Shreveport Steamer

The Shreveport Steamer were a professional American football team in the World Football League. The franchise began the 1974 season in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Texans (no connection to the current NFL team of the same name), playing their home games at the Houston Astrodome.[1] Toward the end of the season, the team relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana, and became the Shreveport Steamer. They played at the 30,000-seat State Fair Stadium, now named Independence Stadium.[2] Larry King, of future CNN fame, was one of their broadcasters.

"Shreveport Steamers" redirects here. For the 1979–81 team, see American Football Association (1978–83).
Houston Texans
Established1974
FoldedSeptember 18, 1974
Based inHouston, Texas, U.S.
Home fieldAstrodome
Head coachMarshall Taylor
LeagueWorld Football League
DivisionWestern
ColorsGreen and gold    
Shreveport Steamer
EstablishedSeptember 1974
FoldedOctober 1975
Based inShreveport, Louisiana
Home fieldState Fair Stadium
Head coachJim Garrett
LeagueWorld Football League
DivisionWestern
ColorsGreen and gold    
Nickname(s)The Boats

The Steamer showcased a number of veterans and a few rookies. Among them were ambidextrous quarterback and former University of Houston star D. C. Nobles and several American Football League veterans: quarterbacks Mike Taliaferro and Don Trull, fullback Jim Nance, wide receivers Don Maynard and Rick Eber, tight end Willie Frazier, former Houston Oiler and All-AFL tackle Glen Ray Hines, linebacker Garland Boyette, defensive end Al Dotson, defensive backs Daryl Johnson, Richmond Flowers, Jr., John Mallory, and Art McMahon, and rookie linebacker John Villapiano, brother of Oakland Raiders defender Phil Villapiano.

History

1974 season

The Texans played in Houston for 11 games, going 3-7-1. The team relocated to Shreveport on September 18, 1974. On September 23, 1974, they were rechristened the Shreveport Steamer. The franchise, according to the WFL, was operated on a "play now, pay later" basis. The team was coached by Marshall Taylor, a former star player at Tennessee Tech. The Steamer made their home debut on September 25 against the Memphis Southmen. They played in front of just over 21,000 fans, and lost 17-3. They had a 4-5 record after the move, finishing 7-12-1 overall in 1974.

In 1974, under federal court order, Sheriff James M. Goslin seized equipment of the Charlotte Hornets, who were in Shreveport playing at Independence Stadium for the WFL against the Shreveport Steamer. Goslin was complying with a suit seeking more than $26,000 in accumulated debts that had been filed against the Hornets by plaintiffs in New York, where the team had been domiciled during the first half of 1974. However, Goslin allowed the Hornets to play the Steamer before the impounding of the equipment.[3]

1975 season

The Steamer returned for the 1975 WFL season with a different coaching staff. Right from the start, both the "Boats" and the resurrected league struggled. (The second Chicago franchise, the Chicago Winds, unrelated except by venue to the previous year's Chicago team, the Chicago Fire, ceased operations on September 2, after five games.) After a mediocre 5-7 record and with the franchise almost out of money, the Steamer and the WFL sank permanently on October 22, 1975. The second WFL ceased operations little more than halfway through the planned 1975 season.

An unrelated "Shreveport Steamer", also known as the plural "Steamers", played in the American Football Association from 1979 to 1981. (All copyrights and trademarks for the WFL's teams were allowed to lapse after the league's shutdown.) This team renamed itself the "Steamers-Americans" after merging with the Orlando Americans in 1982. Billy Kilmer served as the team's coach in its first season.

Schedule and results
Key:WinLossBye

1974 regular season [4]
Week Day Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 Wednesday July 10, 1974 at Chicago Fire L 0–17 42,000
2 Wednesday July 17, 1974 Philadelphia Bell W 11–0 26,227
3 Wednesday July 24, 1974 at Florida Blazers L 3–15 15,729
4 Wednesday July 31, 1974 Florida Blazers W 7–6 16,268
5 Wednesday August 7, 1974 at Portland Storm T 15–15 15,636
6 Thursday August 15, 1974 Southern California Sun L 7–18 31,227
7 Wednesday August 21, 1974 at New York Stars L 10–43 12,042
8 Wednesday August 28, 1974 New York Stars W 14–11 10,126
9 Sunday September 1, 1974 at Hawaiians L 15–33 10,248
10 Saturday September 7, 1974 at Memphis Southmen L 0–45 15,291
11 Wednesday September 11, 1974 Hawaiians L 17–24 9,061
12 Thursday September 19, 1974† at Birmingham Americans L 14–42 33,619
13 Wednesday September 25, 1974‡ Memphis Southmen L 3–17 21,357
14 Wednesday October 2, 1974 Detroit Wheels W 14–11 22,012
15 Thursday October 10, 1974 at Southern California Sun L 23–25 24,223
16 Wednesday October 16, 1974 at Philadelphia Bell W 30–25 750
17 Wednesday October 23, 1974 Birmingham Americans W 31–0 24,617
18 Thursday October 31, 1974 Portland Storm L 0–14 20,402
19 Wednesday November 6, 1974 Charlotte Hornets W 19–14 10,697
20 Wednesday November 13, 1974 at Birmingham Americans L 7–40 14,794
† first game after announcing move to Shreveport
‡ first home game in Shreveport

1975 regular season [5]
Week Day Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 Sunday August 2, 1975 at San Antonio Wings L 3–19 10,411
2 Sunday August 9, 1975 Chicago Winds W 38–18 10,611
3 Sunday August 16, 1975 Philadelphia Bell W 10–3 12,016
4 Sunday August 23, 1975 at Portland Thunder L 24–33 6,576
5 Sunday August 30, 1975 at Birmingham Vulcans L 8–21 18,700
6 Saturday September 6, 1975 Jacksonville Express L 15–22 13,638
7 Sunday September 14, 1975 at Memphis Grizzlies L 23–34 18,003
8 Saturday September 20, 1975 Southern California Sun W 38–29 18,777
9 Sunday September 28, 1975 Hawaiians W 32–25 21,348
10 Sunday October 5, 1975 Charlotte Hornets L 14–39 20,407
11 Sunday October 12, 1975 at Southern California Sun L 30–39 10,505
12 Sunday October 19, 1975 San Antonio Wings W 41–31 8,500

See also

Sources
  • Houston Texans 1974 WFL Media Guide
  • Shreveport Steamer 1975 WFL Media Guide

References
  1. Sachare, Alex (September 20, 1974). "Texans, Wheels could be moving". The Free Lance–Star. Associated Press. p. 9. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
  2. "WFL's Houston Texans shifted to Shreveport". Columbia Missourian. United Press International. September 19, 1974. p. 7. Retrieved April 10, 2010.
  3. Richard Sink (November 7, 1974). "Louisiana Sheriff Seizes Hornets Gear". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  4. "1974 World Football League Game Results". Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  5. "1975 World Football League Results". Retrieved 2015-11-11.
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