About: Detroit Wheels   Sponge Permalink

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The Detroit Wheels were an American football team, a charter member of the ill-fated World Football League. The Wheels were founded December 13, 1973 by ten investors, whose number eventually grew to 33, including singer Marvin Gaye, Motown Records vice-president Esther Edwards, and pizza maker (and future Red Wings and Tigers owner) Mike Ilitch. Problems began when they were unable to sign any of their draft picks, then they were not allowed to play at Tiger Stadium, home of the NFL Detroit Lions. The Silverdome hadn't been built yet, and the University of Michigan, home of cavernous Michigan Stadium, also said no. Finally, the Wheels signed a deal to play at Eastern Michigan University's Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, 37 miles from downtown Detroit. The club even hired EMU's h

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rdfs:label
  • Detroit Wheels
rdfs:comment
  • The Detroit Wheels were an American football team, a charter member of the ill-fated World Football League. The Wheels were founded December 13, 1973 by ten investors, whose number eventually grew to 33, including singer Marvin Gaye, Motown Records vice-president Esther Edwards, and pizza maker (and future Red Wings and Tigers owner) Mike Ilitch. Problems began when they were unable to sign any of their draft picks, then they were not allowed to play at Tiger Stadium, home of the NFL Detroit Lions. The Silverdome hadn't been built yet, and the University of Michigan, home of cavernous Michigan Stadium, also said no. Finally, the Wheels signed a deal to play at Eastern Michigan University's Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, 37 miles from downtown Detroit. The club even hired EMU's h
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dbkwik:americanfoo...iPageUsesTemplate
Field
Division
  • Central
Name
  • Detroit Wheels
fontColour
  • Red
bgcolour
  • Goldenrod
folded
  • September 1974
Colours
  • Red, Gold & Black
Founded
  • December 1973
Location
abstract
  • The Detroit Wheels were an American football team, a charter member of the ill-fated World Football League. The Wheels were founded December 13, 1973 by ten investors, whose number eventually grew to 33, including singer Marvin Gaye, Motown Records vice-president Esther Edwards, and pizza maker (and future Red Wings and Tigers owner) Mike Ilitch. Problems began when they were unable to sign any of their draft picks, then they were not allowed to play at Tiger Stadium, home of the NFL Detroit Lions. The Silverdome hadn't been built yet, and the University of Michigan, home of cavernous Michigan Stadium, also said no. Finally, the Wheels signed a deal to play at Eastern Michigan University's Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, 37 miles from downtown Detroit. The club even hired EMU's head coach, Dan Boisture, to helm the Wheels. Things weren't encouraging on the field, either. The Wheels had a decent quarterback in Bubba Wyche (brother of NFL quarterback and later coach Sam Wyche), but little in the way of protection (he was sacked eleven times in one game) or receivers. Only 10,631 people attended their first home game, and their final home game drew only 6,351 fans. One home game, against the Portland Storm, was moved to London, Ontario (the Storm owner was from London). The Wheels lost in front an announced crowd of 5,105. After losing their first ten games (half the projected twenty-game season), the Wheels got their only win, 15-14 over the Florida Blazers at Orlando. On September 24, the Wheels faced the New York Stars in Downing Stadium, losing 37-7 in what proved to be the Stars' last game before moving to Charlotte. After a 14-11 loss to the Shreveport Steamer (nee Houston Texans), the Wheels (and the equally struggling Jacksonville Sharks) folded for good. Stan Hansen, the professional wrestler, had a brief stint as a player with the Wheels. Nevertheless, he was promoted as a "former star" of the team when wrestling in a promotion in his hometown of Amarillo, Texas.
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