1991 WLAF season

1991 WLAF season
DurationMarch 23, 1991 – May 27, 1991
World Bowl '91
DateJune 9, 1991
VenueWembley Stadium, London
ChampionsLondon Monarchs

The 1991 WLAF season was the inaugural season of the World League of American Football and was the first transatlantic sports league. The regular season began on March 23, and concluded on May 27. The postseason ran from June 1 until June 9, when the London Monarchs defeated the Barcelona Dragons 21–0 in World Bowl '91 at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

Attendances

Average game attendance was 25,361.[1] At London, Barcelona, Frankfurt and Montreal, attendances surpassed early expectations.[2] The Monarchs' home attendance led the league, with an average of 40,481 in the regular season.[3] The dress rehearsal for the World Bowl, London v Barcelona at Wembley in week 10, attracted 50,835 fans,[4] while the same week Frankfurt v Sacramento received a bigger crowd, 51,653,[4][3] with around 10,000 more fans turned away.[3] The World Bowl was attended by 61,108.[4]

Regular season

Week 1

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, March 23 London Monarchs 24–11 Frankfurt Galaxy [5]
Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks 3–9 Sacramento Surge [6]
Montreal Machine 20–5 Birmingham Fire [7]
Sunday, March 24 New York/New Jersey Knights 7–19 Barcelona Dragons [8]
Monday, March 25 San Antonio Riders 34–35 Orlando Thunder [9]

Week 2

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, March 30 Sacramento Surge 10–17 Birmingham Fire [10]
Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks 20–58 Orlando Thunder [11]
Sunday, March 31 New York/New Jersey Knights 18–22 London Monarchs [12]
Monday, April 1 Frankfurt Galaxy 10–3 San Antonio Riders [13]
Barcelona Dragons 34–10 Montreal Machine [14]

Week 3

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, April 6 Orlando Thunder 12–35 London Monarchs [15]
Barcelona Dragons 26–14 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks [16]
Frankfurt Galaxy 27–17 New York/New Jersey Knights [17]
Sunday, April 7 Sacramento Surge 3–10 San Antonio Riders [18]
Monday, April 8 Birmingham Fire 10–23 Montreal Machine [19]

Week 4

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, April 13 Frankfurt Galaxy 10–16 Sacramento Surge [20]
New York/New Jersey Knights 44–0 Montreal Machine [21]
Sunday, April 14 Orlando Thunder 13–33 Barcelona Dragons [22]
Monday, April 15 San Antonio Riders 37–15 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks [23]
London Monarchs 27–0 Birmingham Fire [24]

Week 5

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, April 20 Montreal Machine 7–45 London Monarchs [25]
Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks 28–30 Frankfurt Galaxy [26]
Barcelona Dragons 14–22 San Antonio Riders [27]
Sunday, April 21 Birmingham Fire 31–6 Orlando Thunder [28]
Monday, April 22 Sacramento Surge 20–28 New York/New Jersey Knights [29]

Week 6

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, April 27 Montreal Machine 7–17 Frankfurt Galaxy [30]
Barcelona Dragons 29–20 Sacramento Surge [31]
Orlando Thunder 6–42 New York/New Jersey Knights [32]
Sunday, April 28 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks 10–35 London Monarchs [33]
Monday, April 29 San Antonio Riders 12–16 Birmingham Fire [34]

Week 7

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, May 4 Birmingham Fire 6–11 Barcelona Dragons [35]
Frankfurt Galaxy 17–14 Orlando Thunder [36]
Montreal Machine 26–23 Sacramento Surge [37]
Sunday, May 5 New York/New Jersey Knights 42–6 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks [38]
Monday, May 6 London Monarchs 38–15 San Antonio Riders [39]

Week 8

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, May 11 San Antonio Riders 7–17 Barcelona Dragons [40]
London Monarchs 22–7 New York/New Jersey Knights [41]
Sacramento Surge 33–45 Orlando Thunder [42]
Sunday, May 12 Birmingham Fire 3–10 Frankfurt Galaxy [43]
Monday, May 13 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks 6–15 Montreal Machine [44]

Week 9

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, May 18 Montreal Machine 10–27 San Antonio Riders [45]
London Monarchs 45–21 Sacramento Surge [46]
Sunday, May 19 Frankfurt Galaxy 10–3 Barcelona Dragons [47]
Monday, May 20 Orlando Thunder 20–14 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks [48]
New York/New Jersey Knights 14–24 Birmingham Fire [49]

Week 10

Date Visiting team Final score Home team Source
Saturday, May 25 Sacramento Surge 24–13 Frankfurt Galaxy [50]
Birmingham Fire 28–7 Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks [51]
San Antonio Riders 9–38 New York/New Jersey Knights [52]
Monday, May 27 Barcelona Dragons 20–17 London Monarchs [53]
Orlando Thunder 33–27 Montreal Machine [54]

Standings

European Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA DIV STK
London Monarchs 9 1 0 .900 310 121 1–1 L1
Barcelona Dragons 8 2 0 .800 206 126 1–1 W1
Frankfurt Galaxy 7 3 0 .700 155 139 1–1 L1
North American East Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA DIV STK
New York/New Jersey Knights 5 5 0 .500 257 155 3–0 W1
Orlando Thunder 5 5 0 .500 242 286 3–1 W3
Montreal Machine 4 6 0 .400 145 244 1–2 L2
Raleigh–Durham Skyhawks 0 10 0 .000 123 300 0–4 L10
North American West Division
Team W L T PCT PF PA DIV STK
Birmingham Fire 5 5 0 .500 140 140 2–0 W2
San Antonio Riders 4 6 0 .400 176 196 1–1 L1
Sacramento Surge 3 7 0 .300 179 226 0–2 W1

[55] [56]

Postseason

Bracket

Semifinals World Bowl '91
      
1 London Monarchs 42
4 New York/New Jersey Knights 26
London Monarchs 21
Barcelona Dragons 0
3 Barcelona Dragons 10
2 Birmingham Fire 3

All-World League team

Offense

Position First team Second team
Wide receiver Jon Horton, London
Gene Taylor, Barcelona
Byron Williams, Orlando 		Dana Brinson, London
Monty Gilbreath, NY/NJ
Carl Parker, Sacramento
Tackle Steve Gabbard, London
Mike Withycombe, Orlando 		Scott Adams, Barcelona
Theo Adams, London
Guard Paul Berardelli, London
Gary Frank, Frankfurt 		John Guerrero, Orlando
Barry Voorhees, Barcelona
Center Doug Marrone, London Curtis Wilson, Sacramento
Quarterback Stan Gelbaugh, London Scott Erney, Barcelona
Running back Tony Baker, Frankfurt
Ricky Blake, San Antonio 		Judd Garrett, London
Eric Mitchell, Orlando
Eric Wilkerson, NY/NJ

[57]

Defense

Position First team Second team
Defensive end Bruce Clark, Barcelona
Mark Mraz, Frankfurt 		Donnie Gardner, San Antonio
Shawn Knight, Sacramento
Nose tackle Roy Hart, London Darrell Phillips, Birmingham
Mike Teeter, Frankfurt
Outside linebacker Danny Lockett, London
Tracy Simien, Montreal 		Marlon Brown, London
Ron Sancho, NY/NJ
Inside linebacker John Brantley, Birmingham
Tim Walton, San Antonio 		Ron Goetz, Barcelona
Pete Najarian, Sacramento
Ken Sale, London
Cornerback Anthony Parker, NY/NJ
Corris Ervin, London 		John Holland, Birmingham
Richard Shelton, Montreal
Strong safety Greg Coauette, Sacramento Tim Broady, Frankfurt
Free safety John Miller, Birmingham Dedrick Dodge, London

[57]

Specialists

Position First team Second team
Kicker Phil Alexander, London Björn Nittmo, Montreal
Punter Chris Mohr, Montreal Kirk Maggio, Birmingham
Special teams Erroll Tucker, Orlando (PR) Richard Shelton, Montreal (PR)
Operation Discovery Phil Alexander, London Victor Ebubedike, London

[57]

References

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  2. ^ Stellino, Vito (April 7, 1991). "WLAF attendance surpassing early hopes in Europe and Canada". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Eichel, Larry (June 8, 1991). "In Europe, WLAF's Game Was More Than Football". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c "WLAF History: 1991". WLAF. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  5. ^ Moore, Rob (March 24, 1991). "Monarchs make a winning start". The Independent. p. 28. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Traynham, Gary (March 24, 1991). "Skyhawks open on a downer as Surge wins 9–3". The News and Observer. p. B1. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Montreal Machine off to rousing start". The Toronto Star. March 24, 1991. p. G4. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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  40. ^ Cress, Doug (May 12, 1991). "Rough times abroad". San Antonio Light. p. C1. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ Bell, Daryl (May 12, 1991). "Knights sackes as 41,219 watch". The Star-Ledger. p. 5-1. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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  44. ^ "Machine beats Skyhawks, ties for East Division lead". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. Associated Press. May 14, 1991. p. E8. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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  50. ^ Zani, Larry (May 26, 1991). "Surge rolls to 24–13 win over Galaxy". The Sacramento Bee. p. C1. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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  52. ^ Sullivan, Bill (May 26, 1991). "Knights rock Riders, 38–9". Poughkeepsie Journal. p. 8E. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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  55. ^ Associated Press (May 28, 1991). "WLAF standings". The Item. Sumter, South Carolina. p. 4B. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  56. ^ "1991 WLAF Standings". The Football Database. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  57. ^ a b c "1991 All-World League Team". The News. Boca Raton, Florida. May 25, 1991. p. 5D. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
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