How the Super Bowls Started

In September of 1971 Marvin Pave (Boston Globe) and William Abramson (Boston Herald) proposed to the Massachusetts Secondary Principals Association, that a playoff be held at Schaeffer Stadium at the conclusion of the 1971 football season between the top teams of Class A and the top two teams of Class B in Eastern Massachusetts.  Their proposal was supported by the MHSFCA, but it became evident that more time was needed for planning; that Central and Western Massachusetts schools should be involved; that a new rating system was needed; that there was a concern over safety of playing on artificial turf; that there was no consensus as to wether a football playoff system was desirable.

Although the proposal was rejected, the Massachusetts Secondary School Principals Association felt that the feasibility of having state-wide football playoffs should be studied.  An adhoc Football Tournament Committee of principals, athletic directors, and coaches was formed to study playoff systems in other states; to establish guidelines for a playoff; and to develop a rating system and playoff format.

After studung playoff systems of other states and the problems involded in a playoff in Massachusetts, this committee formed its proposals.  The committee felt that a football playoff system should be implemented.  

The Super Bowls started in 1972 and the information above is from Mike Richard's book Super Saturdays.  Mike's book contains so much detailed information about the history of the Massachusetts Super Bowls and is a must have for fans.  The publisher is International Standard Book Number 0-97294997-0-4.

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