The Bristol Colts semi-pro football eleven that included a number of Warrenites on its roster played many of their games at Warren’s Jamiel’s Park.  They were led by quarterback Mike "Smally" Primiano, who beat out three other candidates, at least one of whom had played for his college eleven, for the job.

After an opening game scoreless tie in 1949, the team won twenty-five consecutive contests, capping the streak by winning the unofficial 1951 New England Semi-Pro Championship in a 7-0 shutout of the Agawam, Massachusetts Brownies.   Smally’s 70-yard touchdown pass finished off the Brownies, who had been the undefeated, untied, and unscored-upon New England titlists of 1950.

Over this three-year period, the local press described Smally in glowing terms: “fancy T formation quarterback”; “shifty quarterback”; “passing and all-around generalship were prime factors contributing to splendid win”; “ran team very well”; “his quarterbacking was sensational”; and “touchdown pass was a thing of beauty, if not a joy forever.”

Many of Smally’s touchdown passes went for more than fifty yards and were caught by such varied receivers as future Colt Memorial coach Eric Dober, Jack Sylvia, Columbia University’s Jack Zegger, and Brown University’s Jerry Zeoli.

Among the Colts’ victims were the Burrillville Mules, 33-0 (their worst loss in five seasons); Westerly, 27-0; Woonsocket Blue Devils, whose quarterback had played for Holy Cross, 14-6; Danielson, Connecticut Wildcats, 20-13; Boston Tornadoes, who had been undefeated the previous season and included a former running back for the National Football League’s Boston Yanks, 41-0; Quincy Mamets, the second-oldest New England semi-pro team that fielded twenty-two former collegians, 19-0; the “very dirty” Pittsfield, Massachusetts Tyler Aces, 33-9; the Taunton Herrings, whose fullback had played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, 12-6; and the Agawam, Massachusetts Brownies mentioned above.

Picture from Hall of Fame archives