Portland Storm
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The Portland Storm were an American football team based out of Portland, Oregon, playing in the World Football League. When the World Football League was created in October 1973, the Storm was the original New York franchise. When the Boston Bulls merged with New York to become the New York Stars, the original New York entry's draft picks were eventually relegated to Portland.
Portland's original owner, Houston accountant John Rooney, soon dropped out of the picture. By March 1974, Bruce Gelker, a former football player and owner of several Saddleback Inns, was named the new owner of the fledgling Portland Storm. The Storm hired Ron Mix, an All-time AFL player, as General Manager and Dick Coury, an NFL assistant with the Denver Broncos, as head coach.
The Storm had mostly rookies and rejects on their roster. Among the standouts was running back Rufus "Roadrunner" Ferguson, ex-CFL and wow, Detroit Lion quarterback Greg Barton, and linebackers Marty Schottenheimer, later a successful head coach in the NFL, and Bruce Bergey, brother of Cincinnati Bengals-Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Bergey.
In the first half of the season Portland played poorly, going 1-8-1 in the process. The Storm didn't win their first game until they beat Detroit in the ninth week. Originally a Wheels home game, the contest was moved to London, Ontario. The team improved during the second half of the season, thanks in part to many NFL players cut in training camp that September. Among the new signings were Ben Davidson of the Oakland Raiders, and Pete Beathard, who had been cut by the Kansas City Chiefs. With the stock of veterans, the Storm improved to 6-4. The team finished the season with an overall record of 7-12-1, tied with Houston-Shreveport for 8th place in the 12-team league. Soon after, the IRS impounded the franchise. The Portland Thunder took the Storm's place in 1975 and lasted until the entire WFL folded halfway through its second season.
The home stadium for both the Portland Storm and Thunder was Civic Stadium, now renamed PGE Park.
| World Football League |
| Birmingham Americans (1974) | Birmingham Vulcans (1975) | Charlotte Stars (1974) | Charlotte Hornets (1974-75) | Chicago Fire (1974) | Chicago Winds (1975) | Detroit Wheels (1974) | Florida Blazers (1974) | The Hawaiians (1974-75) | Houston Texans (1974) | Jacksonville Sharks (1974) | Jacksonville Express (1975) | Memphis Southmen (1974-75) | New York Stars (1974) | Philadelphia Bell (1974-75) | Portland Storm (1974) | Portland Thunder (1975) | San Antonio Wings (1975) | Shreveport Steamer (1974-75) | Southern California Sun (1974-75) |
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