles C. Hughes Stadium 5,412
8 October 21 at Las Vegas Cowboys L 13–42 2–6 Cashman Field 4,700
9 October 26 Seattle Rangers W 27–24 3–6 Multnomah Stadium 6,160
10 November 9 at Seattle Rangers L 20–44 3–7 Memorial Stadium 5,471
11 November 16 Spokane Shockers L 27–59 3–8 Multnomah Stadium 2,038
12 November 23 Las Vegas Cowboys L 10–34 3–9 Multnomah Stadium 4,688
Source[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Portland's deceased sports franchises". The Oregonian. 1 April 2001. p. C10.
  2. ^ Forester, Bill (19 August 1969). "Portland welcomes pro grid Loggers". The Oregonian. p. 35.
  3. ^ "Loggers get ex-Chargers QB". The Oregonian. 7 October 1969. p. 34.
  4. ^ "Younce in grid role". The Columbian. Vancouver, Washington. United Press International. 12 August 1969. p. 19. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Al King Gets Loggers Post". Kitsap Sun. Kitsap, Washington. United Press International. 23 August 1969. p. 11. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Portland Loggers open pre-season slate losing". The Columbian. Vancouver, Washington. United Press International. 11 August 1969. p. 14. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Loggers try new format for boost". The Oregonian. 16 November 1969. p. 104.
  8. ^ "Loggers regroup; injuries plentiful". The Oregonian. 24 October 1969. p. 73.
  9. ^ "49ers loan kicker to Loggers; 3 cut". The Oregonian. 18 October 1969. p. 23.
  10. ^ 1969 Portland Loggers
  11. ^ "Spokane Daily Chronicle - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved December 21, 2014.
  12. ^ a b "1969 Portland Loggers (COFL)". profootballarchives.com. Pro Football Archives. Retrieved 8 April 2023.


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