Hoboken's Forgotten USA Football Title

The Hoboken's Forgotten USA Football Title

As we approach the dawn of 2024, it marks sixty-five years since Hoboken etched itself into national sporting history by clinching the USA Pop Warner football championship on December 31, 1959, at Bellflower High School stadium in California.
Since those heady days of 1959, 1960, and 1961, when Pop Warner football saw thousands of teams nationwide vying for local, state, and national acclaim, many moons have graced the Mile Square town. This spirited competition featured boys aged ten to thirteen, each meeting specific weight requirements.
A meticulous criteria was established by a national committee, evaluating the talent pool, records, scores, and competition of each state's team. Hoboken emerged as a standout squad and a frontrunner. This recognition was well-deserved, as Hoboken secured the USA title in 1959, clinched second place in Las Vegas in 1960, and clinched the New Jersey state trophy in 1961. These young footballers amassed an impressive 33/1 record over those three remarkable years.
For many of the players, these memories remain a cherished treasure as they now navigate their senior years, contending with the challenges of ageism and other facets of longevity.
Time has a way of swiftly fading things - Maxwell House Coffee, Lipton Tea, Hostess Cupcakes, Bethlehem Steel, and the piers, all swallowed by the inexorable tide of change in the square.
Let's set aside a place of honor for these former players, who can still catch glimpses of those days spent traveling by car, bus, and train. It's worth noting that none of this distinction would have been possible without the unsung, unpaid coaches: Jim Marnell, Mike Calderone, Bob Paulillo, Jim Flynn, and one of the finest quarterbacks to emerge from the state, Jack Muraca. Lastly, a tip of the hat to Mr. Elwood Walker, a pivotal voice in ensuring that the Mighty Mites of Hoboken were recognized as true contenders by the crucial gatekeepers of the National Pop Warner football network.
Perhaps a plaque commemorating that three-year run, particularly the USA Champions of 1959, could find its place on the Little League field on Hudson Street, nestled between 4th and 5th Streets. The teams were fortunate to have St. Peter and Paul Church, just up the street, showering their blessings upon the players. During those years, Pop Warner football elevated the Mile Square City to the status of a serious "Contender," far beyond the fame of the Oscar-winning film "On the Waterfront" with its iconic Hoboken line.
Without a doubt, moments of fame such as these should never be allowed to fade into obscurity.

Thanks to Franny Coppola, Larry Avitable, Tony Curko, Ed Stinson, Tony Giordano players and former State Trooper Joe Paulillo for his insight and research whose brother Bob was an assistant coach. To Stevens Institute of Technology which allowed the team to play their official games on the well- groomed field without the lingering bathroom scent.

Dennis Sevano | 1961 Team