1975 Season Book - Week 9

Sports Daily

September 27, 1975

WFL To Meet On Fate Of Philadelphia and Portland

WFL officials hope league can continue season

The World Football League closed out September amidst speculation regarding its financial condition. In Shreveport, reports surfaced that the Steamer was drawing near the end of its reserves for the season. Coach Marshall Taylor told reporters, "We have a little in reserves, but if we keep spending like we are it'll run out fast." Portland and Philadelphia were also reporting financial difficulties, and also problems with attendance. Both teams were averaging less than 10,000 for their games. The league front office couldn't detract the focus on the gate for the WFL's contests; in Jacksonville, 10,000 fans attended the Express-Vulcans game, but promising crowds of 16-17,000 showed up in San Antonio and Charlotte, and a whopping 21,000 in Shreveport. These figures gave the WFL founders some much needed optimism. The WFL averaged 16,366 a game and sold over 65,000 tickets for the games of week 9.

The WFL was not only losing at the gate, but were also losing key WFL jumpers. At the beginning of the season the WFL welcomed Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, Paul Warfield, Ted Kwalick, John Gilliam, Calvin Hill and Daryle Lamonica who came over from the National Football League. After nine weeks only Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield of Memphis and Ted Kwalick of Philadelphia has played in every game this season. Southmen running back Larry Csonka has missed two games and played sparingly in two others. The Hawaiians Calvin Hill was lost for the season after week 3. John Gilliam jumped back to the NFL after the Chicago Winds folded and Southern California Sun quarterback Daryle Lamonica retired on September 25.

The World Football League is upset over the John Gilliam situation. "Immoral and illegal" Chris Hemmeter demanded the NFL's Minnesota Vikings return former Chicago Winds wide receiver John Gilliam to the WFL. "The NFL has a rule that prohibits any player who does as little as attend one practice with any WFL team from playing in its league" said Hemmeter. "Now it suits their convenience to change their own rule. The old interpretation was intended to blackmail any player who even thought WFL. Would they have dropped their own rule for a player of less than Gilliam's superstar status? Most of the WFL players are on contract, giving them a percentage of the gate receipts. By pirating one of the WFL's premier attractions, the NFL has reduced the potential income of these players."

The WFL President continued as he was in a fighting mood. "We'll finish this season and return next year. We will have between 12 and 14 teams in 1976 with New York hopefully one of them. I feel we might wind up in the New Jersey Sports Complex if Yankee Stadium isn't available, but we must have a New York team to showcase." The WFL is still without a national television contract and this has continued to plaque the league. Hemmeter added, "As for TV we must have teams in four major markets, New York, Philadelphia, Illinois, and Southern California. Right now we have only two of those."

The Portland Thunder is scheduled to meet with former Philadelphia Bell assistant coach Joe Gardi for the head coaching job. He is expected to meet with team General Manager Bob Brodhead on Sunday, September 28. Brodhead took over as interim coach after Greg Barton was fired on September 8. The Thunder was also considering Memphis Southmen assistant coach Jay Fry. Southmen owner John F. Bassett said that he would not release Fry from his contract. "I have plans for Jay Fry and Portland is not in those plans" Bassett said. "Coach Fry is under contract to me and Portland is not going to get him, and that's final."

The Portland Thunder and Philadelphia Bell were idle during week nine.

Mira TD Pass Leads Express Over Vulcans, 26-18

Ex-Birmingham QB leads Jacksonville to second win over Vulcans

Express WR Steve Barrios hauls in winning TD pass

jacksonville, fla.; George Mira hit Steve Barrios with a 40-yard touchdown pass that gave the Express a 26-18 win over the Birmingham Vulcans. A Gator Bowl crowd of 10,881 watched as Mira passed for 223 yards and threw two scoring passes. After Barrios' fourth quarter touchdown, kicker Charlie Durkee kicked a 46-yard field goal that widened the lead to 8 points with 2:08 remaining. The Vulcans led 15-7 after Gerald Williams recovered a fumble at the three and ran it in for a score. The Express came back when Witt Beckman caught a 7-yard touchdown pass, and tied the game at 15-15 with the action point. Birmingham led 18-15 when Mira hit Barrios with the game winning score.

Birmingham Vulcans; Passing - M. Reed 9-21-101-0t-2i; Rushing - A. Cantrelle 16-94-1t, J. Musso 15-66, M. Reed - 3-17, B. Rudder 1-1, J. Profit 2-0; Receiving - N. Fergerson 4-46, J. Bishop 1-14, A. Cantrelle 1-12, T. Powell 1-12, W. Wheeler 1-9, J. Musso 1-8.

Jacksonville Express; Passing - G. Mira 14-25-223-2t-0i; Rushing - T. Reamon 14-40, A. Haywood 12-35, S. Johns 7-21, J. Poulos 6-1-1t; Receiving - D. Hughes 5-62, W. Beckman 4-53-1t, S. Barrios 3-99-1t, M. Creaney 1-14, T. Reamon 1-5.

Steamer Says Aloha To Hawaiians, 32-25

Steamer QB Edd Hargett

shreveport, la.; Edd Hargett passed for three touchdowns and Jim Nance rushed for 113 yards and led the Shreveport Steamer to a 32-25 win over the Hawaiians before a partisan crowd of 21,348 fans at State Fair Stadium on Sunday, September 28. Hargett, who passed for three Steamer touchdowns last week against Southern California, threw touchdown passes of 69 yards to Ricky Scales, 16 yards to Jim Nance and 11 yards to John Odom as Shreveport upped its won-lost record to 4-5. It took a goal line interception by Daryl Johnson to preserve the victory as the Hawaiians rallied from an 18-0 deficit and reached the Shreveport 19-yard line in the final minute of play.

Hawaiians; Passing - R. Cassata 14-26-160-1t-1i, S. Sixkiller 4-13-32-0t-1i; Rushing - C. Heath 20-70-1t, W. Wingard 5-57-1t, R. Cassata 3-12, D. Thomas 2-9, V. Clements 2-7, A. Davis 1-0; Receiving - T. Delaney 9-122, A. Davis 5-44, M. Haggerty 1-21-1t, M. Donohue 1-15, C. Heath 1-8, W. Wingard 1-5.

Shreveport Steamer; Passing - E. Hargett 14-20-241-3t-1i; Rushing - J. Nance 22-113-1t, V. Robinson 11-26, R. Thompson 5-12, E. Hargett 2-1, H. Brandon 1-5; Receiving - J. Odom 4-52-1t, J. Nance 4-32-1t, R. Scales 2-92-1t, M. Burnop 2-29, V. Robinson 1-19, D. Davis 1-8.

Anthony Davis Comines For 210 Yards, Sun Stings Hornets 24-17

Sun QB Mike Ernst calls play at line of scrimmage

charlotte, nc.; Anthony Davis, who picked up 210 yards on the ground and through the air, scored the winning touchdown in the final period as the Southern California Sun defeated the Charlotte Hornets 24-17 before 17,000 fans. Davis charged up the middle from seven yards out with 13:16 to go in the game to put the Sun ahead to stay. A.D., as he's nicknamed by the sports media, also added the action point. The league's leading rusher, the rookie from USC ran for 101 yards on 22 carries, but did most of his damage against Charlotte through the air. Davis caught seven passes for 109 yards and became the WFL's first running back ever to record over a hundred yards receiving in a game. Sun quarterback Mike Ernst completed 10 of 25 passes for 146 yards. The Sun activated kicker Benny Ricardo for this game and it paid off in a big way. He kicked field goals of 43, 20 and 35 yards. Those were the first field goals scored by the Sun this season.

Southern California Sun; Passing - M. Ernst 10-24-146-0t-2i, A. Davis 0-1-0-0t-0i; Rushing - A. Davis 22-101-1t, G. Herd 8-34, B. Ferrell 8-20-1t, G. Dixon 1-1; Receiving - A. Davis 7-109, G. Herd 1-15, K. Denson 1-14, B. Ferrell 1-8.

Charlotte Hornets; Passing - T. Sherman 10-23-186-0t-3i, B. Dowling 3-5-39-0t-2i; Rushing - D. Highsmith 25-36-1t, L. Jolley 9-30-1t, J. Sykes 1-7, M. Williams 3-3, T. Sherman 4-13; Receiving - T. George 6-121, J. Thompson 2-32, R. Parson 2-29, R. Cobb 1-22, M. Williams 1-20, D. Highsmith 1-1.

Wings Defeat Southmen, 25-17

Southmen RB Larry Csonka

san antonio, tx.; Larry Crowe set up two touchdowns with kick returns of 35 and 57 yards as the San Antonio Wings defeated the Memphis Southmen 25-17 before 16,283 fans at Alamo Stadium. The Wings got on the board when Billy Sadler ran 5 yards for a touchdown to give the hometown team a 7-0 lead. San Antonio then erupted for 18 second-quarter points as David Yaege caught a 15-yard pass from a scrambling Johnnie Walton, and Billy Sadler added his second touchdown on a 6-yard run. The Wings led 25-3 at halftime. Memphis' only score of the third quarter came when running back John Harvey threw a 49-yard halfback option pass to a streaking Ed Marshall to cut the lead to 25-10. The Southmen added a late touchdown on John Harvey's 8-yard run. The Wings held the Southmen to 89 yards rushing. This was the first time this season that Memphis didn't rush for a hundred yards in a game.

Memphis Southmen; Passing - D. White 17-31-226-0t-1i, J. Harvey 1-1-49-1t-0i; Rushing - J. Kiick 8-37, J. Harvey 5-28-1t, W. Spencer 5-16, L. Csonka 5-6, D. White 3-2; Receiving - E. Marshall 3-77-1t, P. Warfield 3-58, G. Shirk 3-38, J. Harvey 3-25, R. Wallace 2-48, W. Spencer 2-18, J. Kiick 2-11.

San Antonio Wings; Passing - J. Walton 14-21-225-1t-1i; Rushing - B. Sadler 14-56-2t, J. Strong 19-41, B. Gatti 4-9, J. Walton 3-9, D. James 2-6; Receiving - Ed. Richardson 6-86, J. Strong 3-31, W. Frazier 2-34, D. Yaege 2-23-1t, D. Morris 1-51.

WFL Week Nine MVP:

George Mira, Jacksonville Express

WFL Week Nine Top Performers:

Passing - Edd Hargett, Shreveport Steamer 14-20-241- 3 touchdowns, 1 interception

Rushing - Jim Nance, Shreveport Steamer 22 carries, 113 yards, 1 touchdown

Receiving - Tim George, Charlotte Hornets 6 receptions, 121 yards, 20.2 average

WFL Standings:

*Suspended Operations

WFL Transactions:

NOTE: This page was researched and written by Jim Cusano and Richie Franklin. This page appeared on the former World Football League Hall of Fame Web site and is used with permission. The WFL transactions were researched and compiled by Mark Speck and Tod Maher.