Britball Firsts

First game in the UK

The 1st ever game of Am Football in the UK was actually on November 23rd 1910 & not the well documented Dec 10th one. Played at Crystal palace  between the USS Idaho & was scheduled to play USS Michigan. They dropped out & were replaced by USS Vermont. The Idaho won 19-0 in front of 10 000, collecting the Daily Mirror Silver Cup from the Duke of Manchester. The Mirror was pleased enough to sponsor a 2nd game between the Idaho & the USS Connecticut on Dec 3rd, also at Crystal Palace. The Idaho won 5-0.  The last game of the tour was the 10th Dec game. between USS Georgia & USS Rhode Island in Northfleet Kent. The next games were actually two in 1942  US servicemen vs. Canadian servicemen at Wembley. The Canadians won the first game the 'Tea Bowl' comfortably. This meant the return game was given 'priority' by the US army and players were rumoured to be airlifted in to win the return 'Coffee Bowl' for the Americans in a game they dominated.

First game involving a British team

9th July 1983 - London Ravens 0-8 USAF Chicksands at Stamford Bridge (attendance 4,500)

First game between two British teams

October 1983 - London Ravens 48-0 Northwich Spartans (in London)

First Senior Kitted Game in Ireland

25th May 1986 - Dublin Celts 46-7 Belfast Blitzers

First ever game on the Isle of Man

20th April 1986 - Manx Comets 58-14 Peel Vikings

First ever game on the Channel Isles

12th April 1987 - Jersey Senates vs. Brighton B-52s (Attendance 700, score unknown)

First British Team to play on foreign soil

15th April 1984 - Dusseldorf Panthers 69-0 Poole Sharks

First British Team to win on foreign soil

December 1985 - Manchester Allstars in Boulogne

First Youth Kitted Game in England

30th August 1987 - Leicester Panthers vs. Durham Chiefs (at Saffron Lane Stadium)

First Pee-Wee Game in the UK

Acorn Invaders 18-0 Kent Rams - 12th December 1987

First Junior Flag Game in UK

1984 - Suranda Bowl I - Oakway Tiger Cubs 0-12 Studley Bearcats (at Southam)

First Junior Touch Game in Scotland

Corstorphine Cougars 18-0 Edinburgh Hawks (September 29th 1985)

First Youth Kitted Game in Scotland

Glasgow Lions vs. Glasgow Diamonds (Scotbowl I on 20th July 1986 at Helenvale, score unknown)

First Under-16 Junior Kitted Game in Scotland

28th October 2001 - Inverness Wildcats 24-12 Elgin Eagles

First Youth Game in Ireland

Dublin Panthers 41-0 Drimnagh Pirates - April 1986

First Domestic Indoor Game

Cleveland Bays 20-36 Southland Raiders - this was a demonstration game of Britball UK, a new indoor version of football played on a basketball court and a precursor to the Britball UK league which was to run during the winter of 1990.

First all female game in the UK

South Coast Sharkettes 30-12 Eastbourne Crusaders, in Bognor Regis (November 1986)

First Recorded Tied Game

14th April 1984 - Milton Keynes Pioneers 14-14 RAF Wyton Eagles

First Running Back To Reach 10,000 yards rushing

Orr, David (Clydesdale Colts). Reached in game vs. Granite City Oilers (27th May 1994).

First ever 100 yard kick-off return for a TD

Valentine, Steve (Crewe Railroaders) vs. Leicester Huntsmen, 29th May 1988

First recorded 99 yard TD catch

Birgin, Neville (Southampton Seahawks) vs. Taunton Wyverns, 17th July 1988 - QB unknown

First recorded use of a drop-kick to score a PAT

Mount's Bay Buccaneers vs. Wight Rhinos, 1986 season. 
Barclay, Ian (Fylde Falcons) vs. Glasgow Lions, 4th June 1989

First female player in Britball

Logan, Fiona (Musselburgh Magnums) - back up QB -   March 1986

First kitted side to play 2 league games on the same day

Johnstone Crusaders (BAFL Anglo Div) on 27 July 1986. In game 1 they lost 14-16 to Musselburgh. In game 2 they beat Clydesdale 14-8.

Youngest player to score a TD in Senior Football

15 years old - Ford, David (Prestatyn Panthers) vs. Buckley Hangmen - 26th July 1987 (10th of the season one that date)

Oldest BCAFL player

Steve "Fluff" James (Cardiff Cobras) - born 13/10/63. Last played vs Bristol Bullets on 6th February 2005 at DT
Philip De Monte
 (Oxford Cavaliers) - born 24/6/62. Played vs. Reading University on 10/11/02 at right tackle

Most consecutive league seasons in Senior Football

23 - Hackshaw, Bernie (Coventry Jets) - 1985 (first league season) -2007
23 - Lockhart, John (Gateshead Senators) - 1986-present
21 - Matthews, Gary (Redditch Arrows) - 1987-present
21 - Pester, Dave (Kent Exiles) - 1987-present
19 - Pester, Paul (Kent Exiles) - 1989 - present

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