Cleveland Thunderbolts
Encyclopedia
The Cleveland Thunderbolts were a professional American football
team in the Arena Football League.
, the team relocated to Cleveland
after a winless single season in the Arena Football League in 1991
.
Perhaps the highlight of the team's one year in Columbus
was the play of quarterback Major Harris
, who rushed for 429 yards during that season, an achievement given the predominance of passing in the play of the AFL. His record was broken however in 2005 when Michael Bishop
ran for 459 yards.
for three subsequent seasons, playing their home games in the suburban Richfield Coliseum
, a considerable distance from downtown Cleveland
, sharing it with the Cleveland Cavaliers
of the National Basketball Association
and the Cleveland Crunch
of the National Professional Soccer League. The team did somewhat better than it had in Columbus and qualified for the playoffs in the 1992
season, but was disbanded after the 1994
campaign.
For 13 years, the city of Cleveland, Ohio was without an arena football team. For 2008, the Las Vegas Gladiators franchise moved to Cleveland and became the city's newest team.
| colspan="6" align="center" | Columbus Thunderbolts
|-
|1991 || 0 || 10 || 0 || 8th || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Cleveland Thunderbolts
|-
|1992 || 4 || 6 || 0 || 4th Northern || Lost Week 1 (Orlando
50-12)
|-
|1993 || 2 || 10 || 0 || 4th AC || --
|-
|1994 || 2 || 10 || 0 || 5th AC || --
|-
!Totals || 8 || 37 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
|}
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 Arena Football League.
Columbus Thunderbolts
Established as the Columbus Thunderbolts and playing its home games at the Ohio Expo Center ColiseumOhio Expo Center Coliseum
The Ohio Expo Center Coliseum is a 7,000-seat multi-purpose arena located at the Ohio Expo Center and State Fairground in Columbus, Ohio. It was built in 1918. Nicknamed "The Barn," the Coliseum has become a legendary and traditional High School Basketball venue. It continues to be home to the...
, the team relocated to Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
after a winless single season in the Arena Football League in 1991
1991 Arena Football League season
The 1991 Arena Football League season was the 5th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Detroit Drive in ArenaBowl V.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
.
Perhaps the highlight of the team's one year in Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was the play of quarterback Major Harris
Major Harris
Major Harris is a former college football quarterback for West Virginia University during the 1980s. Harris was a 1989 All American and finished third and fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 and 1989, respectively. He was also the ECAC Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989...
, who rushed for 429 yards during that season, an achievement given the predominance of passing in the play of the AFL. His record was broken however in 2005 when Michael Bishop
Michael Bishop (football player)
Michael Paul Bishop is a professional football quarterback who is currently on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Practice Squad. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots....
ran for 459 yards.
Cleveland Thunderbolts
They operated in the Cleveland areaGreater Cleveland
Greater Cleveland is a nickname for the metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland, Ohio and is part of what used to be the Connecticut Western Reserve.Northeast Ohio refers to a similar but substantially larger area as described below...
for three subsequent seasons, playing their home games in the suburban Richfield Coliseum
Coliseum at Richfield
The Coliseum at Richfield was an arena located in Richfield Township in Summit County, Ohio, roughly halfway between Cleveland and Akron...
, a considerable distance from downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of the City of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Reinvestment in the area in the mid-1990s spurred a rebirth that continues to this day, with over $2 billion in residential and commercial developments slated for the area over the next few years...
, sharing it with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
and the Cleveland Crunch
Cleveland Force
The Cleveland Force has been the name of two indoor soccer teams based in the Richfield, Ohio area:*Cleveland Force , of the original MISL*Cleveland Force , known as the Crunch from 1989 to 2002...
of the National Professional Soccer League. The team did somewhat better than it had in Columbus and qualified for the playoffs in the 1992
1992 in sports
1992 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup* Men's overall season champion: Paul Accola, Switzerland* Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:...
season, but was disbanded after the 1994
1994 in sports
1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen...
campaign.
For 13 years, the city of Cleveland, Ohio was without an arena football team. For 2008, the Las Vegas Gladiators franchise moved to Cleveland and became the city's newest team.
Season-by-season
|-| colspan="6" align="center" | Columbus Thunderbolts
|-
|1991 || 0 || 10 || 0 || 8th || --
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" | Cleveland Thunderbolts
|-
|1992 || 4 || 6 || 0 || 4th Northern || Lost Week 1 (Orlando
Orlando Predators
The Orlando Predators are an Arena Football League team based in Orlando, Florida that was founded in 1991. Their playoff streak is currently 19 seasons in a row, as of the season, becoming the ArenaBowl champions in 1998 and 2000...
50-12)
|-
|1993 || 2 || 10 || 0 || 4th AC || --
|-
|1994 || 2 || 10 || 0 || 5th AC || --
|-
!Totals || 8 || 37 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
|}
Notable players
- George Cooper, Fullback/Linebacker 1991-92
- Major HarrisMajor HarrisMajor Harris is a former college football quarterback for West Virginia University during the 1980s. Harris was a 1989 All American and finished third and fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1988 and 1989, respectively. He was also the ECAC Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989...
, Quarterback 1991-94 - Anthony Howard, Wide Receiver/Linebacker 1994
- John KaleoJohn KaleoJohn Kaleo is a retired American football quarterback in the Arena Football League for the Albany Firebirds , Cleveland Thunderbolts , St...
, Quarterback 1994 - Cedric McKinnon, Fullback/Linebacker 1992-94
- Tony Missick, Wide Receiver/Linebacker 1991-92
- Brian MitchellBrian Mitchell (kicker)Brian Mitchell played college football for Marshall University in 1987 and the University of Northern Iowa from 1989-1991. He holds many UNI football records and NCAA records as well including the most accurate single season kicker in NCAA college football history . His longest field goal was 57...
, Kicker 1994 - Todd Samardzija, Fullback/Linebacker 1992