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Massachusetts Marauders
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Detroit Drive were a professional arena football team playing as an Arena Football League team from 1988-1993. They were in six consecutive championship ArenaBowls, one for each season of the team's Detroit existence, winning four of them, making them the dominant team of the League's early period. In 1992 they played in the Northern Division.
Their home games were played at the Joe Louis Arena, also home to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.
The Drive won the ArenaBowl in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992.
team's on-field success did not mean equivalent business success; although the team was the most profitable in the AFL, setting attendance records, owner Mike Ilitch sold the team following his purchase of the Detroit Tigers in 1993.
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History
Detroit Drive (1988-1993)
The Detroit Drive were a professional arena football team playing as an Arena Football League team from 1988-1993. They were in six consecutive championship ArenaBowls, one for each season of the team's Detroit existence, winning four of them, making them the dominant team of the League's early period. In 1992 they played in the Northern Division.
Their home games were played at the Joe Louis Arena, also home to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.
The Drive won the ArenaBowl in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992.
Massachusetts Marauders (1994)
The team's on-field success did not mean equivalent business success; although the team was the most profitable in the AFL, setting attendance records, owner Mike Ilitch sold the team following his purchase of the Detroit Tigers in 1993. The team competed in 1994 as the Massachusetts Marauders at the Worcester Centrum, but folded after an altercation between the new owner and the AFL commissioner.
Technically, the franchise still exists today. Nearly three years after the Marauders folded, Dan DeVos purchased the franchise out of bankruptcy court, and in 1998 they became the Grand Rapids Rampage, who are still playing today.
While the Drive's history may have been short, they have an unforgettable legacy to Arena Football fans, with ArenaBowl trips every year of their existence, and creating the first dynasty in the Arena Football League.
Season-by-season
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| colspan="6" align="center" | Detroit Drive
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|1988 || 9 || 3 || 0 || 2nd League || Won ArenaBowl II (Chicago Bruisers)
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|1989 || 3 || 1 || 0 || 1st League || Won ArenaBowl III (Pittsburgh Gladiators)
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|1990 || 6 || 2 || 0 || 1st League || Won ArenaBowl IV (Dallas Texans)
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|1991 || 9 || 1 || 0 || 1st League || Lost ArenaBowl V (Tampa Bay Storm)
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|1992 || 8 || 2 || 0 || 1st Northern || Won ArenaBowl VI (Orlando Predators)
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|1993 || 11 || 1 || 0 || 1st AC || Lost ArenaBowl VII (Tampa Bay Storm)
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| colspan="6" align="center" | Massachusetts Marauders
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|1994 || 8 || 4 || 0 || 3rd AC || Lost Week 2 (Orlando Predators)
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!Totals || 67 || 17 || 0
|colspan="2"| (including playoffs)
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Notable players
- Novo Bojovic, K 1988-92
- Lynn Bradford, FB/LB 1989-90
- Tony Burse, FB/LB 1993-94
- Dwayne Dixon, WR/LB 1988-91
- David Evans, WR/DB 1988-91
- Walter Holman, FB/LB 1988
- Rich Ingold, QB 1988
- George LaFrance, OS/KR 1988-89, 1991-93
- Reggie Mathis, OL/DLine 1988-90
- Mike Pagel, QB 1994
- Gilbert Renfroe, QB 1992-93
- Alvin Rettig, FB/LB 1988-93
- Art Schlichter, QB 1990-91
AFL Hall of Famers
External links
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