Doing my part: Adventures in Pottsville

[Arizona's Finest]

Sooo....

As many of you know I live in South Florida and grew up in Southern California and Arizona. Needless to say my exposure to the North East is fairly small in scope. Like many a cardinal fan I have read the "Petition to Pottsville" thread and know the story well enough of the Maroons that I can recite it verbatim. Still I wasn't sure what state Pottsville was in and was more then sure I would never step foot in the city as I tend not to be the superstitious type anyway.

Well I have been seriously dating this girl who happens to be from central Pennsylvania and am currently visiting her family for a week long event filled vacation. This is my first time in this state and needless to say this has been quite the experience for a west coast raised city boy like myself.

Yesterday while many of the girls went to a spa the men of the family decided to visit the Yuengling Brewery. I knew very little about Yuengling other then they were America's first brewery and that they had a delicious lager that was rare to find on tap in bars.

So as we are driving through the rolling hills of Pennsylvania we end up approaching the brewery and Lo and Behold - I see a sign that says "Welcome to Pottsville". Needless to say I failed to make the connection.

But as we continue to roll down the main street I see a sign that says "Home of the Pottsville Maroons - 1925 football champions" and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Totally randomly I am in the cursed town of Pottsville that has held a hex over my favorite sports passion like a vice grip. As I began to tell the story of the defeat in the Championship game and subsequesnt overturn - all the family members looked at me like I was crazy. But they could tell I was passionate enough that we would have to stop by the monument commemorating the "championship" after our tour of the brewery.

So after the brewery I was dropped off at the monument that declared the controversail decision - located up Centre street on the corner of Race st. Unsure of what to do (I would have thrown a Cardinal sticker on the damn thing if I had one!) I took out some "holy water" splashed the sign, said numerous prayers and hossanas and hail marys, and prayed to god - any god - to save my burdened Cardinals and bring me the type of football peace I have not seen since that fateful day in Dallas over a decade ago. I then took a picture and we proceeded to the "Pottsville Maroons" Sports bar where me and the guys took a shot in the name of bringing down the curse.

I wanted to stay longer and look at the memrobilia but being I was in the company of a bunch of Steeler and Eagle fans I could tell their patience was wearing thin. But I have to say I feel better then ever about this season and like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

I didn't expect this and it was definitely an added bonus in my trip. I figured I would let the ASFN community know as I imagine its not often one of us gets up there.

IF we make the playoffs this year I'm thinking it will be less Matt Leinart/Wiz but more to do with my trip to Pottsville where (hopefully) I took down almost 80 years of curse.

 

[D-Dogg]

Outstanding!!

I make it a point to dring as many Yuengling as possible when they are available, to help drown out the curse.

 

[TruColor]

Did ya take any pics? We need pics...

Oh and Donald...I have to say that the "Robin Sparkles" episode was one of the greatest moments in TV history.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I love that show.

 

[Twist18]

Outstanding!!

I make it a point to dring as many Yuengling as possible when they are available, to help drown out the curse.

I drank alot of Yuengling when I was in New York. Outstanding beer.

 

[Skkorpion]

Great story.

 

[jf-08]

Truly outstanding!!

 

[Jersey Girl]

Thanks for sharing!!!

I am glad you made it to the cursed site AND the brewery.

 

[Dr. Jones]

One of these days the locals will have to go there and beg for forgiveness..... Someday it must happen.

 

[Skkorpion]

One of these days the locals will have to go there and beg for forgiveness..... Someday it must happen.

I'd like to go there, quaff some Yuengling and urinate on the monument. Proudly. Wearing a Cardinals' shirt. In day light on the opening day of Cards camp on July 23.

That might break the curse. The arrest, court appearance, guilty plea, monetary fine and night in jail would be worth it.

 

[Shane]

I'd like to go there, quaff some Yuengling and urinate on the monument. Proudly. Wearing a Cardinals' shirt. In day light on the opening day of Cards camp on July 23.

That might break the curse. The arrest, court appearance, guilty plea, monetary fine and night in jail would be worth it.

Did I miss something? I thought opening day of camp was officially the 25th when they report, do physicals on the 26th, and start practice on the 27th?

 

[Treesquid PhD]

I'd like to go there, quaff some Yuengling and urinate on the monument. Proudly. Wearing a Cardinals' shirt. In day light on the opening day of Cards camp on July 23.

That might break the curse. The arrest, court appearance, guilty plea, monetary fine and night in jail would be worth it.

I fully support and believe in the power of fresh urine.

 

[black]

VERY Cool

 

[bratwurst]

We definitely need pictures!

I buy yuengling all the time. I support Pottsville! Now get off our back!

I still want to do a Cards fans meet and greet in Pottsville someday.

 

[WildBB]

That's a funny story. Go

 

[arthurracoon]

 

[ajcardfan]

Did I miss something? I thought opening day of camp was officially the 25th when they report, do physicals on the 26th, and start practice on the 27th?

Nope. They report on the 23rd, do the timed runs on the 24th, and hit the fields on the 25th.

 

[azsouthendzone]

How did they win the championship in 1947 if there is a curse?

 

[D-Dogg]

How did they win the championship in 1947 if there is a curse?

The curse happened afterwards, for the way the Bidwills handled the stuff when Pottsville tried to get their championship recognized. The Bidwills have not and will not give them the title they feel they deserve. The drama started in the 60s.

Then in 1963, after Maroons fans petitioned the NFL to get their championship back, Cardinals president Charles "Stormy" Bidwill Jr. (current owner Bill's dad) wrote a letter to sports writer Red Smith saying, essentially, that his family had no intention of honoring the wishes of some hick town.

Four decades passed before the issue was formally brought up again, at the 2003 owners meeting in Philly. There, Rooney, Lurie, Pottsville mayor John D. W. Reiley and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell offered a solution that had then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue's blessing: Let the Cards and the Maroons share the title.

But, according to Rooney and Reiley, a Bidwill interfered again. Bill Bidwill, who served on a three-man committee that studied the disputed title, convinced his fellow owners to squash Pottsville's petition. They did in a 30-2 vote. (Bidwill turned down The Mag's interview requests.)

Afterward, Rendell called the owners "cowardly barons." Added Rooney: "What's been done to this town and this team. . . it needs to be fixed."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/columns/story?columnist=fleming_david&id=3222796

 

[Arizona's Finest]

We definitely need pictures!

I buy yuengling all the time. I support Pottsville! Now get off our back!

I still want to do a Cards fans meet and greet in Pottsville someday.

Let me get back to Florida on to my home lap top and I will do so.

Hope everybody had a happy fourth!

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I'd like to go there, quaff some Yuengling and urinate on the monument. Proudly. Wearing a Cardinals' shirt. In day light on the opening day of Cards camp on July 23.

That might break the curse. The arrest, court appearance, guilty plea, monetary fine and night in jail would be worth it.

Skkorp, If you do this without me I would be SOOOO mad at you.

I would body paint myself in the Cardinals colors head to toe (JUST the paint) and engauge in the urination of that stupid monument. I guess I should put KISS THIS across my arse to bring the whole thing together.

I hate Pottsville, I think there "curse" is BS, and they are a bunch of whiny bastards. Plus the Cardinals never officially accepted the Championship. That is part of the story, so it was never the Cardinals fault. Just BS myths past down by the drunken natives. Plus they always seem to forget the Maroons broke a contract with the league by playing a game outside of the league, thus their suspension and loss of title. They f'd up and know they think time will let everyone forget about it.
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...ship+1925&ndsp=21&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N

I don't care who is right or wrong. I am a Cardinals fan, so they are right by default.

The trophey was awarded to us. Thus we are the champions. They can take their "curse" and shove it, and then plug it with a Yuengling bottle.


As for :Afterward, Rendell called the owners "cowardly barons." Added Rooney: "What's been done to this town and this team. . . it needs to be fixed." Well, why don't they try to come and get it! We can hang them from the rafters on the new stadium.

 

[CardLogic]

AZ's Finest - Thanks for the great story!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Great story!

 

[Lloydian]

The trophey was awarded to us. Thus we are the champions. They can take their "curse" and shove it, and then plug it with a Yuengling bottle.

Of course, in reality, no championship award was made after the 1925 season since Pottsville had been punished and Chris O'Brien agreed that it was in dispute anyhow. It is merely a meeting minutes entry after the season was completed.

That said, Pottsville broke the rules. They did so after being explicitly warned what the penalty would be for breaking the rules, but they didn't care since selling a bunch of tickets was more important to them than a stupid NFL championship (and, ironically, they got neither). And for 45 years now, the town wants something that Cardinals fans are laughed at for even knowing about (only a team with two championships in 88 years would care about 1925).

There is no such thing as a curse (and if one was put on in 1963, it sure wasn't a good one with St. Louis making a consolation game and two division championships within the next 12 years), and teams should have to answer for rules infractions (I'm looking at you, New England).

You know, a single NFL championship would bring the Cardinals into a tie with Baltimore/Cleveland as well as St. Louis/Los Angeles/Cleveland. I say this is the year. Won't everyone be surprised when the Cardinals win the Super Bowl!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'd like to go there, quaff some Yuengling and urinate on the monument. Proudly. Wearing a Cardinals' shirt. In day light on the opening day of Cards camp on July 23.

That might break the curse. The arrest, court appearance, guilty plea, monetary fine and night in jail would be worth it.

i thought that's what he meant when he said he threw "holy water" on the monument . . .

 

[CardLogic]

i thought that's what he meant when he said he threw "holy water" on the monument . . .

DOH! I was trying to figure that out. I'm thinking, "What the heck does that mean; surely AZ's Finest doesn't carry a vial of water around everywhere he goes."


LOL!