Charles Coppen

Charles B. Coppen was an American journalist who was the sports editor for the Providence Journal. He was also a baseball executive and a part owner of the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League. He not only shared ownership of the team with Peter Laudati and James Dooley, but was also a co-founder of the team with Pearce Johnson, the team's general manager. In addition to his duties to the Steam Roller, he also had a budding law practice. His career with the Providence Journal ended with his involvement with the Steam Roller and in managing boxers. Coppen was also the manager of Providence's stadium, the Cyclodome.[1]

It was also Coppen who named the Steam Roller. During halftime against a game between the Steam Roller and the Providence Pros, Coppen who was getting a hot dog, heard a remark that the opposing team was "getting steam-rolled". Coppen loved the remark so much named his team the Steam Roller.[2]

Colonial League

In 1914, Coppen was elected president of the Colonial League, a newly formed minor league.[3] By May, it was suspected that Alexander Bannwart, who aided in the business management of the league, was working as an agent of the Federal League, an outlaw league working outside of the National Agreement. Bannwart denied this.[4] Upon these news reports, some of the founding members of the Colonial League resigned, fearing banishment by the National Baseball Commission.[5][6]

At the April 1915 league meeting, Coppen was re-elected as president and Bannwart was elected secretary. Walter S. Ward, the treasurer of the Brooklyn Tip Tops of the Federal League and son of George S. Ward, an owner of the Tip Tops, was elected as the league's treasurer.[7] Wanting to expand into Springfield, Massachusetts, and Hartford and New Haven, Connecticut, territory that belonged to the Eastern Association, the Colonial League reorganized itself as a farm system for the Federal League[8] and voluntarily withdrew itself from organized baseball.[9] The Colonial League struggled financially in 1915, and Bannwart's policies were blamed.[10] In August 1915, Bannwart resigned from the Colonial League.[11] The league collapsed during the 1915-16 offseason.[12]

References
  1. Hogrogian, John (1980). "The Steam Roller" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 2 (3): 1–13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27.
  2. Peterson, Robert W. (1997). Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-511913-4.
  3. "Colonial Baseball League Organized". The Charlotte News. 25 February 1914. p. 6.
  4. "Reported That Feds Own The Colonial". The Evening Herald. May 28, 1914. p. 6. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Steve Flanagan Quits Colonial". Fall River Daily Evening News. June 3, 1914. p. 5. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Bannwart Behind Colonial League". The Boston Globe. June 4, 1914. p. 10. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Son Of Federal League Magnate Behind Colonial League". Democrat and Chronicle. April 25, 1915. p. 28. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Arrangements For Federal League Farm Complete". Norwich Bulletin. May 14, 1915. p. 3. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "New League Jumps To Feds". The Meridian Journal. May 22, 1915. p. 8. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Bannwart's Policy Retards Colonial". Hartford Courant. July 4, 1915. p. 36. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Bannwart Quits Job At Last, But The Colonial Still Lives". Fall River Globe. August 12, 1915. p. 6. Retrieved January 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Lamb, Bill. "Alexander Bannwart". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
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