Memphis Southmen

Last updated
Memphis Southmen
Memphis Southmen logo.gif
Established1974
Folded1975
Based in Memphis, Tennessee
Home field Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium
Head coach John McVay
Owner(s) John F. Bassett
League World Football League
DivisionCentral (1974)
Eastern (1975)
ColoursBurnt Orange and Brown   
Nickname(s)Grizzlies

The Memphis Southmen, also known as the Memphis Grizzlies, were an American football team based in Memphis, Tennessee. They played in the World Football League (WFL), which operated in 1974 and 1975. They played their home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Contents

From North to South

The team was originally slated to be based in Toronto, Canada, with the nickname of the Northmen. However, when Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau announced that no U.S.-based professional football league would be allowed in Canada in competition with the Canadian Football League under the Canadian Football Act, a change in venue and nickname was announced. [1] [2] [3] From the beginning, Memphians disliked "Southmen" and the team was informally known as the Memphis Grizzlies. The name appeared to come from the logo, a representation of a bear backed by the sun.

The "Grizzlies" were owned by John F. Bassett. A multi-millionaire, Bassett gave the league instant credibility by signing three stars from the National Football League's Miami Dolphins for the 1975 season: running backs Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, and wide receiver Paul Warfield. A Grizzlies quarterback was Danny White, who later became a quarterback and punter with the Dallas Cowboys from 1976 to 1988. John McVay was introduced as the head coach of the Grizzlies before the 1974 season. After his tenure with the Grizzlies, McVay would later serve as Vice-President and General Manager of the San Francisco 49ers for nineteen years, from 1980 to 1999. During this period, McVay presided over five Super Bowl-winning seasons and was named NFL Executive of the Year in 1989.

The Southmen's home opener against the Detroit Wheels drew 30,122 fans, including Elvis Presley, a professed football fanatic. Country superstar Charlie Rich sang the national anthem. After Rich took his seat next to Elvis afterward, Presley commented, "That's a tough song to sing, ain't it?" Rich replied, "It ain't no Behind Closed Doors ."

Even before the Miami Trio arrived, the 1974 Southmen found two durable running backs in J. J. Jennings and John Harvey, and they finished with the league's best record at 17–3. They lost in the semi-finals to the Orlando-based Florida Blazers, 18–15.

In 1975, Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Paul Warfield finally came to Memphis (now officially dubbed the Grizzlies), but even they couldn't save the league, which folded during the middle of its second season. The 1975 Grizzlies finished 7–4; in their last WFL game, they were shut out by the Birmingham Vulcans, 21–0.

Memphis eventually not only received another professional sports team via a relocation from Canada, but one that was officially called the Grizzlies – the Vancouver Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association would move to Memphis in 2001. The NBA Grizzlies are the only major professional sports team to keep its nickname after moving from Canada to the United States.

In 2004 Mississippi's Johnny Wofford produced a DVD honouring the 1974–75 Southmen/Grizzlies. It included pictures from the 2004 30-year reunion conference.

The Grizzlies were supported by a large local fan base that included Memphis-resident Elvis Presley Elvis Presley first national television appearance 1956.jpg
The Grizzlies were supported by a large local fan base that included Memphis-resident Elvis Presley

Memphis and the NFL

The Southmen were one of the stronger and better-supported WFL franchises. With the wealth of Bassett, by far the richest owner in the WFL, behind them, the Southmen would have almost certainly been a viable venture had the WFL's overall management been more financially sound. After the WFL folded, Bassett applied for membership in the NFL as an expansion team. Over 40,000 deposits for season tickets were collected in this effort, which included a December 1975 telethon dubbed the "NFL-a-Thon" on Memphis television station WMC-TV Channel 5. To their dismay, the NFL refused to accept the team. McVay and many of the Southmen moved on to join the New York Giants, where in what has been described as "the closest approximation to a meeting between the champions of the WFL and the NFL", the Southmen reinforcements helped the Giants defeat the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers 17–0 in a 1976 preseason matchup. [4]

Still, there were fans who would not quit. A lawsuit, Mid-South Grizzlies v. NFL , tried to force the league to accept the Grizzlies. It was not settled until 1984, by which time Bassett owned the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League and the case was rendered moot.

Long after Presley's death in 1977, his estate was involved in an attempt to bring the NFL to Memphis; the Memphis Hound Dogs proposal ultimately lost (professional football would eventually come to the city in 1995 in the form of the Canadian Football League's Mad Dogs, which Presley's estate had no involvement with; the team folded after that single season).

The NFL's Tennessee Oilers (newly relocated from Houston) played their 1997 season in Memphis before making their permanent home in Nashville.

In 2013, Former Grizzlies RB Larry Csonka's induction into the NFL's Hall of Fame Larry Csonka 2013.jpg
In 2013, Former Grizzlies RB Larry Csonka's induction into the NFL's Hall of Fame
Former Grizzlies WR Paul Warfield was inducted into the NFL's Hall of Fame in 1983 Paul Warfield 1971MIA.png
Former Grizzlies WR Paul Warfield was inducted into the NFL's Hall of Fame in 1983
Jim Kiick was a AFL All-Star RB prior to joining the Grizzlies 1986 Jeno's Pizza - 33 - Jim Kiick (Jim Kiick crop).jpg
Jim Kiick was a AFL All-Star RB prior to joining the Grizzlies

Schedule and results

Key:WinLossBye

1974 regular season [5]

WeekDayDateOpponentResultAttendance
1WednesdayJuly 10, 1974 Detroit Wheels W 34–1530,122
2ThursdayJuly 18, 1974 Portland Storm W 16–831,088
3WednesdayJuly 24, 1974at Birmingham Americans L 33–5861,319
4ThursdayAugust 1, 1974 Southern California Sun W 25–1525,175
5WednesdayAugust 7, 1974at Philadelphia Bell L 15–4612,396
6WednesdayAugust 14, 1974at Detroit Wheels W 37–714,424
7WednesdayAugust 21, 1974 Hawaiians W 60–825,123
8WednesdayAugust 28, 1974at Florida Blazers W 26–1815,746
9MondaySeptember 2, 1974at Jacksonville Sharks W 16–1322,169
10SaturdaySeptember 7, 1974 Houston Texans W 45–015,291
11WednesdaySeptember 11, 1974 Birmingham Americans W 46–730,675
12WednesdaySeptember 18, 1974at Chicago Fire W 25–726,678
13WednesdaySeptember 25, 1974at Shreveport Steamer W 17–321,357
14WednesdayOctober 2, 1974 Jacksonville Sharks W 47–1915,016
15WednesdayOctober 9, 1974at Charlotte Hornets W 27–2325,133
16WednesdayOctober 16, 1974 Florida Blazers W 25–1515,334
17ThursdayOctober 24, 1974at Portland Storm L 25–2613,228
18WednesdayOctober 30, 1974at Hawaiians W 33–3120,544
19ThursdayNovember 7, 1974 Chicago Fire W 49–2414,085
20WednesdayNovember 13, 1974 Charlotte Hornets W 28–2213,339

Playoffs

GameDayDateOpponentResultAttendance
Quarter-finals BYE
Semi-finalsFridayNovember 29, 1974 Florida Blazers L 15–189,692

1975 regular season [6]

WeekDayDateOpponentResultAttendance
1SundayAugust 2, 1975 Jacksonville Express W 27–2625,166
2SundayAugust 9, 1975 Charlotte Hornets W 23–1119,729
3SundayAugust 23, 1975at Philadelphia Bell L 18–225,051
4SundayAugust 30, 1975 Chicago Winds W 31–721,515
5SundaySeptember 7, 1975 Hawaiians W 37–1715,132
6SundaySeptember 14, 1975 Shreveport Steamer W 34–2318,003
7SundaySeptember 21, 1975at Portland Thunder W 16–314,818
8SundaySeptember 28, 1975at San Antonio Wings L 17–2516,283
9SundayOctober 5, 1975 Southern California Sun W 37–3318,129
10SundayOctober 12, 1975 Birmingham Vulcans L 14–1820,192
11SundayOctober 19, 1975at Birmingham Vulcans L 0–21 [7] 35,000

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Football League</span> Former American football league (1974–1975)

The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 and most of its second in 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The league folded midway through its second season, in 1975. A new minor football league began play as the World Football League in 2008 after acquiring the rights to its trademarks and intellectual property; it folded in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Csonka</span> American football player (born 1946)

Larry Richard Csonka is an American former professional football fullback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins for the majority of his career, along with the New York Giants for three years. He also had a short stint with the Memphis Southmen in the WFL. Nicknamed "Zonk", Csonka is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. Csonka is mostly remembered for his success during his tenure with the Dolphins, which included being a member of their 17–0 perfect season in 1972, and winning Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1973, the latter of which he was named Super Bowl MVP when he ran for a then-record 145 yards. He was also a commentator for the original run of American Gladiators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium</span> Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, originally named Memphis Memorial Stadium, and later Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, is a football stadium located at the former Mid-South Fairgrounds in the Midtown area of Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The stadium is the site of the annual Liberty Bowl, the annual Southern Heritage Classic, and is the home field of the University of Memphis Tigers football team of the American Athletic Conference. It has also been the host of several attempts at professional sports in the city, as well as other local football games and other gatherings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Vulcans</span>

The Birmingham Vulcans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the World Football League (WFL). The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart league's second and final season in 1975. The team was owned by a group of Birmingham businessmen with Ferd Weil as team president.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia Bell</span> World Football League team (1974–1975)

The Philadelphia Bell was a franchise in the World Football League, which operated in 1974 and a portion of a season in 1975. The Bell played their home games in 1974 at JFK Stadium in South Philadelphia. The team logo was a representation of the Liberty Bell. In 1975 the team decided to stop playing at JFK and moved its games to Franklin Field.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Warfield</span> American football player (born 1942)

Paul Dryden Warfield is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 to 1977 for the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, except for a year in the World Football League (WFL) with the Memphis Southmen. He was known for his speed, fluid moves, grace, and jumping ability. A consistent big-play threat throughout his career, his 20.1 average yards per reception is the highest in NFL history among players with at least 300 receptions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Kiick</span> American football player (1946–2020)

James Forrest Kiick was an American professional football player. He played as a running back for the Miami Dolphins in the American Football League (AFL) from 1968 to 1969 and in the National Football League (NFL) from 1970 through 1977, except for 1975 when he played in the World Football League (WFL).

John Edward McVay was an American football coach and executive. He rose through the coaching ranks from high school, through the college level, and to the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Miami University in Ohio, starring as a center.

<i>Canadian Football Act</i>

The Canadian Football Act (1974), also known in its long title as An Act respecting Canadian Professional Football, was a proposed Act by the Parliament of Canada in April 1974 designed to give a government-protected monopoly over professional football in Canada to the Canadian Football League (CFL). Although it was never signed into law, the move by the government eventually compelled the World Football League's Toronto Northmen to move to the United States as the Memphis Southmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Memphis, Tennessee</span>

Sports in Memphis, Tennessee are supported in the city by Memphis Park Services, which offers a wide range of public facilities, including 17 swimming pools, 8 public golf courses, 48 athletic fields hosting a range of 510 youth and 269 adult teams, 130 basketball courts, 7 tennis centers and a soccer complex.

The 1975 Miami Dolphins season was the team's tenth, and sixth in the National Football League (NFL). Although they tied for the division title at 10–4 with the Baltimore Colts, the Colts won the tiebreaker in 1975 with a sweep of both games. The sole wild card in the conference was Cincinnati at 11–3, so the Dolphins missed the playoffs for the first time since 1969.

Robert Michael Lally is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) and the World Football League (WFL). Lally played collegiate ball for Cornell University and served as team captain. He was a First-team Selection to the Silver Anniversary All-Ivy Football Team (1971), a Cornell Hall of Fame Inductee (1982) and was selected to the Cornell All-Time Football Team (1887–2003). At Cornell, Lally was also President of the Red Key Society and was a member of the Quill and Dagger Society. He played prep football for Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame (1991).

The WFL All-Time Team is a list of the top players in the history of the World Football League chosen by fans of the WFL. It includes a First-team, a Second-team. Absent from the team are the high-dollar signees from the National Football League, such as Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, Calvin Hill, Duane Thomas, John Gilliam, George Sauer, and others. The WFL had all-league teams chosen in 1974 by "The Sporting News" and by the players/coaches. The World Football League played in 1974 and 1975, although the 1975 season was ended after 12 of 18 scheduled games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin Bass</span>

Marvin Crosby "Moose" Bass was the head coach of The College of William & Mary's football team in 1951. He also coached the South Carolina Gamecocks football team for five seasons.

John F. Bassett was a Canadian tennis player, businessman, and film producer.

John Harvey is a former award-winning Canadian Football League running back.

Professional gridiron football is one of the most popular sports in Canada. Unlike most countries, but paralleling its counterpart, the United States, football in Canada refers to the gridiron-based game developed in both countries over the course of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and not to association football.

The 1975 World Football League season was the second and last season of the World Football League. The 1975 season was to be an 18-game season over a twenty-week schedule.

James Henry "J. J." Jennings is a former American football tailback and fullback.

References

  1. ↑ "Basset says Northmen likely to move". The Globe and Mail . 1974-05-04.
  2. ↑ "Toronto of W.F.L. Gets Memphis Home". The New York Times . 1974-05-07.
  3. ↑ York, Marty (1983-03-22). "Alternative to Tiger-Cats: Bassett sees Hamilton in USFL". The Globe and Mail .
  4. ↑ Ford, Mark L. (2000). "25 Significant "Meaningless" NFL Games" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. Vol. 22, no. 5. Pro Football Researchers Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 14, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
  5. ↑ "1974 World Football League Game Results" . Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  6. ↑ "1975 World Football League Results" . Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  7. ↑ Thomas, Roy (20 Oct 1975). "Vulcs take fire out of Southmen". Montgomery Advertiser. p. 7. Retrieved 2021-10-04– via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.