Chicago Fire (football)
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Fire was an American football
team in the short-lived World Football League
for one season, 1974. Founded in late October 1973 by building magnate Thomas Origer, he was the first owner to purchase a franchise, for around $400,000. Chicago was the first franchise to sign a player, wide receiver Jim Seymour
, fullback Bill Booker, and the first to sign a "name" player, quarterback Virgil Carter
. Carter played in Chicago
for the NFL Chicago Bears
as well as the Cincinnati Bengals
and San Diego Chargers
. Another notable Chicago Fire player was punter Chuck Ramsey, who would later go on to play with the New York Jets
. The team played at Soldier Field
. They were coached by Jim Spavital
, former coach of the Canadian Football League
's Winnipeg Blue Bombers
.
The Fire started out well, winning seven of their first 10 games and boasting some of the largest crowds in the league. However, a rash of injuries triggered an 11-game losing streak. Origer was so fed up by the team's collapse that he forfeited the team's final game. At the end of the season, he pulled out of the league and the Fire disbanded.
Another team, the Chicago Winds
, replaced the Fire in 1975 WFL play, though the new team was evicted from the second WFL after just five games.
Another team known as the "Chicago Fire," led by running back Billy Marek, played in the American Football Association in the 1980s. There is no official tie between that team and the WFL team.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team in the short-lived World Football League
World Football League
The World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 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...
for one season, 1974. Founded in late October 1973 by building magnate Thomas Origer, he was the first owner to purchase a franchise, for around $400,000. Chicago was the first franchise to sign a player, wide receiver Jim Seymour
Jim Seymour
James Patrick "Jim" Seymour was an American football wide receiver who played three seasons for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League. He was originally selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the 1969 NFL Draft, 10th pick overall...
, fullback Bill Booker, and the first to sign a "name" player, quarterback Virgil Carter
Virgil Carter
Virgil R. Carter is a former professional American football quarterback who played in the National Football League and the World Football League from 1967 through 1976. He was the first great quarterback from Brigham Young University.While at BYU Carter set six national, 19 conference, and 24...
. Carter played in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
for the NFL Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as well as the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Another notable Chicago Fire player was punter Chuck Ramsey, who would later go on to play with the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The team played at Soldier Field
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. They were coached by Jim Spavital
Jim Spavital
James J. Spavital was a gridiron football fullback, coach and general manager in six different professional football leagues.- Playing career :...
, former coach of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
.
The Fire started out well, winning seven of their first 10 games and boasting some of the largest crowds in the league. However, a rash of injuries triggered an 11-game losing streak. Origer was so fed up by the team's collapse that he forfeited the team's final game. At the end of the season, he pulled out of the league and the Fire disbanded.
Another team, the Chicago Winds
Chicago Winds
The Chicago Winds was the World Football League's ill-fated 1975 successor to the Chicago Fire. The team was named the Winds because Chicago was nicknamed "The Windy City." The Winds played at Soldier Field and was assigned to the WFL's Western Division for 1975 .-Pursuit of Joe...
, replaced the Fire in 1975 WFL play, though the new team was evicted from the second WFL after just five games.
Another team known as the "Chicago Fire," led by running back Billy Marek, played in the American Football Association in the 1980s. There is no official tie between that team and the WFL team.