1977 American Football Association

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1977 Timeline

May 16, 1977
It is reported that an existing San Antonio amateur league football team named the San Antonio Charros is trying to create a new minor league football league named the American Football Association.

Harry Lander, the Charros head coach, and Roger Gill, the Charros general manager, claim to have investors lined up.

Lander and Gill are in discussions with potential teams to be based in Tulsa, El Paso, Wichita Falls, and other cities. The two men had been organizing a new league named the Texas Professional Football League, but it is not known why the name has been changed.

The new league will be based on the World Football League's 'Hemmeter Plan', which was put in place in the league's second season to ensure teams started the season with proper funding. While that plan did not save the WFL from ultimately folding during the season, Gill believes it will be good for the AFA. "The WFL did not go under because the Hemmeter Plan was bad. The Hemmeter Plan was good but it was not enforced properly. For instance, we (the WFL's San Antonio Wings) were supposed to be able to exist three years on just $600,000. We ended up spending $2 million and were still trying to borrow more money when it ended."

May 25, 1977
It is announced that the Charros will join five other clubs from Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Wichita Falls to establish the American Football Association.

Incredibly, the league is giving itself less than a month before the first exhibition games will be played. Besides holding tryouts, each team will be scrambling to find venues available for rent on such short notice.

After playing two exhibition games, each team will play twelve regular season games beginning on July 2nd.

The Charros head coach, Harry Lander, will also be the league's president.

Rosters will be limited to 40 players, and plans are to pay the players 1% of each game's gate receipts.

Rules will be a combination of college and professional. Two point conversions are allowed and field goals will be worth 3 points (from 1 to 39 yards), 4 points (from 40 to 49 yards), and 5 points (beyond 50 yards).

League headquarters will be located in San Antonio.

June 1977

			1977 American Football Association
xx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xx

	Austin Texans		Fort Worth Stars		Houston Seagulls		Oklahoma Warriors		San Antonio Charros


	Wichita Falls Steelers

July 3, 1977
AFA vice-president Roger Gill says the league has forced the Fort Worth Stars out. "They have not secured a stadium, have not paid the league dues, and have not secured medical insurance - they are not quality enough for this league."

August 24, 1977
The Houston Seagulls fold due to financial difficulties.

Jim Chambers, founder of the proposed Southern Football League, claims the Seagulls will be members of his league when it starts up in October.

September 3, 1977
The San Antonio Charros are undefeated in regular season play and are named champions of the American Football Association for 1977.

Team Information and Schedules



Owner:		Roger Gill
Head coaches:		Jim Davis (games 1-5) Jerry Bettis (games 6-8)
Stadium:		Pflugerville High's Panther Stadium (4,500)

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	Houston Seagulls	3,200	W	25-0
06/25/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	3,000	W	14-12
Regular Season
07/02/1977	at Houston Seagulls	---	W	32-12
07/09/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	4,000	W	31-28
07/23/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	3,000	W	17-12
07/30/1977	San Antonio Charros	5,000	L	18-11
08/06/1977	Houston Seagulls	2,300	W	34-6
08/13/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	L	23-2
08/27/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	L	26-7
09/03/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	52-34
Final Season Results: 4-4



Fort Worth Stars
Owner:		???
Head coach:		Billy Sadler
Stadium:		Venue never secured

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	L	41-0
06/25/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	L	58-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	77-0
The Fort Worth Stars are forced out of the league



Houston Seagulls
Owners:		Bill Blan and Curtis Barnes
Head coach:		Curtis Barnes
Stadium:		St. Pius Stadium (5,500)

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	25-0
06/25/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	50-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	Austin Texans	2,300	L	32-12
07/16/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	???	L	21-8
07/23/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	43-6
07/30/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	???	L	53-6
08/06/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	34-6
The Houston Seagulls fold




Owner:		Brooks Mosier
Head coach:		Brooks Mosier
Stadiums:		Capitol Hill Stadium * Southside Stadium

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	W	28-24
06/25/1977	Fort Worth Stars	1,700	W	58-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	W	38-6
07/09/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	31-28
07/16/1977	San Antonio Charros	962	L	26-21
07/30/1977	at Houston Seagulls	---	W	53-6
08/06/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers *	1,200	W	29-0
08/13/1977	Austin Texans	2,000	W	23-2
08/20/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	48-0
Final Season Results: 4-3




Owner:		Harry Lander
Head coach:		Harry Lander
Stadiums:		Harlandale Memorial Stadium * South San Antonio High Stadium Alamo Stadium * Northside Stadium

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	500	L	28-24
06/25/1977	Houston Seagulls	1,000	W	50-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	Fort Worth Stars	1,500	W	77-0
07/09/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	1,000	W	37-0
07/16/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	W	26-21
07/23/1977	Houston Seagulls *	???	W	43-6
07/30/1977	at Austin Texans	---	W	18-11
08/13/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	W	26-9
08/20/1977	Oklahoma Warriors **	???	W	48-0
09/03/1977	Austin Texans ***	1,200	W	52-34
Final Season Results: 8-0
1977 American Football Association champions



Wichita Falls Steelers
Owner:		???
Head coach:		Mike Wyatt
Stadium:		Jaycee Park (???)

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	Fort Worth Stars	1,200	W	41-0
06/25/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	14-12
Regular Season
07/02/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	???	L	38-6
07/09/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	37-0
07/16/1977	Houston Seagulls	???	W	21-8
07/23/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	17-12
08/06/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	L	29-0
08/13/1977	San Antonio Charros	???	L	26-9
08/27/1977	Austin Texans	???	W	26-7
Final Season Results: 2-5

Game Reports

Preseason

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: James Nunn (??)

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Scooter Monzingo (12)
Houston: John Luna (77)

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Ray Mack (78), David Terrazas (75)

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: John Holmes (29), Richard Black (44)

06/25/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Austin: James Nunn (32)

06/25/1977
Fort Worth Stars at Oklahoma Warriors
Fort Worth: Ricky Kelly (??)
Oklahoma: Mike Jones (12)

Regular Season

Fort Worth Stars
at
San Antonio Charros

July 2, 1977
Harlandale Memorial Stadium

Charros bomb Fort Worth

Clifford Broyles - San Antonio Express-News

The Fort Worth Stars were really out of their league. The San Antonio Charros opened their American Football Association season Saturday night by demolishing the Stars, 77-0, at Harlandale Stadium. The Stars, who will probably will cease to exist before the next AFA weekend rolls around, were outclassed in every category. And just like Sitting Bull, the Charros took no prisoners. If the defeat were not insulting enough, the fact that San Antonio called time out with 11 seconds left in the game while trying to score its 11th touchdown was. The Charros stopped the clock after fullback David Wehmeyer slashed eight yards to the Star three as the final minute ticked off the clock. The former Texas Lutheran All-American scored his fourth touchdown of the night as time ran out as what remained of an estimated crowd of 1,500 made its way to the exits.	San Antonio built a 28-0 lead before half the first quarter had been played and led 49-0 at the half. The gap had widened, 63-0, after three quarters. Fort Worth, which was outscored 99-0 in two exhibition games, managed only three first downs and had its only offensive threat nullified by the third Charro interception of the night. The Charros also recovered six Fort Worth fumbles. Charro Owner and Coach Harry Lander said Fort Worth will be dropped from the league because "they have not secured a stadium, have not paid their league dues and have not secured medical insurance - they are not quality enough for this league." Wehmeyer ran for three touchdowns and caught a TD pass of 31 yards from quarterback Joe Goss for San Antonio, while Clarence Alberts added scoring romps of 10, two, and 77 yards.	Split end Tom Whittier caught two touchdown passes, one for five yard from Gross and a 20-yard halfback option pass from Billy Bird. Chuck Gossett hit tight end Gary Shuler with a 16-yard touchdown less than one minute deep in the fourth quarter. Rich Lander kicked seven extra points and Mike Wendell added three PATs for the Charros. The Charros needed only 23 seconds to score, dictating the tempo for the long night. Forth Worth quarterback Randy Baldwin fumbled the initial snap from center and Charro linebacker Grady Hoermann won a race to the pigskin 13 yards behind the line of scrimmage at the Fort Worth four. Wehmeyer took a pitch and raced in for the touchdown on the first play.

Score by Quarters
Fort Worth	0	0	0	0	-	0
San Antonio	28	21	14	14	-	77

Statistics
	FW	SA
First downs	3	24
Rushing (att - yards)	22 - (-11)	38 - 371
Passing yards	28	102
Passing (comp - att - int)	2 - 14 - 3	5 - 15 - 0
Return yards	16	27
Punts - yards	5 - 40.2	0 - 0
Fumbles - lost	6 - 6	0 - 0
Penalties - yards	4 - 60	4 - 56

Scoring Summary
		Not available

Oklahoma Warriors
at
Wichita Falls Steelers

July 2, 1977
Jaycee Park

Oklahoma City roars by Steelers, 38-6 in opener

Wichita Falls Times

The Wichita Falls Steelers' new offensive look ran into trouble Saturday night at Jaycee Park and the defense didn't fare much better as the Oklahoma Warriors pounded the Wichitans, 38-6 in an American Football Association league opener. The Steeler offense only managed 109 total yards, 61 on the ground and 48 in the air, while the OK offensive machine rolled up 471 yards, split evenly between the air and ground. The Wichitans appeared to be on even terms with the Warriors during the first quarter by holding them to two four point field goals, but the sky fell on the Steeler defense in the second period and the Sooner outfit rolled up 28 points. It was hard to say who was the culprit that scuttled the Steeler defense. Joh Eastep picked up 128 yards on 12 carries to lead the Oklahoma ground game that racked up 236	yards and quarterbacks Mike Jones and Prinson Poindexter shredded the WF secondary for 235 more yards. Jones hit on 10 of 22 attempts for 136 yards and one touchdown while Poindexter connected on five of nine attempts for 99 more yards and two six pointers. A blocked field goal and a missed played kickoff return hurt the Steelers in the second quarter onslaught. The muffed field goal attempt came when the Steelers had a drive bog down and were set to try a 51-yard field goal. The attempt was blocked and was recovered on the WF 33 by Lynn Dunean for OK. Two pass plays later Jones found Joe Stanfield winging for the end zone and connected on a 28-yard scoring bomb. Craig Wiseman, who earlier had hit 32 and 37-yard field goals, booted the extra point. On the ensuing kickoff, which looked like a	Texas League singe, the Steelers let it roll the sidelines where it didn't roll out of bounds and the Warriors claimed the ball on the WF 32. On the next play, Jones hit Nathaniel Fowler on the Steeler four where he was brought down. The next play, however, Eastep rompted in for six more points and Wiseman kicked the second of his four extra points. The Warriors had one more shot at the scoreboard before the half was over when they drove 90 yards in 14 plays. Poindexter capped off the drive with a 17-yard aerial to Cecil Lee for a touchdown. The Steelers did manage some offense for the night when they drove for their only score. Charles Hicks got the tally on a one yard blast. Oklahoma was shut down most of the second half due to three pass interceptions.

Score by Quarters
Oklahoma	8	28	0	2	-	38
Wichita Falls	0	0	6	0	-	6

Statistics
	OK	WF
First downs	21	0
Rushing (att - yards)	? - 234	? - 61
Passing yards	235	48
Passing (comp - att - int)	15-31-3	4-22-1
Return yards	?	?
Punts - yards	3 - 46.6	7 - 41
Fumbles - lost	1	2
Penalties - yards	? - 152	? - 35

Scoring Summary
OK		Wiseman 32 FG
OK		Wiseman 37 FG
OK		Stanfield 28 pass from Mike Jones (Wiseman kick)
OK		Eastep 4 run (Wiseman kick)
OK		Lee 17 pass from Poindexter (Wiseman kick)
OK		Jones 5 pass from Poindexter (Wiseman kick)
WF		Hicks 1 run (run failed)
OK		Safety, Simpson tackled in endzone by Stone and Spivey

Wichita Falls: Willie Houges (32), Robert Richie (7), Larry Franklin (51)
Oklahoma: Jim Stone (??)

07/02/1977
Fort Worth at San Antonio Charros
Article

07/02/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Wichita Falls Steelers
Article

07/02/1977
Austin Texas at Houston Seagulls
NO ARTICLE AVAILABLE

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Austin: Larry Carter (82)
Oklahoma: Archie White (30)

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Austin: Richard Black (44)
Oklahoma: James Thatcher (88)

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Oklahoma: Mike Jones (12)
Austin: Ray Washington (78)

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Article

07/09/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at San Antonio Charros
San Antonio: Buddy Tomasi (21)

07/09/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at San Antonio Charros
Article

07/16/1977
San Antonio Charros at Oklahoma Warriors
Article

07/16/1977
Houston Seagulls at Wichita Falls Steelers
NO ARTICLE AVAILABLE

07/23/1977
Houston Seagulls at San Antonio Charros
San Antonio: David Wehmeyer (35)

07/23/1977
Houston Seagulls at San Antonio Charros
Article

07/23/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Austin: Leonard Brantley (??)

07/23/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Austin: Thurman Benford (80), Paul Rich (??)
Wichita Falls: Danny Waggoner (41)

07/23/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Article

07/30/1977
San Antonio Charros at Austin Texans
Austin: David Terrazas (75), Duane Foster (??), Jim Dreyer (??)
San Antonio: Joe Gross (9)

07/30/1977
San Antonio Charros at Austin Texans
Article

07/30/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Houston Seagulls
Article

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Al Maves (24), John Holmes (29), Ray Mack (78), Cornell Reese (55)
Houston: Mickey Kuhn (??)

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: David Terrazas (75)
Houston: Claude Reed (11)

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Ray Mack (78), David Terrazas (75)

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Article

08/06/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Oklahoma Warriors

08/13/1977
Austin Texans at Oklahoma Warriors

08/13/1977
San Antonio Charros at Wichita Falls Steelers

08/20/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at San Antonio Charros
Oklahoma: Johnny Eastep

08/20/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at San Antonio Charros
Article

08/27/1977
Austin Texans at Wichita Falls Steelers

09/03/1977
Austin Texans at San Antonio Charros
San Antonio: David Wehmeyer (??)

09/03/1977
Austin Texans at San Antonio Charros
Article

Programs



06/18/1977 Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans	07/16/1977 San Antonio Charros at Oklahoma Warriors courtesy of Mike McCarthy

Tickets

07/30/1977
San Antonio Charros at Austin Texans

Miscellaneous

San Antonio Charros

Austin Texans

Oklahoma Warriors

Contact Gene Crowley
Last update: October 26, 2025