This premium Western Massachusetts Pioneers Football tee celebrates a brief but fascinating chapter in minor league football history. The Pioneers were an expansion team in the Atlantic Coast Football League, a minor league organization that stretched from northern New England west to New Jersey and as far south as Orlando, Florida.
The team gained initial popularity in 1973 when professional football arrived in Holyoke, Massachusetts, giving local fans a chance to experience the excitement of the game at Mackenzie Stadium. However, the Pioneers struggled on the field, managing to win only one game in competition, along with an additional victory by forfeit when their opponent went out of business before the end of the season. Despite being led by Head Coach Fred Wallner, a native of nearby Greenfield who had starred at Notre Dame and become a Pro Bowl lineman for the Chicago Cardinals during the early 1950's, the team finished with a disappointing 2-9 record. The franchise folded after the 1973 season along with the rest of the Atlantic Coast Football League, which decided it would not compete with the newly formed World Football League.
Our reproduction features the team's iconic logo with an authentically distressed, cracked, vintage feel that honors the original design while giving it that perfectly worn-in look of a treasured game-day shirt from the early '70s.
Product Details:
- Printed on premium Gildan 5000 blanks
- 5.3 oz, 100% preshrunk cotton for comfort and durability
- Classic unisex fit suitable for all fans
- Tear-away label for maximum comfort
- Available in sizes S-5XL
- Multiple popular colors available
- Front logo only (blank back)
- Produced using state-of-the-art direct-to-garment printing technology
Perfect for New England football enthusiasts, minor league sports collectors, or anyone who appreciates the rich history of forgotten football franchises.
Own a piece of Massachusetts football history that lasted just one season before disappearing into sports obscurity.