Tag: Soldier Field

Chicago Hornets All-America Football Conference

Chicago Hornets

February 14, 2021

The Chicago Hornets were a One-Year Wonder in the All-America Football Conference, a league that attempted to rival the National Football League for pro football supremacy in the post-WWII years of 1946-1949. The Hornets arrived on the scene just in time to take part in the AAFC’s final season, before getting contracted 10 months later in the December 1949 merger of the AAFC and the NFL. The Chicago market went to the NFL’s Bears and the Hornets vanished into the dustbin of history.

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Doug Shanahan & Kevin Leveille on the cover of the 2006 Chicago Machine media guide from Major League Lacrosse

Chicago Machine

April 4, 2019

The Chicago Machine were an ill-fated operation formed as part of Major League Lacrosse’s 2006 expansion to the Midwest and West Coast. After posting the first winless season (0-12) in league history in 2006, the Machine posted three more last place finishes in 2007, 2008 and 2009. The team closed up shop in Chicago after the 2009 season but technically played one more season on the league table as a travel-only club in 2010. Chicago’s league membership was moved to Rochester, New York in late 2010. Major League Lacrosse itself went out of business after 20 seasons in late 2020.

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Chicago Spurs National Professional Soccer League

Chicago Spurs

January 30, 2018

National Professional Soccer League (1967) Born: 1967 – NPSL founding franchise Moved: January 1968 (Kansas City Spurs) First Game: April 16, 1967 (W 2-1 vs. St. Louis

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1981 Chicago Fire American Football Association

Chicago Fire (1981)

August 12, 2015

The 1981 Chicago Fire of the American Football Association were a low-budget re-boot of the 1974 Chicago Fire of the World Football League. Both teams used the same logo and colors and played at Soldier Field. But while the WFL aspired to challenge the National Football League for talent and attention, the American Football Association was an avowedly minor league operation. Like the original Fire of 1974, the new Fire of 1981 folded after only one season of play.

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1974 Chicago Fire Media Guide from the World Football League

Chicago Fire (1974)

October 22, 2014

Not to be confused with the modern day Major League Soccer franchise, the Chicago Fire were founding members of the upstart World Football League in the summer of 1974. The WFL sought to challenge the supremacy of the National Football League as a major league football product and launched raids on NFL rosters. The Fire got off to a promising 7-2 start and drew strong crowds to Soldier Field. But an 11-game losing streak and a series of embarrassing financial setbacks across the league cooled Fire boss Tom Origer’s enthusiasm. The exasperated owner forfeited the Fire’s final game and shuttered the franchise soon afterwards. Rookie receiver James Scott was the Fire’s breakout star. After the demise of the WFL Scott went on to play seven seasons for the Chicago Bears from 1976 to 1983.

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