For the World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa championship game, see World Bowl. For the first championship of the World League of American Football, see World Bowl '91.
Original plans for the World Bowl had the 1974 championship scheduled for November 29, the day after Thanksgiving 1974 at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. However, the WFL decided to expand its playoff field from four to six teams, pushing the championship back a week; furthermore, the host Jacksonville Sharks folded during the season, leading to the league moving the game to the home stadium of the higher seeded playoff team (in this case, Birmingham). A cash prize of $10,000 was brought onto Legion Field for the league's season MVP award, which was split between three players. The league presented the players with actual cash ($1 bills stacked on a table) in lieu of the standard practice of a check in order to avoid the scrutiny of a whether a WFL cheque would even clear the bank. However, after the ceremonies, the locker room of the champion Americans was raided and all team assets, including uniforms, were seized to collect on the team's debts. The day before the playoffs began the IRS had put lien on the Birmingham Americans over a $237,000 tax debt. The league negotiated a deal where the IRS allowed Birmingham to play in exchange for a portion of the gate receipts which were used to help pay off the debt. In addition, the Americans and Blazers players had gone unpaid for several weeks and refused to play until they were paid. It took Birmingham's owner Bill Putnam's promise of championship rings if they won and the league dividing the remaining gate receipts 60/40 (based on who won the game) to settle the dispute.
In the WFL, a touchdown was worth 7 points and teams could run or pass (but not kick) from the five-yard line for an extra point called an "Action Point". They could not kick as the creator of the league (Gary Davidson) thought that goalposts were disruptive, and the league was entertainment-based, made for fans, rather than players.
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
Birmingham- Profit 1-yard run (pass failed) 0-7
Birmingham- Cantrelle 4-yard run (Reed run) 0-15
Third Quarter
Birmingham- Brown 26-yard pass from Mira (pass failed) 0-22
Fourth Quarter
Florida- Reamon 39-yard pass from Davis (pass failed) 7-22
Florida- Latta 40-yard pass from Davis (run failed) 14-22
Florida- Foster 76-yard punt return (run failed) 21-22
Later use of the term
There would be no World Bowl 2. The 1975 World Football League season ended with the league's collapse 12 weeks into its second season with the remainder of that season, including the playoffs being cancelled. The Birmingham Vulcans, who held a league best 9-3 record at the time of the shutdown, were proclaimed league champions.
The World Indoor Football League had planned on using the World Bowl name for its championship in 1988, but the league folded without playing any games. The World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa used the name in 1991 to 1992, and from 1995 to 2007. When the World Football League was revived as a minor league in 2008, the new league's championship game was also called the World Bowl with the numbering continued from the original. Thus the 2008, 2009, and 2010 championships, all won by the Oklahoma Thunder, were respectively designated World Bowl II, World Bowl III, and World Bowl IV.[4][5]
^"Americans capture World Bowl honors". The Ottawa Citizen. CP-AP. December 5, 1974. p. 19. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
^Wallace, William N. (December 6, 1974). "Americans Win World Bowl". The New York Times. p. 49. Retrieved April 7, 2010.
^Martz, Ron (December 5, 1974). "Hunger Bowl". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1C. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
^"WFL in Tulsa, OK on July 31st 7:00 PM". World Football League. July 26, 2010.
^"Thunder wins World Bowl". Tulsa World. August 31, 2009.
External links
WFL1974 - a Birmingham Americans & Vulcans history site
February 26, 2023
world, bowl, world, league, american, football, europe, europa, championship, game, world, bowl, first, championship, world, league, american, football, world, bowl, world, bowl, also, known, world, bowl, only, american, football, championship, game, short, li. For the World League of American Football NFL Europe NFL Europa championship game see World Bowl For the first championship of the World League of American Football see World Bowl 91 The World Bowl also known as World Bowl 1 was the only American football championship game of the short lived World Football League The Birmingham Americans defeated the Florida Blazers 22 21 on Thursday December 5 1974 1 2 at Legion Field in Birmingham Alabama 3 George Mira quarterback for Birmingham was named the game s Most Valuable Player MVP It was televised on TVS Television Network World Bowl IFlorida Blazers 14 6 Birmingham Americans 15 5 21 22Head coach Jack Pardee Head coach Jack Gotta1234 TotalFLA 00021 21BIR 01570 22DateDecember 5 1974StadiumLegion Field Birmingham AlabamaAttendance32 376TV in the United StatesNetworkTVSOriginal plans for the World Bowl had the 1974 championship scheduled for November 29 the day after Thanksgiving 1974 at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville Florida However the WFL decided to expand its playoff field from four to six teams pushing the championship back a week furthermore the host Jacksonville Sharks folded during the season leading to the league moving the game to the home stadium of the higher seeded playoff team in this case Birmingham A cash prize of 10 000 was brought onto Legion Field for the league s season MVP award which was split between three players The league presented the players with actual cash 1 bills stacked on a table in lieu of the standard practice of a check in order to avoid the scrutiny of a whether a WFL cheque would even clear the bank However after the ceremonies the locker room of the champion Americans was raided and all team assets including uniforms were seized to collect on the team s debts The day before the playoffs began the IRS had put lien on the Birmingham Americans over a 237 000 tax debt The league negotiated a deal where the IRS allowed Birmingham to play in exchange for a portion of the gate receipts which were used to help pay off the debt In addition the Americans and Blazers players had gone unpaid for several weeks and refused to play until they were paid It took Birmingham s owner Bill Putnam s promise of championship rings if they won and the league dividing the remaining gate receipts 60 40 based on who won the game to settle the dispute Contents 1 Scoring summary 2 Later use of the term 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksScoring summary EditIn the WFL a touchdown was worth 7 points and teams could run or pass but not kick from the five yard line for an extra point called an Action Point They could not kick as the creator of the league Gary Davidson thought that goalposts were disruptive and the league was entertainment based made for fans rather than players First Quarter No scoring Second Quarter Birmingham Profit 1 yard run pass failed 0 7 Birmingham Cantrelle 4 yard run Reed run 0 15 Third Quarter Birmingham Brown 26 yard pass from Mira pass failed 0 22 Fourth Quarter Florida Reamon 39 yard pass from Davis pass failed 7 22 Florida Latta 40 yard pass from Davis run failed 14 22 Florida Foster 76 yard punt return run failed 21 22Later use of the term EditThere would be no World Bowl 2 The 1975 World Football League season ended with the league s collapse 12 weeks into its second season with the remainder of that season including the playoffs being cancelled The Birmingham Vulcans who held a league best 9 3 record at the time of the shutdown were proclaimed league champions The World Indoor Football League had planned on using the World Bowl name for its championship in 1988 but the league folded without playing any games The World League of American Football NFL Europe NFL Europa used the name in 1991 to 1992 and from 1995 to 2007 When the World Football League was revived as a minor league in 2008 the new league s championship game was also called the World Bowl with the numbering continued from the original Thus the 2008 2009 and 2010 championships all won by the Oklahoma Thunder were respectively designated World Bowl II World Bowl III and World Bowl IV 4 5 See also Edit1974 World Football League season 1975 World Football League seasonReferences Edit Americans capture World Bowl honors The Ottawa Citizen CP AP December 5 1974 p 19 Retrieved April 7 2010 Wallace William N December 6 1974 Americans Win World Bowl The New York Times p 49 Retrieved April 7 2010 Martz Ron December 5 1974 Hunger Bowl St Petersburg Times p 1C Retrieved April 12 2010 WFL in Tulsa OK on July 31st 7 00 PM World Football League July 26 2010 Thunder wins World Bowl Tulsa World August 31 2009 External links EditWFL1974 a Birmingham Americans amp Vulcans history site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title World Bowl WFL amp oldid 1004392582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
