By Jim Dunne

The Norwich Y Giants, Norwich’s semi-pro football team that played similar teams from other cities during the years following World War II, was put together in just a couple of weeks in October 1947. President and captain John Kelly and coach Jack Lee decided that the quickest way to get the team up to speed in a short time was to use the offensive system that all the team members remembered from their high school days under coach Kurt Beyer.

Their first game, a 6–0 loss to the Syracuse Valley Athletic Club on October 26, 1947, revealed that even a familiar offensive system would not make up for a lack of practice. Because most of the players had daytime jobs, practices were held at night in the Y gym. The only outdoor practice, and the only one at which players were able to wear the pads on loan from the high school team, was held on the previous Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field. More than 200 fans showed up to watch this practice!