Handtub Junction, USA
Established 1998

New England States Veteran Firemen's League

League Champions

The first NESVFL Championship was held at Lowell, MA on September 23, 1891 was won by the Volunteer #4 of Central Falls, RI.

From 1891 through 1917, the Annual Muster was held on a Thursday to take advantage of the weekday train schedules. After 1917, when motor trucks became more available, trains were used less and musters switched to Saturdays.

May 7, 1895 at  meeting of the League held in Boston it was voted to adopt a trophy to be known as the LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY. Said trophy to be held from Tournament to Tournament by the winner, but will remain property of the League. A committee was appointed to procure a design.

August 6,1895 at a meeting held in Boston it was voted to accept the design of the LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY with same to be a solid silver torch with black ebony handle, with the cost not to exceed $125.

November 6, 1895 the League voted to adopt the following rules relative to the LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY: " The Trophy shall be presented by the President of the League to the company winning the Trophy at the regular muster of the League, and it shall be the property of the League until it shall have been won three times in succession by any one company. It shall them become the property of said company winning it the three times in succession. The League shall furnish a pennant each year to any company winning said Trophy. At a meeting held August 4, 1908 it was voted that the Company winning the League Torch at the Annual Muster to be held in Lowell, MA on August 20, 1908 shall hold same as their property forever more. It was won but the Hancock #1 of Brockton MA. This was the largest League Muster ever held with 63 engines entered. 

January 10, 1905 voted at this meeting to change the name of the Annual Tournament to Annual Muster.

At the League muster August 23, 1930 prizes were awarded to 2 classes for the first time ever. However, the League Champion was still determined by the longest stream played by any engine at the muster.

January 19, 1932 at this meeting there was a discussion relative to a revival of the League Trophy. The Fire King Association of Pawtucket RI donated a silver tray, to be known as the Thomas W. Rhodes Trophy, which would remain the property of the winner of the Annual Muster for one year, or until won three times, not necessarily in secession. The League Muster was held October 22 of that year making it the latest date the League Muster had been held.

There was no muster held in 1933. At this time the financial status of the League was very much in doubt as all the money in the savings account was tied up due to the Depression and may never be retrieved. An attempt was made to have each Association in the League donate $10 to help sponsor a muster, but this failed due to the universal lack of funds.

At the Annual Muster held July 5, 1937 in Everett, MA the winner was the Volunteer #4 of E. Greenwich RI and with the victory the East Greenwich VFA took permanent possession of the Thomas Rhodes Trophy, having won it 3 times.

No Muster was held in 19. The was much discussion relative to holding a muster at the 1939 New York World's Fair, none was held. The Fair committee wanted a playoff with 3 engines with the prizes or be $600,$500, $400 plus expenses. The league wanted the money to be spent for a full scale muster run under League rules.

There was no Annual Muster held in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945 due World War 2. Gas shortages, many young men in the service, others working odd hours, etc. all contributed to this decision.

The Annual Muster returned in 1946 and at this time the League began awarding Championships in each class. Class A for engines with over 7" cylinders and Class B for engines under 7".

At the Annual Meeting of the League May 7, 1949 in Portland, ME it was voted that the longest distance played at ANY Official League sanctioned muster during each year shall be declared the Official record of that year and the engine declared the Champions.

In 1950 Pulitzer Prize winning author John P. Marquand and noted attorney Lispenard Phister, both of Newbury, MA donated 2 old firemen's trumpets that were to be presented to the First and Second Class engines playing the longest streams each year at Firemen's Musters. In order to retire either of the trumpets permanently an engine must win the award 3 times.
In 1956 both of these trumpets disappeared and were never seen again.

At the Annual Meeting on May 4, 1957 in Ashburnham, MA It was voted to go back to having one Annual League Muster for the Championship.

On Oct. 5, 1958 at the Fall Meeting of the league held in Marblehead, MA the League accepted the design and method of awarding the John F. Cutter Memorial Trophy, purchased by donations from the friends of John F. Cutter and the Edward Brennan Sr. Memorial Trophy donated by the East Greenwich Fire Department. These Trophies are to be awarded annually in Second Class and First Class respectfully, to the engines with the best three stream average recorded at League Musters.

At the Annual Meeting of the League held in N. Andover, MA on May 4, 1963 it was henceforth voted that the winners of the Brennan and Cutter  Trophies shall be declared League Champions in their class, and shall hold said Championship until new ones are determined. This vote ushered in the "modern era" of League Champions and is still used today.

At the winter meeting of the League held February 1, 1975 an attempt was made to change the method in which the League Championships are awarded, three votes were taken, the result being the present system shall be retained.

In 1978 the B.F. Hoxie Engine Co. 1 of Mystic, CT donated to the League the Joe Herman Memorial Trophy for Class A and the Charles Mastin Memorial Trophy for Class B. These trophies are given to the most consistent engines who amass the most points at League Musters each season. Handtubs are awarded 7 points for a first place finish down to 1 point for a seventh place finish.

May 1, 1976 it was voted that each year the League Championship in each class shall receive a suitable trophy which will remain their property.

No musters were held in 2020 and Championship awarded due to the Coronavirus Pandemic

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