Vintage Central States Football League Yearbook: 1972 West Allis Spartans

Until I found these two pro-football yearbooks, I’d never heard of the Central States Football League or CSFL — and I come from real football country; Wisconsin, home of the Green Bay Packers!

I still don’t know much about the league… Seems to have started around 1961 and ended about 1975.  If you have any information, please share it in the comments.

Below are a bunch of scans from the 1972 yearbook or program for the West Allis, Wisconsin, team the Spartans. (Because there are so many scans, I’ll be sharing the other vintage football yearbook in a separate post.)  I’ve concentrated on the player photos and bios, team and league stats, coaches and staff, etc., but I couldn’t resist tossing in a few of the local ads too. If you’d like to post or share these scans, please credit them with a link to this post — thank you!

1972 Pro-Football Yearbook for the West Allis Spartans

The Central States Football League In Brief, by Jordan Kopac, General Manager

Dan Celoni and Tony Catarozoli

Tom McKinney and Robert Daley

Jim Traskell and Marvin Waters

Vaughn Chattman and Greg Lehman

Ted Dyrnda and Rick Kujawa

Randy Letsch and Mike Heckel

Errol Barnett and Benjamin De Leon

Bob Lowery and Richard Joy

Al Charnish, Greg Braun, Gary Zauner and Michael Dressler

John Hammer, Willie Dixon, Paul Lathrop and Ron Bruce

John Lisinski, Fran Charland, Michael Chowaniec and Mike Gallo

Pete Bock and Ed Carufel

Jim Glembin, Gary Bosack, George Grbich and Terry Fredenberg

Rick Palmtag and Chris Spolum

1972 Spartan team “rooster,” err, roster.

1972 West Allis Spartan team photo.

1972 Central States Football League Schedule

Coaches and Staff: Harry Gilbert, Head Coach; Ed Bolch, Backs & Receivers; Al Tratalli, Line Coach; Joe Bukant, Consulting Coach; Jordan Kopac, Defensive Coach & General Manager; Grayle Balkman, Head Trainer, with assistant Ralph Morbeck; Ed Kozak, Assistant Equipment Manager; Frank Kopac, Equipment Manager; Clifford Street, Water Boy; George Gjuran, Ball Boy.

“1972 A Whole New Ball Game” Allis-Chalmers Ad

Fair Finance Corp. ad (with photos of Don J. Ripp and Sally E. McNamara) and photo of the Spartanettes cheerleaders.

Photo of team mascot on horseback: “The West Allis Spartan Pauses To Watch The Action.”

CSFL League Stats

Candid photo of All-pro Tom McKinney and Rich Kujawa with equipment.

Photo of the official play by play anchorman for the Spartans, Hal Walker of WISN.

Game-action photo with caption: “Spartans Fans will never forget the great running ability of Ron Ternouth, retired this year because of injuries.”

Full -page ad for Ira Fistell and Ted Moore of WEMP radio.

Reminder ad for season tickets and the big Madison game at Marquette Stadium.

Again, if you wish to post or share these images, please credit by linking to this post.

A Word From The Spartans’ Chairman Of The Board, Milton Mendelsohn, and a list of the members of West Allis Spartans, Inc.

Published by

Deanna

Deanna is the founder of Inherited Values, among other sites. She is also an antique dealer.

28 thoughts on “Vintage Central States Football League Yearbook: 1972 West Allis Spartans”

  1. I played in the central states league in 72 and 73. I was a def. end and long snapper for the Rockford Rams (formerly the Elmhurst Travelers) and the Delavan (Wis.) Red Devils. In the late sixties and early seventies it was a fairly active league and we had som good players. The pay wasn’t much but we had fun.

  2. Hi David — it must have been great to have a regular game, complete with atmosphere (not a rag-tag sandlot game), and some pay to boot 🙂

    Were the rules pro rules? Or college rules? Or something unique to the league itself? Oh, I have a million questions!

  3. My grandfather Frank Bonk founded the CSFL, owned the the Manitowoc Cheifs team, which is still in existence promoting youth football there, served as league commissioner for some time, and had a personal relationship with Vince Lombardi. My grandfather passed away in 2005, but my grandmother is still alive and has a lot of his memorabilia. He himself played on a team called the Galloping Gales in his early years, but I don’t know much about that myself.

  4. I played with the Spartans their last year, 1975. Great memories. After the league folded I played with the Chicago Heights Broncos in the Chicago league. I hated the drive to Chicago 3 times per week, but I loved playing.

  5. I played for the spartans for four seasons.we played for the love of the game.we won the title in 72.great team.the money was 15.00 bucks a game.igot my work history from social security and it was listed.we were considerd pros but the money was semi.

  6. This is great! I used to have both of the spartan programs from the years you’ve shared.
    I think I left them behind the seat in a vehicle I traded in. I never thought I’d get a chance to view them again. Thanks for bringing back some great memories. I played with the Spartans for 3 years, # 64 in the 72 team photo. The team and league consisted of players with all levels of experience. Some with pro, most with college and some right from H.S. It was alot of fun,alot of getting banged up,and it allowed us to play the game a few more years. Thanks for sharing.

  7. I grew up in Brookfield Wisconsin and remember going to some of the West Allis Spartan games. I recall Otis Sistrunk played for them and then played for the Oakland Raiders. I just remember it was alot of fun and the crowds were really into it.

  8. My father Harry Huber used to tell me that he played for the Waukegan Riflemen back when he was younger was also the coach of the Round Lake Spartens football team. The exact years he never mentioned would like to find out more about it though but unable to from him maybe you could help with the years maybe. Thank You in advance.He also mentioned playing for the Chicago Bears for a brief time till he blew out his knee.said he remembers Dick Butkus digging his cleats into him many times going after an opponent

  9. Deana
    This will probably go unread so late in the game, but I stumbled on this post looking for old info from when I was involved. After the CSFL disbanded the NSFL filled part of the void, some of the coaches and players from West Allis ended up with my team, the Racine Gladiators. Example: Jordan ended up our defensive coordinator, Harry Gilbert our offensive coordinator, Pete Bock and Vaughn Chattman also on coaching staff. If interested, ask away!
    Ron

  10. I’m a very serious collector/historian of minor league football and found this interesting. I saw both the West Allis Racers and Spartans play in the late 60’s and have a lot of material about that league.

  11. Wow, can’t wait to spend more time looking through everything. I will contribute all I can from past knowledge, heresay. and actual experience from the spring of 1978-1982.

    The CSFL gradually morphed into the NSFL Northern States Football League. A lot of the credit for keeping that brand of football alive had to go to Joe Swetish who at one time was very involved with the CSFL. He was always looking to fill an empty spot created by the Racine Raiders in 1975. I helped him out in 1978 by moving the North Shore Gladiators from the suburbs of Chicago, renaming the team to Racine Gladiators and making our new home Horlick Field.

    Many of the names from the CSFL became household words and were now part of the NSFL. I was the CEO/General Manager of one of the best group of players and staff for four of the most exciting and rewarding years a guy could ask for.

    After the spring of 1982, I continued to follow the Racine Gladiators which transformed into the new/old Racine Raiders. Not sure how you erase years of absense but I guess the gods of football can take two completely different organizations and make them one?

    I would be pleased to answer any questions 1978-1982 if they exist. There’s nothing easy about running a minor league/semi-pro football team and keeping it alive close to impossible.

  12. I played in the league with both the Delevan Red-Devils and the Racine Raiders from 1972 to 1974.

    In fact I was part of a trade of 23 players for one in 1972. I was not the one. The Red Devils had a quaterback named Berkawitz or something like that. They traded him to the Lake County Rifles for 23 players, I being one. One other player in that trade was a running back from Langston College named Ed Williams who went on the play three years with the Cincinnati Bengals and two with Tampa Bay.

  13. Players that played in CSFL and NFL.

    Tony Bertucca, Lake County Rifles and Baltimore Colts.

    Ed Williams , Bengals and Buceneers

    Greg `Grape Juice `Johnson, Racine Raiders and five NFL teams where he stayed to the last cut.

  14. I can only speak on knowledge of Greg “Grape Juice” Johnson Who I Signed to our team as GM of the Racine Gladiators. He signed with us after the season had already started after he was cut from the St. Louis Cardinals. Greg gave us a running game with a dimension we hadn’t had. He was also our premier kick-off returner. It was a pleasure to get to know Greg beyond the football field, a class act!

  15. Question for Mike Cerny. There were two Cerny brothers on the 1972 team. One offensive lineman and the other defense. Are you the one who returned two fumbles for T.D`s against Rockford in the pre season game?

  16. I played for Madison in 1973 we won the Division Title but lost the Championship to Lake County . I am from Ohio and lived in Madison just for the season, then returned to Ohio to begin my 35 year teaching career. It was a great experience and the Mustang Organization was great to work for. One of our preseason games was against the Youngstown Hardhats we bused their on Friday played Saturday nite and returned on Sunday the club furnished all our meals and lodging. After the last game we were asked if we wanted to play a team from Ceder Rapids and we would each be paid $75.00 which was good pay in 1973 for a days work. Thanks for posting the yearbook it brought back great memories. If any 1973 Mustangs see this please respond. I still have the yearbook in my attic and my scan some pictures this winter if someone is interested.

  17. My brother, Mike Gorecki (UW-Whitewater) was the QB in 1973-1975. Since I was only 9-10 years old, he was a real hero to me! Great memories from the Hale HS Stadium and all around the CSFL. My parents and I went to all the games. Good crowds back then.

  18. Hello,
    I played for the Rockford Rams in 1974 and West Allis Spartans in 1975, the last year for the team, and played for Delevan Red Devils and Racine Raiders after. I was signed by the Cleveland Browns in 1973.

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