The 1948 NFA Season was the tenth NFA regular season. Prior to the season, some high profile players decided to retire. Cincinnati's 2 time American Bowl champions, QB Frank Tarkington and HB Charles Williams, both decided to retire after 9 seasons. The Milwaukee Indians would also lose two players to retirement. Their two time NFA MVP Charles Hall decided to retire after 9 seasons. Also after playing just one season with the Indians, QB Benjamin Moore retired after playing 8 seasons with the NY Lions and 1 season with the Indians. Moore would finish his career with 2 American Bowl championships. Giles Richland, after winning back to back American Bowls with Detroit, would retire. Richland had appeared in 4 American Bowls winning 2.
1948 NFA DRAFT
The 1948 NFA Draft was held at the Fort Pitt Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA on December 17, 1947 to December 19, 1947. For the second straight year, the Philadelphia Colonials had the first overall pick. They would pick QB Jack Freeman from Texas. Freeman in his first season would start 9 games. After starting the season 0-3, Colonials Head Coach Donald Pierce would start his rookie QB. Freeman would go 3-5-1 for the season which would be good enough for last place in the NFA East and finish with the worst record in the NFA.
ROUND 1
The 1948 NFA Regular Season started on September 12, 1948. This season would have the first game finish in a tie in NFA History. On October 10th, the Milwaukee Indians hosted the Philadelphia Colonials. The game would go to overtime tied at 27-27. Neither team would score in overtime and the game would end in a tie. Milwaukee would become the first team in NFA History to tie two games in a single season. On October 24th, two weeks after their first tie with the Colonials, the Indians would tie with the St Louis Aviators 21-21. The NFA East was a battle between the New York Lions and Pittsburgh Ironmen. New York would be in first place the entire season. They would finish the first quarter of the season 4-0. Pittsburgh would threaten to take first place, but would lose to the Lions both times they met which would secure New York with the division title. The NFA West was contested between the Buckeyes, Aviators and Mustangs all season. It wouldn't be until the final week of the season that the Buckeyes would be able to secure their fourth NFA West Division title. The Buckeyes would finish the season with a league best 9-3 record and earn home field for the NFA Championship Game against the New York Lions. AWARDS MVP: George Washington (HB, CIN Buckeyes) COY: Leonard Mitchell (NY Lions) 1948 NFA CHAMPIONSHIP Cincinnati Buckeyes vs New York Lions (December 12, 1948, Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH)