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
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.
^ abcdeFollowing the entry of FIDAF into CONI these tournaments – despite being of the highest level of their federation – are not considered official.
