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Legnano Frogs

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Legnano Frogs
Established1977
Based inLegnano, Italy
Home stadiumCampo G. Malerba, San Vittore Olona, Italy
General managerEttore Guarneri
LeagueItalian Football League
League titles(6) 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995
Websitehttps://www.frogslegnano.com/it/
Current uniform
Helmet
Left arm Body Right arm
Trousers
Socks
Home
Helmet
Left arm Body Right arm
Trousers
Socks
Away
Map

The Legnano Frogs established in 1977, are an American football team from the city of Legnano, in the Metropolitan City of Milan, in Lombardy, Italy. It has black and silver as its social colors, while it has a frog as a symbol, hence the name of the team.

In 2023, The Frogs will be back playing at the top level of the Italian Football League IFL.

Among the most successful American football teams in Italy, they were European Football League champions in 1989 (with two participations in the Eurobowl final), won six Italian Football League titles (with 11 participations in the Italian Bowl) and a Coppa Italia Bowl (1993). The youth team has won two Youngbowls (1991, 1992).[1]

History

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Legnano Frogs celebrate victory after winning the XV Italian Bowl in 1995

The team was founded by a group of boys from Gallarate in 1977. They decided to practice this sport after seeing it while vacationing in the United States.[2]

The founders organized three small teams, with reference to as many bars in the area.[2] From the spring of 1978 one of these teams, called Frogs (in reference to the 1972 horror film Frogs) from the Bianchi bar, who had gone there for work, began training with the Pink Panthers of Piacenza.[2]

In Piacenza there were several players from the NATO base who taught the children the fundamentals of the sport. From the Pink Panthers, the Rhinos Milano was formed, one of the most important Italian football teams.[2]

From 1978 to 1980, the Frogs played many friendlies, also participating in tournaments organized in NATO bases.[2] Among the games played there was the first official match played between Italian American football teams in preparation for the first championship officially recognized by the federation; played on 24 June 1978 at the Stadio Carlo Speroni in Busto Arsizio, it was won 36–0 by the Rhinos Milano over the Gallarate Frogs.[2]

In 1981, the first official championship was organized by the Italian American Football Association, consisting of five teams: the Frogs, the Rhinos Milano, the Jaguars Turin, the Rams Milano and the Eagles Ferrara.[2] In 1984 the team moved to Busto Arsizio and changed its name to Busto Arsizio Frogs. In 1984 the Frogs beat an American team for the first time, the Derby Rangers of the NATO Naval Air Station in Tirrenia, 7–0.[2]

In 1987 the Frogs were close to being absorbed by the Milano Seamen.[2] However, it was decided by president Ulrico Lucarelli to move the team to Legnano and merge with the local Legnano Vikings instead.[2] On this occasion the team changed its name to Legnano Frogs.

In 2001 the team moved to Milan and changed its name to Milano Frogs, while in 2002 they merged with the Kings Gallarate, moving the headquarters to Gallarate and changing its name to Gallarate Frogs. In 2003 the team returned to Legnano and changed its name back to Legnano Frogs.

In 2004 the Blue Storms Gorla Minore was formed from a corporate split and the Legnano Frogs did not participate in the championships. Following the 2008 federal demerger, they enrolled in the NFLI, later merging into the FIF; in these seasons the team has always taken part in the top league of their home federation, reaching the semi-final on two occasions.

In November 2010 they announced that they had applied for affiliation with FIDAF and signed up for the LENAF championship, in which they played from the year following 2016 (but never managed to reach the playoffs).

In 2017 they suspended their operations to carry out a major restructuring and did not participate in the championships. In 2018 they returned to participate in the Second Division championship, the second level of the Italian American football championship.[3]

In 2023, after a long absence, the Frogs are back playing in the top level of the Italian Football League IFL.

Name

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Honours

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  • Italian Bowl
    • Champions: (6) 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995
  • Coppa Italia
    • Champions: (1) 1993
  • Youngbowl
    • Champions: (2) 1991, 1992
  • Eurobowl
    • Champions: (1) 1989

National tournaments

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Championship

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First division

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
1981 5 0 3 8 114 69 0 1 1 8 24 Italian Bowl Rhinos Milano
1982 9 0 1 10 462 40 1 1 2 7 11 Italian Bowl Rhinos Milano
1983 10 0 0 10 244 41 0 1 1 6 28 Quarter-finals Warriors Bologna
1984 10 0 0 10 241 37 3 0 3 71 36 Winner Warriors Bologna
1985 12 0 0 12 507 74 1 1 2 34 20 Semi-final Angels Pesaro
1986 9 1 0 10 248 27 1 1 2 54 46 Second round Jets Bolzano
1987 12 0 0 12 370 54 4 0 4 107 50 Winner Seamen Milano
1988 12 0 0 12 489 118 4 0 4 121 21 Winner Warriors Bologna
1989 10 0 2 12 327 183 3 0 3 110 55 Winner Seamen Milano
1990 10 0 2 12 427 213 2 1 3 90 84 Italian Bowl Rhinos Milano
1991 3 1 5 9 182 209 0 1 1 19 34 Quarter-finals Lions Bergamo
1992 7 0 5 12 263 239 0 1 1 37 40 Quarter-finals Pharaones Milano
1993 7 0 3 10 308 291 1 1 2 56 64 Semi-final Gladiatori Roma
1994 9 1 0 10 248 137 2 0 2 88 80 Winner Rhinos Milano
1995 12 0 0 12 429 139 3 0 3 100 59 Winner Gladiatori Roma
1996 11 0 1 12 410 156 1 1 2 88 47 Semi-final Phoenix Bologna
1997 7 0 3 10 242 151 2 1 3 66 55 Italian Bowl Phoenix Bologna
1998 8 0 2 10 315 131 1 1 2 71 44 Italian Bowl Lions Bergamo
1999 4 0 4 8 214 199 0 1 1 18 30 Semi-final Giants Bolzano
2001 7 0 1 8 172 90 1 1 2 34 28 Semi-final Dolphins Ancona
2002 2 0 5 7 141 203 2 1 3 89 84 Semi-final Lions Bergamo
2003 3 0 5 8 144 205 0 1 1 0 47 Semi-final Lions Bergamo
2008[4] 2 0 6 8 111 252 - - - - - - -
2009[4] 5 0 5 10 162 303 1 1 2 49 58 Semi-final Red Jackets Sarzana
2010[4] 4 0 4 8 154 169 1 1 2 23 21 Semi-final Bengals Brescia
Total 190 3 57 250 6924 3730 34 17 51 1346 1066

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Second division

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
2000 4 0 4 8 90 86 - - - - - - -
2006 1 0 6 7 27 180 - - - - - - -
2007 6 0 0 6 184 60 - - - - - - -
2011 2 0 6 8 178 301 - - - - - - -
2012 1 0 7 8 156 230 - - - - - - -
2013 2 0 6 8 90 137 - - - - - - -
2014 1 0 7 8 177 192 - - - - - - -
2015 0 0 8 8 53 252 - - - - - - -
2016 3 0 5 8 177 209 - - - - - - -
2018 0 0 8 8 6 430 - - - - - - -
2020 No season played because of the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 0 0 6 6 26 202 - - - - - - -
2022 2 0 4 6 54 138 - - - - - - -
Total 22 0 67 89 1218 2417 - - - - -

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Third division

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
2005 1 0 5 6 21 164 - - - - - - -
2019 0 0 6 6 48 278 - - - - - - -
Total 1 0 11 12 69 442 - - - - -

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Coppa Italia

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
1993 - - - - - - 4 0 4 90+? 37+? Winner Gladiatori Roma
Total - - - - - - 4 0 4 90+? 37+?

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Youth tournaments

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Under-21

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
1990 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
1991 ? ? ? ? ? ? 3 0 3 143 38 Winner Gladiatori Roma
1992 ? ? ? ? ? ? 3 0 3 28 15 Winner Pythons Milano
1993 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 24? 34? ? Gladiatori Roma
1994 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
1998 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
2004 0 0 5 7 28 161 - - - - - - -
2005 0 0 4 4 7 129 - - - - - - -
2006 3 0 0 3 48 26 0 1 1 0 20 Round of 16 Guelfi Firenze
2007 2 0 2 4 84 105 - - - - - - -
2008 5 0 1 6 143 69 1 1 2 41 48 Semi-final Green Hogs Reggio Emilia
2009 2 0 2 4 80 84 - - - - - - -
Total 12+? 0+? 14+? 26+? 390+? 574+? 7+? 2+? 9+? 212+? 121+?

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Under-20

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
1984 4 0 1 5 136 21 1 1 2 7 21 Youngbowl Bobcats Parma
1985 3 1 0 4 60+? 24+? 0 1 1 12 24 Quarter-finals Duchi Ferrara
1986 ? ? ? ? ? ? 0 1 1 20 30 Quarter-finals Doves Bologna
1987 2 1 0 4 48+? 20+? 0 1 1 ? ? Quarter-finals Duchi Ferrara
1988 2 0 2 4 29 35 - - - - - - -
1989 4 0 2 6 82 50 0 1 1 2 3 Quarter-finals Saints Padova
1995 4 0 2 6 120 151 0 1 1 20 47 Quarter-finals Gladiatori Roma
2003 0 0 6 6 23 204 - - - - - - -
Total 19+? 2+? 13+? 34+? 498+? 515+? 1 6 7 61+? 125+?

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Under-18

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
1996 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
1997 1 0 5 6 53 209 - - - - - - -
Total 1+? 0+? 5+? 6+? 53+? 209+? ? ? ? ? ?

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Under-17

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
2006 2 0 1 3 68 42 0 1 1 0 56 Quarter-finals Rangers Sarzana
Total 2 0 1 3 68 42 0 1 1 0 56

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

International tournaments

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European Football League

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Season Regular season Playoff
  W D L GP PF PA W L GP PF PA Result Opponent
1987–88 - - - - - - 1 1 2 101 35 Semi-final Helsinki Roosters
1989 - - - - - - 2 0 2 73 38 Winner Amsterdam Crusaders
1990 - - - - - - 1 1 2 67 56 Eurobowl Manchester Spartans
1991 - - - - - - 1 1 2 70 68 Semi-final Berlin Adler
1995 - - - - - - 1 1 2 64 67 Semi-final Düsseldorf Panther
1996 1 0 1 2 60 62 1 1 2 63 33 Semi-final Aix-en-Provence Argonautes
1999 1 0 1 2 52 43 1 1 2 49 55 Semi-final Hamburg Blue Devils
Total 2 0 2 4 112 105 8 6 14 487 352

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

Summary of the final stages played

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Year Place Event Tournament stage Match Result
1981 Santa Margherita Ligure Superbowl Final Rhinos Milano – Gallarate Frogs 24–8
1982 Pesaro Superbowl Final Rhinos Milano – Gallarate Frogs 11–0
1984 Rimini Superbowl Final Warriors BolognaBusto Arsizio Frogs 6–16
1985 Busto Arsizio Superbowl Semi-final Frogs Busto Arsizio – Angels Pesaro 12–13
1987 Rimini Superbowl Final Seamen MilanoLegnano Frogs 24–27
1988 Ancona Superbowl Final Warriors BolognaLegnano Frogs 0–17
1988 Brighton Eurobowl Semi-final Legnano Frogs – Helsinki Roosters 33–35
1989 Parma Superbowl Final Seamen MilanoLegnano Frogs 33–39
1989 Legnano Eurobowl Final Legnano FrogsAmsterdam Crusaders 27–23
1990 Rimini Superbowl Final Rhinos Milano – Legnano Frogs 33–6
1990 Rimini Eurobowl Final Legnano Frogs – Manchester Spartans 22–34
1991 Rome Youngbowl Final Gladiatori RomaLegnano Frogs 26–42
1991 Berlin Eurobowl Semi-final Berlin Adler – Legnano Frogs 41–37
1992 Bienate Youngbowl Final Legnano FrogsPythons Milano 28–15
1992 Sesto San Giovanni Coppa Italia Final Legnano FrogsGladiatori Roma 25–24
1993 Rome Youngbowl QF o SF Gladiatori Roma – Legnano Frogs 34–24
1994 Legnano Superbowl Final Legnano FrogsRhinos Milano 37–27
1995 Düsseldorf Eurobowl Semi-final Düsseldorf Panther – Legnano Frogs 35–31
1995 Cesenatico Superbowl Final Legnano FrogsGladiatori Roma 32–26
1996 Legnano Eurobowl Semi-final Legnano Frogs – Aix-en-Provence Argonautes 17–20
1996 San Lazzaro di Savena Superbowl Semi-final Phoenix San Lazzaro – Legnano Frogs 35–34
1997 Monza Superbowl Final Legnano Frogs – Phoenix San Lazzaro 35–42
1998 Catania Superbowl Final Legnano Frogs – Lions Bergamo 28–29
1999 Bolzano Superbowl Semi-final Giants Bolzano – Legnano Frogs 30–18
1999 Hamburg Eurobowl Semi-final Hamburg Blue Devils – Legnano Frogs 41–21
2001 Milan Superbowl Semi-final Milano Frogs – Dolphins Ancona 9–21
2002 Osio Sotto Superbowl Semi-final Lions Bergamo – Milano Frogs 49–7
2003 Osio Sotto Superbowl Semi-final Lions Bergamo – Gallarate Frogs 47–0
2007 Molinella Ninebowl Final Angels Pesaro – Legnano Frogs 29–8
2008 Reggio Emilia Youngbowl Semi-final Hogs Reggio Emilia – Legnano Frogs 42–16
2009[4] La Spezia Superbowl Semi-final Red Jackets Sarzana – Legnano Frogs 42–28
2010[4] Villaggio Sereno Superbowl Semi-final Bengals Brescia – Legnano Frogs 14–8

Source: Enciclopedia del Football (In Italian)

MVP of the Italian Bowl

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Frogs inducted into the Italian American Football Hall of Fame

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "I titoli". Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "La storia" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  3. ^ "Tranquilli: i Frogs Legnano sono tornati!" (in Italian). Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e Following the entry of FIDAF into CONI these tournaments – despite being of the highest level of their federation – are not considered official.
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