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1983		 American Football Association logo BirminghamProSports.com
     
     
1983 Timeline

May 1983
American Football Association logo 1983                      
American Football Association                    
xx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xxx   xx
  Baton Rouge Red Wings logo   Canton Bulldogs logo   Carolina Storm logo   NEED
LOGO		   Dallas Wranglers logo  
  Baton Rouge Red Wings   Canton Bulldogs   Carolina Storm   Charleston Rockets   Dallas Wranglers  
                     
  NEED
LOGO		   Oklahoma City Drillers logo   NEED
LOGO		   San Antonio Bulls logo   Shreveport Americans logo  
  Houston Mustangs   Oklahoma City Drillers   Pittsburgh Colts   San Antonio Bulls   Shreveport Americans  
                     

1983
  American Football Association  
West
Division		 East
Division
  Baton Rouge Red Wings     Canton Bulldogs
  Dallas Wranglers   Carolina Storm
  Houston Mustangs   Charleston Rockets  
  Oklahoma City Drillers   Pittsburgh Colts
  San Antonio Bulls  
  Shreveport Americans  

June 5, 1983
After having to cancel the home game against Baton Rouge, AFA commissioner Roger Gill announces that the Oklahoma City Drillers are in a financial crisis. "Oklahoma will be a road team. Unless the majority of owners decide otherwise. They will play to meet commitments of road games but they'll be ineligible for the title. I've left it to the individual teams on an individual basis if they want Oklahoma to play."

July 1, 1983
After playing four games, the Charleston Rockets announce they are folding. Shreveport owner Harold Moore isn't surprised because the franchise has been in trouble since last season. Rockets owner Dave Ferrell reportedly said the entire league was going under, but Moore refuted his statement by saying, "The league can't fold without me knowing because I'm the secretary."

July 3, 1983
Last week, the proposed International Football League told the Canton Bulldogs and the Carolina Storm that they must end their current seasons with the American Football Association by August 1st. San Antonio hopes to land a spot in the United States Football League but will join the IFL if that bid does not work out.

July 10, 1983
Published reports state that the Canton Bulldogs withdrew from the AFA earlier in the week. They want to focus their attention on moving to the International Football League.

July 11, 1983
The United States Football League's commissioner, Chet Simmons, announces that San Antonio will get an expansion team in 1984. San Antonio Bulls owner Clinton Manges is the major financial piece of the new team's ownership group. Manges says the Bulls will complete their final season in the AFA before they become the USFL team.

July 12, 1983
The Texas Wranglers fold due to financial losses.


Game Results
 
Baton Rouge Red Wings logo
Owner:     Otis Spurlock
Head coach:   ???
Stadium:   Memorial Stadium
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     Shreveport Americans 100 L 66-0
06/04/1983   at Oklahoma City Drillers   --- W Forfeit
06/11/1983   Houston Mustangs ??? W 23-13
06/18/1983   San Antonio Bulls ??? L 55-0
07/02/1983   at Shreveport Americans --- L 78-0
  Final Season Results: 2-3
 
 
Canton Bulldogs logo     Canton Bulldogs logo
Owner:     Guy Cicchini
Head coach:   Bob Commings
Stadium:   Fawcett Stadium
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Preseason
  05/21/1983     at Charleston Rockets --- W 16-0
  Regular Season
05/28/1983   Charleston Rockets 1,500 W 11-0
06/04/1983   at Pittsburgh Colts --- W 27-21
06/11/1983   Gary Golden Bears
    Northern States Football League  		 1,000 W 27-6
06/18/1983   Carolina Storm ??? L 35-7
06/25/1983   Pittsburgh Colts 1,200 W 16-13
The Canton Bulldogs withdraw from league
 
 
Carolina Storm logo
Owner:     Tom Mattox, Jr.
Head coach:   Steve Patton
Stadium:   Memorial Stadium 
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     Pittsburgh Colts 1,500 W 58-6
06/06/1983   at Charleston Rockets   --- W 33-30
06/11/1983   Texas Wranglers 2,009 W 52-0
06/18/1983   at Canton Bulldogs --- W 35-7
06/25/1983   Shreveport Americans ??? W 55-0
07/09/1983   Pittsburgh Colts 2,133 W 57-6
  Regular Season Results: 6-0
  American Bowl
07/23/1983   San Antonio Bulls 4,626 W 39-0
  Post Season Results: 1-0
  Final Season Results: 7-0
1983 American Football Association champions
 
 
Charleston Rockets
Owner:     Dave Ferrell
Head coach:   ???
Stadium:   ???
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Preseason
  05/21/1983     Canton Bulldogs ??? L 16-0
  Regular Season
05/28/1983   at Canton Bulldogs   --- L 11-0
06/06/1983   Carolina Storm ??? L 33-30
06/11/1983   Pittsburgh Colts ??? W 58-0
06/18/1983   at Pittsburgh Colts --- L 37-20
The Charleston Rockets fold
 
 
Dallas Wranglers logo
Dallas Wranglers (game 1)
Texas Wranglers (games 2-7)
Owners:     Walter Batchelor, Don Clark, Chai Gut, Mel Renfro (game 1)
Sports Management (games 2-7)
Head coach:   Norman Jett
Stadium:   Mesquite Memorial Stadium
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     at Houston Mustangs --- W 20-12
06/04/1983   San Antonio Bulls 1,000 L 14-10
06/11/1983   at Carolina Storm --- L 52-0
06/18/1983   at Shreveport Americans   --- L 14-10
06/25/1983   Houston Mustangs ??? W 51-0
07/09/1983   at San Antonio Bulls --- L 45-27
The Texas Wranglers fold
 
 
Houston Mustangs
Owner:     ???
Head coach:   ???
Stadium:   Dyer Stadium
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     Dallas Wranglers ??? L 20-12
06/04/1983   at Shreveport Americans --- L 54-14
06/11/1983   at Baton Rouge Red Wings   --- L 23-13
06/25/1983   at Texas Wranglers --- L 51-0
  Final Season Results: 0-4
 
 
Oklahoma City Drillers logo
 Oklahoma City Drillers
Owner:     Bill Thomas
Head coach:   Dennis McAlister
Stadium:   None was secured
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     at San Antonio Bulls --- L 76-0
06/04/1983   Baton Rouge Red Wings   --- L Forfeit
The Oklahoma City Drillers fold
 
 
Pittsburgh Colts
Owner:     Ed Brosky
Head coach:   Dave Fleming
Stadium:   Stone Field
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     at Carolina Storm --- L 58-6
06/04/1983   Canton Bulldogs 170 L 27-21
06/11/1983   at Charleston Rockets   --- L 58-0
06/18/1983   Charleston Rockets ??? W 37-20
06/25/1983   at Canton Bulldogs --- L 16-13
07/09/1983   at Carolina Storm --- L 57-6
  Final Season Results: 1-5
 
 
San Antonio Bulls logo
 San Antonio Bulls
Owner:     Clint Mangus
Head coach:   Roger Gill
Stadium:   Harlandale Memorial Stadium
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Preseason
  05/14/1983     at Shreveport Americans --- W 14-13
  Regular Season
  05/28/1983     Oklahoma City Drillers 200 W 76-0
06/04/1983   at Texas Wranglers --- W 14-10
06/11/1983   Shreveport Americans 2,000 W 28-6
06/18/1983   at Baton Rouge Red Wings   --- W 55-0
07/09/1983   Texas Wranglers 4,506 W 45-27
07/16/1983   at Shreveport Americans --- L 19-6
  Regular Season Results: 5-1
  American Bowl
07/23/1983   at Carolina Storm --- L 39-0
  Post Season Results: 0-1
  Final Season Results: 5-2
 
 
Shreveport Americans logo     Shreveport Americans logo
Owner:     Harold Moore
Head coach:   Gerald Kimble
Stadium:   Independence Stadium
     
Date Opponent   Attendance     Result     Score  
  Preseason
  05/14/1983     San Antonio Bulls 986 L 14-13
05/21/1983   Florida Statesmen
    National Football Association  		 500 W 41-13
  Regular Season
05/28/1983   at Baton Rouge Red Wings --- W 66-0
06/04/1983   Houston Mustangs 1,300 W 54-14
06/11/1983   at San Antonio Bulls --- L 28-6
06/18/1983   Texas Wranglers 1,400 W 14-10
06/25/1983   at Carolina Storm --- L 55-0
07/02/1983   Baton Rouge Red Wings 300 W 78-0
07/16/1983   San Antonio Bulls ??? W 19-6
  Final Season Results: 5-2

Articles, Statistics, and Photographs
 
Preseason
 
Photograph
05/21/1983
Florida Statesmen (National Football Association) at Shreveport Americans
Shreveport: Clarence Odum (24), John Lewis (49)
 
Regular Season
 
Shreveport Americans
at
Baton Rouge Red Wings
05/28/1983
@The Times
 
Charleston Rockets
at
Canton Bulldogs
05/28/1983
@Akron Beacon Journal
 
Pittsburgh Colts
at
Carolina Storm
05/28/1983
@The Charlotte Observer


 
Photograph 
Storm: Jeff Thompson (88)
 
Photograph
Storm: Jeff Thompson (88)
 
Dallas Texans
at
Houston Mustangs
05/28/1983
@Mesquite News
 
Oklahoma City Drillers
at
San Antonio Bulls
05/28/1983
@San Antonio Light


 
Photograph
San Antonio: Mark Allen (??)
Oklahoma City: Roger Baker (7)
 
Canton Bulldogs
at
Pittsburgh Colts
06/04/1983
@Pittsburgh Press

 
San Antonio Bulls
at
Texas Wranglers
06/04/1983
@San Antonio Light
 
Photograph
Texas: Paul Rice (41)
 
Houston Mustangs
at
Shreveport Americans
06/04/1983
@Shreveport-Bossier Times


 
Photograph
Shreveport: Clarence Odum (24)
 
Carolina Storm
at
Charleston Rockets
06/06/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
Houston Mustangs
at
Baton Rouge Red Wings
06/11/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
Texas Wranglers
at
Carolina Storm
06/11/1983
@Charlotte Observer

 
Photograph
Carolina: Eddie Jones (14)
 
Photograph
Texas: Welby Ina (7)
Carolina: Kevin Parks (80)
 
Pittsburgh Colts
at
Charleston Rockets
06/11/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
Shreveport Americans
at
San Antonio Bulls
06/11/1983
@San Antonio Express-News

Photograph
San Antonio: Henry Bush (44)
 
San Antonio Bulls
at
Baton Rouge Red Wings
06/18/1983
@San Antonio Light

 
Carolina Storm
at
Canton Bulldogs
06/18/1983
@Akron Beacon Journal
 
Charleston Rockets
at
PIttsburgh Colts
06/18/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
Texas Wranglers
at
Shreveport Americans
06/18/1983
@Shreveport-Bossier Times

 
Photograph
 
Photograph
 
Pittsburgh Colts
at
Canton Bulldogs
06/25/1983
@Akron Beacon Journal


                                             
 
Shreveport Americans
at
Carolina Storm
06/25/1983
@Shreveport-Bossier Times


 
Photograph
 
Photograph
Shreveport: Ed Powell (33)
Carolina: Kevin Parks (??)
 
Photograph
Shreveport: O. B. Lockhart (41)
Carolina: Frank Carr
 
Houston Mustangs
at
Texas Wranglers
06/25/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
Baton Rouge Red Wings
at
Shreveport Americans
07/02/1983
@Shreveport-Bossier Times


 
Photograph
Baton Rouge: William Variste (41)
Shreveport: Ron Johnson (56)
 
Carolina Storm
at
Texas Wranglers
07/02/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
Pittsburgh Colts
at
Carolina Storm
07/09/1983
@Charlotte Observer


 
Photograph
Carolina: Joe Crosby (??), Ed Thomas (72)
Pittsburgh: Pat Hahey (14)
 
Photograph
Pittsburgh: Pat Hahey (14)
 Carolina: Ed Thomas (72)
 
Texas Wranglers
at
San Antonio Bulls
07/09/1983
@San Antonio Light

 
Photograph
San Antonio: Johnny Martinez (65), Henry Bush (44)
 
Photograph
San Antonio: Johnny Martinez (65)
 
San Antonio Bulls
at
Shreveport Americans
07/16/1983
@Shreveport-Bossier Times

                                                                     
 
Photograph
San Antonio: George Franklin (44)
 
Houston Mustangs
at
Shreveport Americans
07/30/1983
NO ARTICLE FOUND
 
American Bowl
San Antonio Bulls
at
Carolina Storm
07/23/1983
@Charlotte Observer

 
Photograph
courtesy of Reid Squires
Carolina: Reid Squires (66), Ed Thomas (72), Joe Crosby (52)
 
Photograph
San Antonio: Ken Smith (17)
Carolina: Greg Wright (??)
 
Photograph
Carolina: Head coach Steve Patton
 
 
Schedules
 
Schedule  
Charleston Rockets  
 
 
Tickets
 
 
Programs
   
Program Program
06/11/1983
Pittsburgh Colts at Charleston Rockets		 07/23/1983
AMERICAN BOWL VII
San Antonio Bulls at Carolina Storm
 
 
Miscellaneous
 
Photograph
Carolina Storm
 
Photograph
Charleston Rockets
 
Photograph
Carolina Storm
 
Photograph
Carolina Storm
Reid Squires (66)
 
Photograph
Shreveport Americans cheerleader
 
 
Contact Gene Crowley
Last update: May 15, 2026