Birmingham Vulcans
Encyclopedia
The Birmingham Vulcans were a professional American football
team located in Birmingham, Alabama
. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the World Football League
(WFL). The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart league's second and final season in 1975. The team was owned by a group of Birmingham businessman with Ferd Weil as team president.
The Vulcans replaced the Birmingham Americans
who had held the WFL franchise for Birmingham in 1974, winning World Bowl I
in December 1974 before suffering financial collapse. The Vulcans were the best team in the league in 1975 with a 9-3 record and the best at the box office until the league folded in mid-season. After the WFL ceased operations, the Vulcans were declared league champions by virtue of having the best record.
When the league folded, Birmingham and Memphis attempted to get admitted into the National Football League
for the 1976 season, although unlike the similar and more extensive effort in Memphis
which involved actual cash deposits toward season tickets, it seemed to consist mainly of getting fans to sign a "statement of support" somewhat similar to a petition
. When the Memphis effort failed, Vulcans followers were forced to accept the inevitable as well, and efforts to get the team admitted as an NFL franchise were abandoned.
The Vulcans name would be recycled for the Alabama Vulcans
, a member of the American Football Association, in 1979.
, two former Vulcans players have been inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
. Birmingham native Johnny "Italian Stallion" Musso, who placed 4th in Heisman Trophy
voting while playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide, was inducted in the Class of 1989. Larry Willingham
, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals
and retired for medical reasons in 1973 but made a comeback in 1974 with the Birmingham Americans
, was inducted in the Class of 2003. Willingham was also elected to the Auburn Tigers football
"1970s Team of the Decade".
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 located in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. They were members of the five-team Eastern Division of the 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...
(WFL). The Vulcans, founded in March 1975, played in the upstart league's second and final season in 1975. The team was owned by a group of Birmingham businessman with Ferd Weil as team president.
The Vulcans replaced the Birmingham Americans
Birmingham Americans
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League . The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974...
who had held the WFL franchise for Birmingham in 1974, winning World Bowl I
World Bowl (WFL)
The World Bowl, also known as World Bowl 1, was the American football championship game of the short-lived World Football League. It was televised on TVS Television Network....
in December 1974 before suffering financial collapse. The Vulcans were the best team in the league in 1975 with a 9-3 record and the best at the box office until the league folded in mid-season. After the WFL ceased operations, the Vulcans were declared league champions by virtue of having the best record.
When the league folded, Birmingham and Memphis attempted to get admitted into the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the 1976 season, although unlike the similar and more extensive effort in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
which involved actual cash deposits toward season tickets, it seemed to consist mainly of getting fans to sign a "statement of support" somewhat similar to a petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
. When the Memphis effort failed, Vulcans followers were forced to accept the inevitable as well, and efforts to get the team admitted as an NFL franchise were abandoned.
The Vulcans name would be recycled for the Alabama Vulcans
Alabama Vulcans
The Alabama Vulcans were a professional football team which were a part of the American Football Association in 1979. Though the Vulcans used a different color scheme than its predecessors in the World Football League, the team's name was borrowed from the WFL's Birmingham Vulcans and the logo was...
, a member of the American Football Association, in 1979.
, two former Vulcans players have been inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame is a state museum located in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to communicating the state’s athletic history...
. Birmingham native Johnny "Italian Stallion" Musso, who placed 4th in Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting while playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide, was inducted in the Class of 1989. Larry Willingham
Larry Willingham
Larry Levi Willingham is a retired professional American football player. He played in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals and in the World Football League for both the Birmingham Americans and Birmingham Vulcans...
, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and retired for medical reasons in 1973 but made a comeback in 1974 with the Birmingham Americans
Birmingham Americans
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League . The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974...
, was inducted in the Class of 2003. Willingham was also elected to the Auburn Tigers football
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
"1970s Team of the Decade".