The city almost got a professional football team, 47 years ago

In 1972, some football fans in La Crosse were trying to raise $30,000 to bring a semi-professional team to town.  The Central States Football League was considering moving its Sheboygan franchise to either La Crosse, or Joliet, Illinois.  Don Harman and Gary Davis of La Crosse were looking for investors.  The team didn’t come to La Crosse…but the city has hosted a few arena football teams in recent years.  

The 1972 Super Bowl was played in January in New Orleans, at Tulane Stadium.  The Dallas Cowboys won in a 24-to-3 blowout over the Miami Dolphins.  Miami would go on to win the next two Super Bowls.  The ’72 halftime show was a salute to Louis Armstrong, who had died the previous year.  Performers included trumpeter Al Hirt, and singers Ella Fitzgerald and Carol Channing.   

Community Camera in La Crosse was selling 25-inch Magnavox color TV’s for $598.  On Friday nights in early ’72, you could watch The Brady Bunch, The Odd Couple, The Don Rickles Show, or Sanford and Son, starring Redd Foxx.  Yesterday in La Crosse.