Throughout the late 50's and the initial years of the 60's Don Sprinkle's Seattle Ramblers were kings of the semi pros in the Northwest.  Players from the University of Washington seeded the team from top to bottom as well as other collegians from across the region.  Following a five year span where the Ramblers managed a 42-7 record, Sprinkle's hold on dominance slipped.  Many believe it started with his tiresome campaign for King County Sheriff in 1962 and the lack of dedication he was able to put into the team.  But losing 12 key players from the 1961 squad didn't help.  The Ramblers suffered their first losing season since 1953.

 

At the same time, Chet Spaziale was successful in luring a number of Ramblers away to start up the Edmonds Warriors.  The team formed in late October and played against Tacoma and the Seattle Cavaliers, with former Ramblers Mel McCain, Don Allen, Jim Rothaus and others providing the core.

 

In 1963 the Warriors pitched their hat into the Pacific Football League with their rival Ramblers, but before the season kicked off, the beloved Sprinkle died of a heart attack.  The Ramblers fell apart and the Warriors won two out of three meetings.  Both teams finished the season with nearly identical 4-5 and 4-6 records.

 

1964 saw the shift of power completed as the Warriors rolled to the Nor-Pac Football League championship and an undefeated 9-0 season while the Ramblers final season pushed out a 2-9 campaign.  The Rambler dynasty was finished.  The dawn of the Warriors had begun.  Or was it just a shooting star?

 

The Warriors repeated the feat in 1965 destroying everyone in their path enroute to a 12-0 season and another Pacific Football League title.  Unexpectedly, Coach McCain resigned following the season finale victory over the All-Stars. 

 

As quickly as the Warriors excelled on the field, they plummeted in 1966.  But how?  Enter Ballard businessman Lafa Lane.

 

Lane, president of the Ballard Mortgage Company had a dream of bringing big time professional football to Seattle.  The Warriors, undefeated for 2 seasons was the logical choice for Lane, so he made a bid to purchase the team.  After purchasing the team he renamed the Warriors for a one-year venture as the Seattle Ramblers and won the Pacific Football League in 1966 beating the Portland Thunderbirds, the only true challenger to the team he was building.

 

The Warriors meanwhile, plodded along with the remnants of the 1965 team that had not signed on with the "Ramblers" and finished with a 2-5-1 record.

 

In 1967, Lane initially changed the team name to the Rangers and joined the Continental Football League, but then decided on the Jets.  But a lawsuit filed by the New York Jets went uncontested by Lane who changed the name back to the Seattle Rangers, only to have the New York Rangers file suit.  This time they battled and Lane won, keeping the Rangers nickname.  The average player earned $50 - $60 per game in 1967 as a member of the CFL.  Ernie Nevers, first player elected to the NFL Hall of Fame joined the Rangers as a kicking specialist coach and eventually took a position on the board of directors.

 

The Rangers signed lineman Dick Hard, a rare 313 pound specimen who did not play college football, but was sought after by the NFL and AFL because of his size.  Hard elected to stay in his hometown Seattle to work with kids at the YMCA.

 

Prior to 1968 Lane loaded his staff with University of Washington coaches and had a great relationship with the Denver Broncos Lou Saban.  Saban would send players needing development to the Rangers to get valuable playing time.  Many would return and become starters with the Broncos.  When rumors of the Boston Patriots wanting to move surfaced, Lane made an $8 million dollar bid for the franchise.  The deal fell through.

 

By 1969, the professional leagues were feeling the pressure of the Continental League and whipped out their checkbooks in efforts to sign the best players.  O.J. Simpson of Southern Cal had a $400,000 offer from the Indianapolis Capitols of the CFL but eventually signed with the AFL Buffalo Bills for $1.1 million.

 

In October 1969, Lane gave the team to White and Berg, who had become general manager by then. "I've spent a quarter of a million dollars trying to sell people of Seattle on good football, but the complacency shown by people here is overwhelming," Lane told the Seattle Times when he made the decision.

A few days later White and Berg declined the offer. Lane then suggested the idea of giving the team to the City of Seattle. Nothing became of that suggestion.

Before the team folded, the Rangers played one of their most exciting games, beating the Spokane Shockers14-12 at home in front of 11,102 fans, the largest audience in the team's short history.

On October 31, 1969, Lane made the announcement that the Seattle Rangers operation would shut down after their final home game on November 9.

Lane said he had lost half a million dollars in four years as majority owner of the Rangers.

"I took it (the Rangers) and closed it up, paid off all the bills," said Lane.

The CFL's eastern division, western and central division teams all went out of business, buckled by the pressure of NFL and AFL owners.  Those two leagues would merge in 1970.

"We could not afford it. We could not afford all those salaries. That ruined the CFL," said Lane.

In 1975, John Nordstrom, owner of the Nordstrom department store finally brought an NFL franchise to the city and the Seattle Seahawks were born.

Jack Patera was hired as the head coach. Quarterback Jim Zorn passed for 2,500 yards in the Seahawks inaugural 1976 season and was named offensive rookie of the year. Wide receiver Steve Largent recorded his first of eight 1,000-yard seasons on the way to a record setting career.

"I should have been there," said Lane.

 

Editors notes:

 

It is 2009 and similarities can be drawn between the demise of the Edmonds Warriors and what is happening in some regions today.  The lofty goals of one individual and promises of pay days for players can bring down what is already a great community football team.  The Warriors had been riding high on 21-game winning streak that could have gone on for many more games.  Crowds of 2,000 - 2,500 fans were not unheard of.  But, the Warrior team was dismantled and pieced out in 1966 and faded into semi pro history.  A case could be made that the creation of the Warriors led to the destruction of the original Seattle Ramblers.  Could it be possible that the Ramblers would still be playing today?  A vast majority of teams today can barely scrape in 200 fans and the college athlete, who once dominated the semi pro scene, is a rare diamond today.  The love-hate relationship of football teams and their communities has been a broken trust so many times over the decades, that it is difficult to find a team with a solid support structure in the community.  Spokane journalists mocked the semis openly after the Volunteers, Expos, Shockers, Fury and Golden Hawks opened with great promise, only to die a flaming death of mismanagement and a community left holding the bag of bad debts.

 

Longevity at the semi-pro level is a very rare occurrence with only 3 teams across the country having reached 500 victories.  But shouldn't that be the goal?  When a great team comes along, every effort should be made to keep it going and supported by the entire semi pro community.  But all too often egos and petty jealousy lead to the team being torn down and many times it comes from within. It is very true as we here at the GNFA continue the research efforts into the roots of our sport:  those who do not know their history are destined to repeat it.

 

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