Orlando Panthers

Orlando Panthers

First Season
1958
Team History
Orlando Panthers (1966-70) Newark Bears (1963-65) Paterson Miners (1962) Franklin Miners (1958-61)
Conference/Division
Atlantic Coast Football League (1962-64, 70) Southern Division (1970) Continental Football League (1965-68) Atlantic Division (1968-69) Atlantic South Division (1967) Western Division (1966) Eastern Division (1965) Eastern Football Conference (1958-61)
Venue
Tangerine Bowl (1965-70)
Key People
Players • Head Coaches • Executives

The Orlando Panthers were a professional American football team based in Orlando, Florida. Founded in 1958 as the Franklin Miners, the team spent its first four years in the Eastern Football Conference, then three further years in the Atlantic Coast Football League before moving to the Continental Football League in 1965. The franchise moved from Newark, New Jersey to Orlando in 1966 and found success on the field as the Panthers. However, while the team won the CoFL championship twice they were plagued by financial difficulties. The team jumped back to the ACFL in 1970 but were suspended by the league after the season.

Publications

Programs by season

1960s

Week	Date	Opponent	Venue
1964
Newark Bears
Week 3	September 5	at Hartford Charter Oaks	Dillon Stadium
1965
preseason	August 7	at Hartford Charter Oaks	Dillon Stadium
Week 1	August 15	vs. Philadelphia Bulldogs	Newark Schools Stadium
Week 2	August 22	at Ohio Valley Ironmen	Wheeling Stadium
Week 3	August 29	vs. Toronto Rifles	Newark Schools Stadium
Week 6	September 17	at Philadelphia Bulldogs	Temple Stadium
Week 8	October 3	vs. Norfolk Neptunes	Newark Schools Stadium
Week 10	October 17	at Fort Wayne Warriors	Zollner Stadium
Week 12	October 29	at Toronto Rifles	Varsity Stadium
Week 13	November 7	vs. Rhode Island Indians	Newark Schools Stadium
Week 14	November 13	at Norfolk Neptunes	Foreman Field
1966
Orlando Panthers
Week 2	August 27	at Brooklyn Dodgers	Downing Stadium
Week 5	September 18	at Charleston Rockets	Laidley Field
Week 8	October 8	vs. Montreal Beavers	Tangerine Bowl
Week 9	October 15	at Norfolk Neptunes	Foreman Field
1967
Week 3	September 9	vs. Norfolk Neptunes	Tangerine Bowl
Week 4	September 16	vs. Montreal Beavers	Tangerine Bowl
Week 11	October 28	at Norfolk Neptunes	Foreman Field
postseason	December 10	at Orange County Ramblers	Anaheim Stadium
1968
preseason	August 17	vs. Indianapolis Capitols	Tangerine Bowl
preseason	August 24	at Norfolk Neptunes	Foreman Field
Week 2	September 7	vs. Alabama Hawks	Tangerine Bowl
Weel 4	September 21	at Alabama Hawks	Milton Frank Stadium
Week 5	September 28	vs. Arkansas Diamonds	Tangerine Bowl
Week 6	October 5	at Charleston Rockets	Laidley Field
Week 8	October 19	at Norfolk Neptunes	Foreman Field
Week 9	October 26	vs. Ohio Valley Ironmen	Tangerine Bowl
Week 11	November 9	vs. Norfolk Neptunes	Tangerine Bowl
Week 12	November 17	at Ohio Valley Ironmen	Wheeling Stadium
1969
preseason	August 17	at Norfolk Neptunes	Foreman Field
Week 2	September 6	vs. Arkansas Diamonds	Tangerine Bowl
Week 3	September 13	at Indianapolis Capitols	Bush Stadium
Week 5	September 28	vs. Indianapolis Capitols	Tangerine Bowl
Week 6	October 5	vs. Alabama Hawks	Tangerine Bowl
Week 12	November 15	vs. Norfolk Neptunes	Tangerine Bowl

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