1977 American Football Association

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1977 AFA Timeline

May 16, 1977
It is reported that an existing San Antonio amateur league football team named the San Antonio Charros is trying to create a new minor league football league named the American Football Association.

Harry Lander, the Charros head coach, and Roger Gill, the Charros general manager, claim to have investors lined up.

Lander and Gill are in discussions with potential teams to be based in Tulsa, El Paso, Wichita Falls, and other cities. The two men had been organizing a new league named the Texas Professional Football League, but it is not known why the name has been changed.

The new league will be based on the World Football League's 'Hemmeter Plan', which was put in place in the league's second season to ensure teams started the season with proper funding. While that plan did not save the WFL from ultimately folding during the season, Gill believes it will be good for the AFA. "The WFL did not go under because the Hemmeter Plan was bad. The Hemmeter Plan was good but it was not enforced properly. For instance, we (the WFL's San Antonio Wings) were supposed to be able to exist three years on just $600,000. We ended up spending $2 million and were still trying to borrow more money when it ended."

May 25, 1977
It is announced that the Charros will join five other clubs from Austin, Fort Worth, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Wichita Falls to establish the American Football Association.

Incredibly, the league is giving itself less than a month before the first exhibition games will be played. Besides holding tryouts, each team will be scrambling to find venues available for rent on such short notice.

After playing two exhibition games, each team will play twelve regular season games beginning on July 2nd.

The Charros head coach, Harry Lander, will also be the league's president.

Rosters will be limited to 40 players, and plans are to pay the players 1% of each game's gate receipts.

Rules will be a combination of college and professional. Two point conversions are allowed and field goals will be worth 3 points (from 1 to 39 yards), 4 points (from 40 to 49 yards), and 5 points (beyond 50 yards).

League headquarters will be located in San Antonio.

June 1977

			1977 American Football Association
xx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xx

	Austin Texans		Fort Worth Stars		Houston Seagulls		Oklahoma Warriors		San Antonio Charros


	Wichita Falls Steelers

July 3, 1977
AFA president Harry Lander says the league has forced the Fort Worth Stars out. "They have not secured a stadium, have not paid the league dues, and have not secured medical insurance - they are not quality enough for this league."

August 24, 1977
The Houston Seagulls fold due to financial difficulties.

Jim Chambers, founder of the proposed Southern Football League, claims the Seagulls will be members of his league when it starts up in October.

September 3, 1977
The San Antonio Charros are undefeated in regular season play and are named champions of the American Football Association for 1977.

Game Results



Owner:		Roger Gill
Head coaches:		Jim Davis (games 1-5) Jerry Bettis (games 6-8)
Stadium:		Pflugerville High School (4,500)

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	Houston Seagulls	3,200	W	25-0
06/25/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	3,000	W	14-12
Regular Season
07/02/1977	at Houston Seagulls	---	W	32-12
07/09/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	4,000	W	31-28
07/23/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	3,000	W	17-12
07/30/1977	San Antonio Charros	5,000	L	18-11
08/06/1977	Houston Seagulls	2,300	W	34-6
08/13/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	L	23-2
08/27/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	L	26-7
09/03/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	52-34
Final Season Results: 4-4



Fort Worth Stars
Owner:		???
Head coach:		Billy Sadler
Stadium:		???

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	L	41-0
06/25/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	L	58-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	77-0
The Fort Worth Stars are forced out of the league



Houston Seagulls
Owners:		Bill Blan and Curtis Barnes
Head coach:		Curtis Barnes
Stadium:		St. Pius Stadium (5,500)

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	25-0
06/25/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	50-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	Austin Texans	2,300	L	32-12
07/16/1977	??? Wichita Falls Steelers	???	L	21-8
07/23/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	43-6
07/30/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	???	L	53-6
08/06/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	34-6
The Houston Seagulls fold




Owner:		Brooks Mosier
Head coach:		Brooks Mosier
Stadium:		Capitol Hill Stadium

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	W	28-24
06/25/1977	Fort Worth Stars	1,700	W	58-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	W	38-6
07/09/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	31-28
07/16/1977	San Antonio Charros	962	L	26-21
07/30/1977	at Houston Seagulls	---	W	53-6
08/06/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	1,200	W	29-0
08/13/1977	Austin Texans	2,000	W	23-2
08/20/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	48-0
Final Season Results: 4-3




Owner:		Harry Lander
Head coach:		Harry Lander
Stadiums:		Harlandale Memorial Stadium * South San Antonio High Stadium Alamo Stadium * Northside Stadium

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	500	L	28-24
06/25/1977	Houston Seagulls	1,000	W	50-0
Regular Season
07/02/1977	Fort Worth Stars	1,500	W	77-0
07/09/1977	Wichita Falls Steelers	1,000	W	37-0
07/16/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	W	26-21
07/23/1977	Houston Seagulls *	???	W	43-6
07/30/1977	at Austin Texans	---	W	18-11
08/13/1977	at Wichita Falls Steelers	---	W	26-9
08/20/1977	Oklahoma Warriors **	???	W	48-0
09/03/1977	Austin Texans ***	1,200	W	52-34
Final Season Results: 8-0
1977 American Football Association champions




Owner:		???
Head coach:		Mike Wyatt
Stadium:		???

Date	Opponent	Attendance	Result	Score
Preseason
06/18/1977	Fort Worth Stars	???	W	41-0
06/25/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	14-12
Regular Season
07/02/1977	Oklahoma Warriors	???	L	38-6
07/09/1977	at San Antonio Charros	---	L	37-0
07/16/1977	??? Houston Seagulls	???	W	21-8
07/23/1977	at Austin Texans	---	L	17-12
08/06/1977	at Oklahoma Warriors	---	L	29-0
08/13/1977	San Antonio Charros	???	L	26-9
08/27/1977	Austin Texans	???	W	26-7
Final Season Results: 2-5

Photographs and Articles

Preseason

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: James Nunn (??)

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Scooter Monzingo (12)
Houston: John Luna (77)

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Ray Mack (78), David Terrazas (75)

6/18/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: John Holmes (29), Richard Black (44)

06/25/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Austin: James Nunn (32)

06/25/1977
Fort Worth Stars at Oklahoma Warriors
Fort Worth: Ricky Kelly (??)
Oklahoma: Mike Jones (12)

Regular Season

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Austin: Larry Carter (82)
Oklahoma: Archie White (30)

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Austin: Richard Black (44)
Oklahoma: James Thatcher (88)

07/09/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at Austin Texans
Oklahoma: Mike Jones (12)
Austin: Ray Washington (78)

07/09/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at San Antonio Charros
San Antonio: Buddy Tomasi (21)

07/23/1977
Houston Seagulls at San Antonio Charros
San Antonio: David Wehmeyer (35)

07/23/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Austin: Leonard Brantley (??)

07/23/1977
Wichita Falls Steelers at Austin Texans
Austin: Thurman Benford (80), Paul Rich (??)
Wichita Falls: Danny Waggoner (41)

07/30/1977
San Antonio Charros at Austin Texans
Austin: David Terrazas (75), Duane Foster (??), Jim Dreyer (??)
San Antonio: Joe Gross (9)

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Al Maves (24), John Holmes (29), Ray Mack (78), Cornell Reese (55)
Houston: Mickey Kuhn (??)

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: David Terrazas (75)
Houston: Claude Reed (11)

08/06/1977
Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans
Austin: Ray Mack (78), David Terrazas (75)

08/20/1977
Oklahoma Warriors at San Antonio Charros
Oklahoma: Johnny Eastep

09/03/1977
Austin Texans at San Antonio Charros
San Antonio: David Wehmeyer (??)

Programs



06/18/1977 Houston Seagulls at Austin Texans	07/16/1977 San Antonio Charros at Oklahoma Warriors courtesy of Mike McCarthy

Tickets

07/30/1977
San Antonio Charros at Austin Texans

Miscellaneous

San Antonio Charros

Austin Texans

Oklahoma Warriors

Contact Gene Crowley
Last update: January 02, 2024