European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 34 the stars and stripes sports thursday july 28, 1994world league no longer so worldly by Rick Morrissey Rocky Mountain news Barcelona a three years ago the nil told the United states that ready or not the world league of american football was coming. It turned out America Wasny to ready and As history would seem to Bear out it might not Ever be ready for anything other than nil Brand football. The a Fly a answer Fine we done to need you. After a two year hiatus the world league will Start again in april with six european teams. Besides the Barcelona dragons the London monarchs and the Frankfurt Galaxy three other teams will be announced this week for the 10-Weck season. Americans might ask Why in the world the world league is Back but the game was fairly successful in Europe. Barcelona London and Frankfurt each averaged crowds of 30,000 a game during the leagues two year history. The Story was completely different in the United states where fans related to John Elway More than they could Scott Erney Barcelona a quarterback. When it came to football americans turned out to be isolationists turning away from Jet lagged nil rejects. Sacramento Orlando new Jersey Ohio Birmingham and san Antonio All had teams they just did no to have a lot of it was a big concept a said Pete Abi tante the director of International Public relations for the nil. A it was definitely a groundbreaking thing which is to our Benefit now because we know those mistakes. A we went to school on the first go round. I think maybe people in the states Are just used to nil football. It was Tough for them to fall in line behind something that Wasny to of the High standards of the league.�?�. The nil which lost millions of dollars in its first foray into Europe believes it will fare better this time. Instead of. Teams being partly owned locally the nil and Fox network will own All six teams in a joint venture. As before each teams 40-player roster will consist of seven europeans and 33 americans most of them players Cut by nil teams. is to nurture local Talent and Hope the sport grows. The argument has been that the europeans can support Only soccer. A the fact that we averaged 30,000 fans a game in three different european markets Means we can catch on to a certain degree a Abitanto said. A . In the United slates its sort of a flip Flop. Europe a no. 1 sport came Over to the states where nil football is no. 1. Now nil football is coming Europe. A a nah be ask is that the people who watch our game Over Here Are open minded just like americans were of soc Eer in the . A a we re not fooling ourselves that american football Wall supplant soccer. We just room in these markets we be chosen for our game to the three european cities that will be added to the league this week will come from Germany Scotland England France or the Netherlands the question for the future is whether american football As europeans know it will Ever hit America again. The answer is probably. Apparently when european fans were asked about rivalries new York was mentioned predominantly. But with nil officials leery about being Overly ambitious again done to look for the world to come to say Alabama any time soon. Distributed by Scripper Howard new service Safe from Page 36. Around the air Force. A you get to know people at other bases by playing. It helps out because you May deploy with someone who you May not have met otherwise a James Thomas 30, a fullback at Sembach said. Many players have turned to the Host countries growing Amateur american style football programs. Exact numbers Arentt kept because service members participate on off duty time. A a lot of . And Csc players have played in local leagues for years a Burkett said. The european leagues Start in the Spring and end in late summer about the time that the military Teague starts. A lot of players played year ,. In Germany teams arc limited to eight non German players on the game Day roster and Only two can be on the Field at the same time. In England the rosters Are limited to two foreign players. A a a a a a Amateur teams arc always looking for Good american players and some even recruit players from the United states. Kirkendoll said that former rocket players arc spread out among teams in Frankfurt Tanau Neu Isenberg and Russel sheim. The Only Active air Force team is Sembach an orphan team without a league. The tigers recently won an exhibition scrimmage tournament by defeating Landsburg of the third German league 18-0. The tigers were undefeated in the four Way round Robin tourney. The rest of the program is sidelined another victim tackled by the draw Down. A the whole Safe sports program has changed for the worse. Slowly they be dwindled Down a lot of the varsity sports programs a Kenyon said. A you walk by the football stadium and see the empty stands and its sad. Quot a you done to hear the fans screaming and you go Back in your mind to compare past years a Kirkendoll said. Rhein main won the last Safe title nov. 28,1993, by defeating Lakenheath 41-20 for its third consecutive title. A week earlier the rockets Defeated Oesterberg the Netherlands 45-12 for the Csc title. Lakenheath won its seventh straight . Title by defeating upper Heyford 16-13. Also competing in the final season from the Csc were Ramstein Span Dahlem Pitburg and Sembach. Hahn Wiesbaden and also competed in recent Csc campaigns. The other . Teams were Mildenhall Chicksands and Alconbury. In 1946, Ansbach won the first Safe title by defeating Neu Biberg 21-13. A a. Landsberg won the Safe conference the nest year with a 7-0-0 record from 1948-1950, the air Force teams competed in the army leagues. In 1951, Rhein main captured its first of 10 titles by defeating Burtonwood 31-21. The games continued until its final season in 1993 j the title game in 1963 Between Pitburg and Wethersfield was cancelled because of the assassination of president John f. Kennedy the teams were declared co champions. main garnered the most Safe titles with 10 in the rockets 12 appearances in the championship game. Only Wiesbaden appeared in As Many championship games and the flyers soared to six titles. Pitburg also had six titles followed by upper Heyford with five Ramstein. With four London with three and shape with two. Lakenheath Only won two Safe titles in 1990 and 1979, Blit goes out. As the longest reigning . Champion having won the conference title each year starting in 1987 to 1993. In All Lakenheath played. For the Safe title nine times. Still undetermined is the Fate of the equipment left Over from the teams. Mullins said he is awaiting word from. Air Force Headquarters in Washington d.c., to hear if they can give it to youth programs such As local High schools. One positive thing to come of this Mullins said is that the Fields will now be open to other uses such As youth football and soccer programs. For 22 years Safe had the Only command wide tackle football program in Europe. A Usa eur dropped tackle football in 1971. The High Point of military football in Europe came in the dec. 4, 1960 Freedom bowl when the army a Mainz troopers Defeated the Safe Champion shape indians 10-0 before Over 32,000 fans in Frankfurt a Wald stadium. It was the Only Freedom bowl played. Kirkendoll. S&5 Michael Abrams Rhein Mains Berry Smith 24 Breaks up pass intended Lor Lakenheath a Dennis Mullins in 1993 championship game the Swan song for Safe tackle of Safe championship football games year learn. 1946. Ansbach 21, Neu Viborg 13 1947".�?�".""landsborg, 7-0-0, conference Champion 1943-50 Safe teams competed in the a my conference. 1951 Rhein main 31, Bud Onwood �1 ,052. Furstenfeld Bruck 26, Burtonwood 7 ,353 Lan Stuhl 30, London 21 ,054london 21. Chaumont 0london 13, Lan Stuhl 7 London 32, Wiesbaden 7 1957, �?z.touion20, wins amp Aden 19 1953ramstein 30, Lyon 8 1968 195g.Wiesbaden 31, Chicksands 0 1969. 1960. Shape 11, Wiesbaden 0 1 970 196 1.shape 39. Alconbury 12 1971 196 2wiesbaden 31, Chicksands 0 1972., 1963 Pitburg and Wethersfield declared co Champi 1973. On after game was cancelled because of the As 1974. Sass mation of president John f. Kennedy 1975. 196 4 Rhem Mam 40, 1976. 196 5.Wiesbaden 54, Wethersfield 6 1977, 196s.-Wiesbaden 49, Wethersfield 0 1 978. 1967rhein-main 19, Ben Waters 14 1979. Ben wafers 41. Wiesbaden 6 1930 Rhein Mam 49, Benld Abni 7 1961., upper Heyword 14, a Saba Den 9 1932 ,.w Esb Aden 27, Upp a Heyford �6 1963 item a n 6. U per Ray Ard o 1964 Leper he cd 17, Rhein Mam 13 1965 upper hello a 28. Wiesbaden 21 1906 Escalon �0. Benr Wate a 7 1&97. Pitburg 21, Ben Waters 18 15s0-. Pitburg 30, Chuk sans 0 1909. A Turg 21, Chok Sand 514 1990. Lskenhealhl6.6itc.urg 10 1991. B Iburg 21, Lakenheath ,0 upper he Ford 20, Pitburg 14upper h Veylord 34, Ramstein 6 paste n 20, upper Sheyta d 13 Rar islam 24, Benr Saiera 0 Ramstein 33, upper hey Cru 32 Chicksands �9. B Iburg 22 a Lberg 29, Lakenheath 2rhein Mem 34. Laken Noah 0rnen-i.lun 37. Lakenheath 10 Lave Whealn 39, Rhem Mam 30 Rhem Mam �7, Lake Whealn 6 199 2. Rham vain 57, Lakin Heath 12 199 3.rnem-Uain 4t, Lakenheath �0 1934. League suspended mul Isle a Chain Wam 10. Pitburg 61, Wio Skauen i6p upper Heyford 5. Rams bin 4london Ujj. Lake bean . Shape 2champ a snip came appearances Rhein Mam 12wiesbaden 12lakenheath Wiburg 9i, upper Herferd 9. Beni Walers it. Rum Stem 5. London 4wethers new a 3j, shape 2, bul Onwood 21
