Is this a game used Continental Football League ball?

[shermdawurm]

Hi everyone. I am a fairly new member here (1st post!) but have been lurking for a bit. I collect Seattle teams and mostly stick to jerseys and dabble with bats. I don't have much knowledge on vintage footballs so hopefully some of you can help me.

I just got this football that was signed by members of the 1967 Seattle Rangers, who were in the Continental Football league for a few season before the the league folded. Like the title says does anyone know if this ball was possibly used by the team? Is it atleast team issued or is it just a retail ball?

The ball has the text, "OFFICIAL PRO LEAGUE PATTERN" encircling "THE KING" and under this is "Continental Football League". The date (Nov 5, 1967) is written on the white stripe with the final score of the game (Seattle 41, Sacramento 0).

Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[ooo-ribay]

Welcome!

I know nothing about footballs but I’m thinking your ball was league issued and maybe game used. My reasoning is that I’d be surprised if these were even available for retail. I mean, who is going to buy a Continental League football? Until reading your post, I had never even heard of the league!

[Jim65]

Greatest name in sports Dick Hard.

[Fballguy]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

Welcome!

I know nothing about footballs but I’m thinking your ball was league issued and maybe game used. My reasoning is that I’d be surprised if these were even available for retail. I mean, who is going to buy a Continental League football? Until reading your post, I had never even heard of the league!

The Continental Football League was a relatively big deal in the 1960s. It was a Pro league that intended to compete with the NFL and AFL, starting on the East coast and eventually adding minor league teams from across the country. Bill Walsh and Ken Stabler both got their starts there. They went hard after O.J. Simpson before he ultimately signed with the Bills and folded shortly after that when they realized they couldn't compete with NFL $$$.

I can't find a good picture of the football used in the CFL, but I find it interesting that the ball is called "The King" which seems like an obvious attempt to trump the NFL ball which was known as "The Duke".

[shermdawurm]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

Welcome!

I know nothing about footballs but I’m thinking your ball was league issued and maybe game used. My reasoning is that I’d be surprised if these were even available for retail. I mean, who is going to buy a Continental League football? Until reading your post, I had never even heard of the league!

I actually thought about that too. Good point on who would buy a CFL ball when you could get an NFL one or one endorse by an NFL star. Either way, the ball will fit nicely among my other items of defunct pro Seattle sports teams lol.

[shermdawurm]

Originally Posted by Fballguy

The Continental Football League was a relatively big deal in the 1960s. It was a Pro league that intended to compete with the NFL and AFL, starting on the East coast and eventually adding minor league teams from across the country. Bill Walsh and Ken Stabler both got their starts there. They went hard after O.J. Simpson before he ultimately signed with the Bills and folded shortly after that when they realized they couldn't compete with NFL $$$.

I can't find a good picture of the football used in the CFL, but I find it interesting that the ball is called "The King" which seems like an obvious attempt to trump the NFL ball which was known as "The Duke".

I didn't even notice that. I did some research and saw some game used NFL balls with the "The Duke" and completely overlooked that my ball says "The King". Do you think CFL balls would have been available for retail?