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Founded | 1887 |
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Suspended | 1942–1957 |
Folded | 1970 |
Based in | Orange, New Jersey Newark, New Jersey Orlando, Florida (1966–1969) |
League | Independent (1887, 1904–1928, 1931–1935) American Football Union (AFU) (1888–1895) National Football League (1929–1930) American Association (1936–1948) Atlantic Coast Football League (1963–1964, 1970–1971) Continental Football League (1965–1969) |
Team history | Orange Athletic Club (1887–1928) Orange Tornadoes (1929, 1931–1936) Newark Tornadoes (1930, 1937–1938) Newark Bears (1939–1941, 1963–1965) Orlando Panthers (1966–1969) |
Team colors | Navy, orange, white |
Head coaches | Jack Depler (1929) Jack Fish, Al McGall, Andy Salata (1930) |
Owner(s) | Edwin Simandl (1929–1938) George Halas (1939–1941) Sol Rosen (1963–1964) Tom Granatell (1966–1969) Paul Massey (1970) |
Home field(s) | Grove Street Grounds (1889), East Orange Oval (1890–???) East Orange Stadium (???–1925) Knights of Columbus Stadium (1926–1929, 1931–1936) Newark Schools Stadium (1930, 1937–65) Newark Velodrome (1930) Citrus Bowl (1966–1969) |
The Orange Tornadoes and Newark Tornadoes were two manifestations of a long-lived professional American football franchise that existed in some form from 1887 to 1941 and from 1958 to 1970, having played in the American Amateur Football Union from 1888 to 1895, the National Football League from 1929 to 1930, the American Association from 1936 to 1941, the Atlantic Coast Football League from 1963 to 1964 and 1970, and the Continental Football League from 1965 to 1969. The team was based for most of its history in Orange, New Jersey, with many of its later years in Newark. Its last five seasons of existence were as the Orlando Panthers, when the team was based in Orlando, Florida. The NFL franchise was sold back to the league in October 1930. The team had four head coaches in its two years in the NFL – Jack Depler in Orange, and Jack Fish, Al McGall and Andy Salata in Newark.