Portland Thunder (WFL)

Last updated
Portland Storm (1974)
Portland Thunder (1975)
Portland Storm Logo.png
Portland Thunder Logo.png
EstablishedOctober 1973
FoldedOctober 1975
Based in Portland, Oregon
Home field Civic Stadium
Head coach Dick Coury
General manager Ron Mix
Owner(s)Robert Harris and Bruce Gelker
League World Football League
DivisionWestern
ColoursStorm: Lime Green and Royal Blue
  
Thunder: Forest Green and Royal Blue
  

The Portland Thunder (originally Portland Storm) was an American football team in the World Football League based out of Portland, Oregon. When the World Football League was created in October 1973, the Storm was the original New York franchise. When the Boston Bulls merged with New York to become the New York Stars, the original New York entry's draft picks were eventually relocated to Portland. They were the first major league football team based in Portland. They played at then Civic Stadium, now known as Providence Park.

Contents

Portland's original owner, Houston accountant John Rooney, soon dropped out of the picture. [1] By March 1974, Bruce Gelker, a former football player and owner of several Saddleback Inns, was named the new owner of the fledgling team. Gelker originally sought a team in Mexico City, which proved to be unfeasible. After approaching officials in Salt Lake City, he settled on Portland. The Storm hired Ron Mix, [2] a Pro Football Hall of Famer, as general manager and Dick Coury, an NFL assistant with the Denver Broncos, as head coach. Before the season, Canadian businessman Robert Harris bought a controlling interest, but Gelker stayed on as team president.

The Storm was the last WFL team to be organized, and as a result had mostly rookies on their roster. Among the standouts was running back Rufus "Roadrunner" Ferguson, ex-CFL and Detroit Lion quarterback Greg Barton, and linebackers coach Marty Schottenheimer [3] (later a successful head coach in the NFL) and Bruce Bergey, brother of Cincinnati Bengals-Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey.

In the first half of the season Portland played poorly, going 2-7-1. The Storm won their first game when they beat Detroit in the ninth week. Originally a Wheels home game, the contest was moved to London, Ontario. The team improved during the second half of the season, thanks in part to several NFL players cut during training camp that September. Among the new signings were Ben Davidson of the Oakland Raiders, and Pete Beathard, who had been cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. With the stock of veterans, the Storm won six of their final 10 games. One of those wins was a 26–21 upset of the powerful Birmingham Americans.

The team was in trouble off the field as well. They only drew 14,000 fans per game. Additionally, an onerous lease with Civic Stadium rapidly drained the team of cash. By the middle of the season, Harris was so short on cash that he persuaded the Detroit Wheels to move their game to his hometown of London, Ontario. The players went the last few games without being paid, and reportedly they had to depend on sympathetic fans for food. They were forced to move their final home game, against the Florida Blazers, to the road due to the poor attendance, and only played after Harris guaranteed them $50,000. The money never arrived.

The team finished the season with an overall record of 7-12-1, tied with Houston-Shreveport for 8th place in the 12-team league and seemingly qualifying them for the playoffs. However, league officials decided to reduce the playoff field to six teams—without telling anyone with the Storm. Soon after, the IRS slapped a $168,000 lien on the franchise.

The Portland Thunder took the Storm's place in 1975 and lasted until the entire WFL folded halfway through their second season. The Thunder's office in downtown closed in October 1975. [4]

In 2013, the Arena Football League expanded into Portland, as the Portland Thunder, making many recall the Storm/Thunder. [5]

Schedule and results

Key:WinLossBye

1974 regular season [6]

WeekDayDateOpponentResultAttendance
1WednesdayJuly 10, 1974at Philadelphia Bell L 8–3355,534
2ThursdayJuly 18, 1974at Memphis Southmen L 8–1631,088
3WednesdayJuly 24, 1974 Chicago Fire L 22–2919,358
4WednesdayJuly 31, 1974 Philadelphia Bell L 7–2513,757
5WednesdayAugust 7, 1974 Houston Texans T 15–1515,636
6WednesdayAugust 14, 1974at New York Stars L 16–3816,222
7WednesdayAugust 21, 1974at Florida Blazers L 7–1115,541
8WednesdayAugust 28, 1974at Southern California Sun L 15–4527,814
9MondaySeptember 2, 1974at Detroit Wheels (at London, Ontario)W 18–75,101
10FridaySeptember 6, 1974 Hawaiians W 15–615,551
11WednesdaySeptember 11, 1974 New York Stars L 15–3413,339
12WednesdaySeptember 18, 1974at Jacksonville Sharks W 19–1716,041
13WednesdaySeptember 25, 1974 Birmingham Americans W 26–2114,273
14WednesdayOctober 2, 1974 Southern California Sun L 22–2620,469
15WednesdayOctober 9, 1974at Birmingham Americans L 8–3025,621
16WednesdayOctober 16, 1974 Hawaiians W 3–011,302
17ThursdayOctober 24, 1974 Memphis Southmen W 26–2513,228
18ThursdayOctober 31, 1974at Shreveport Steamer W 14–020,402
19ThursdayNovember 7, 1974at Florida Blazers L 0–2311,676
20WednesdayNovember 13, 1974at Hawaiians L 0–2314,245

1975 regular season [7]

WeekDayDateOpponentResultAttendance
1MondayAugust 3, 1975at Southern California Sun L 15–2114,362
2SundayAugust 9, 1975 Hawaiians L 24–257,709
3SundayAugust 16, 1975at Chicago Winds L 18–253,501
4SundayAugust 23, 1975 Shreveport Steamer W 33–246,576
5SundayAugust 30, 1975at San Antonio Wings L 0–2212,197
6SaturdaySeptember 6, 1975 Birmingham Vulcans L 8–266,342
7SaturdaySeptember 13, 1975at Philadelphia Bell W 25–104,710
8SundaySeptember 21, 1975 Memphis Grizzlies L 3–1614,818
9SaturdayOctober 4, 1975at Jacksonville Express L 29–328,119
10SundayOctober 12, 1975 San Antonio Wings W 28–253,818
11SundayOctober 19, 1975 Jacksonville Express W 30–138,713

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Strange but true: Houston accountant tried to put a football team in Oregon. KHOU. May 11, 2021 – via YouTube.
  2. ↑ "Ron Mix Interview, Portland Storm GM". www.wflnation.com. WFL Nation. July 19, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  3. ↑ John Canzano (January 28, 2012). "Canzano: If Portland could catch a break, it could support the NFL". www.oregonlive.com. Oregon Live LLC. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Thunder office closed". The Oregonian . November 1, 1975. p. C5.
  5. ↑ Dwight Jaynes (November 12, 2013). "The Portland Thunder? Been there and done that... in 1975". www.csnnw.com. Comcast Sports Management Services, LLC. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
  6. ↑ "1974 World Football League Game Results" . Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  7. ↑ "1975 World Football League Results" . Retrieved 2015-11-11.
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