I am a 3rd generation American (Half Italian/Half Portuguese) both of my grandfathers emigrated to Providence RI. My lineage as a Giants fan begins with them, it was then passed on to my father and uncles then my brother and I. But would I be a Giants fan had the Providence franchise been financially successful? Would there ever been a New England Patriots franchise?
Here’s some NFL History - Providence RI Edition
The Providence Steam Rollers were the first New England NFL franchise to win an NFL Championship (1928)
From 1916 - 1933 the Providence Steam Rollers were a regional powerhouse. In the mid-1920s the Steam Rolllers were known as the best independent team in the country. In 1925 the Steam Rollers joined the NFL and won the Championship 3 years later.
During their championship season the Steam Rollers posted a 8-1-2 record with notable wins over the NY Giants 16-0 and tied the GB Packers 7-7.
A "victory banquet" at the Biltmore Hotel took place a week later. At the banquet, each player was rewarded with a gold watch. It was also at this event that Steam Roller QB/Coach Conzelman was given a trophy and named the team's "Most Valuable Player". Five of the Steam Roller players gained All-NFL honors that year.
The Steam Rollers home stadium was the Cycledrome which was located off of North Main Street, near the Providence-Pawtucket line. In its later years, the Cycledrome was the location of the E.M. Loewe's drive-in theater and is now home to an Ocean State Job Lot/Peter Pan Bus Terminal.
Notable Facts:
*First team to ever host an NFL night game. We all know SNF, MNF, and TNF but it all began in Providence RI In 1930 when floodlights were installed at the stadium for night games.
*2 Providence Steam Roller players are in the NFL Hall of Fame
- Jimmy Conzleman inducted 1964
- Fritz Pollard inducted 2005
Haha yup true, I grew up in Southern CT with several friends who remain Giants fans and Red Sox fans to this day, due to similar family history, and we have several here too. Some of the most loyal Giants fans going, those who resisted the temptation to jump on the Pats bandwagon
I know a couple Patriots/Yankees fans too, bc yes, Connecticut is just weird
Yep I'm one of those New England fans from that era before the Pats. Use to watch Giants games every Sunday with my Dad in the mid to late fifties when I was a young kid. Loved those Giants and stayed with them. Never strayed over to the Pats as many of the old timers did, especially when they started winning.
there are fewer and fewer as the years pass.
Also note the Redskins used to play in Boston at Fenway Park before they moved to Washington.
I am a Southeastern Massachusetts Giants fan too. The Giants games up until recently were always on WNAC/Fox 64.
Giants First Game 1925 - ( New Window )
They did win in the Yale Bowl, but I think just once in the two years there.